Is it time for new Exterior Wall Cladding on your Commercial Building?
Exterior wall cladding refers to the process of coating a surface with another material. Exterior wall cladding is mainly used to improve the aesthetics of a wall, but it has some functional advantages as well which makes it an ideal as well as an inexpensive way to change the look of an exterior wall. One of the biggest advantages of exterior wall cladding is that it comes in various materials and styles, making it possible for people to choose a material which complements the whole building/house. Exterior wall cladding can even influence the overall look of a building and thus, can help in achieving the desired style.
The professionals at Zero Defects can educate you about the exterior wall cladding options for your commercial building. We can also provide a detailed assessment to help you make a decision. Our services not only promise exceptional quality but also guarantee years of durability.
The different types of Cladding options for Commercial Buildings are:
Lightweight claddings are designed in such a way to counter seismic forces during events like an earthquake by moving with the building. These types of cladding are also installed considering the drift in panels between two stories of a building. This type of design allowing inter-story drift is achieved by employing the use of movement control joints and overlaps between two cladding components; thus enabling each component to move independently without affecting the surrounding cladding components.
Spandrel panels
This types of panels are made from concrete, steel or glass and are usually big enough to cover 2 stories of a building. Generally, Spandrel panels are mostly used with concrete or steel buildings as each panel can weigh quite a lot. In order to prevent damage to the panels during seismic activities like earthquakes, these panels are connected to the building using connecting systems which don’t allow seismic forces to get transferred from the building to the panels or to the connection system itself. Although various proprietary solutions exist for such connecting systems, the two most popular are ductile or sliding connection systems.
Panel boundaries
Panel boundaries are important because it prevents spandrel panels from coming in contact with each other which can happen when high drifting occurs between the panels. It would have been far simpler if all panels were arranged in the same plane, but buildings have walls and features meeting at angles which creates intersections where spandrel panels come in contact with each other at various angles. Due to certain drift causing forces like earthquakes, these panels will move and if the connections between the panels as well as between the panels and the building are not designed considering this movement of panels, then these spandrel panels will come in contact and collide with each other.
Glass curtain walls
Today, glass is very popular as an architectural feature and many buildings use large expanses of glass. However, glass due to its inherent brittleness is prone to breaking especially when outside forces cause deformations and the glass has no space to tolerate it. Since glass cannot deform, it needs space around its edges to tolerate external deformations. This is where glass curtain walls come into use by providing gaps and space between panes of glass and the surrounding mullions, transoms, and rubber gaskets to accommodate the movement of the glass before it comes in contact with the frame.
Benefits of Exterior Wall Cladding
Wall claddings come in a number of materials ranging from vinyl and brick to metal offering different styles which can complement different types of buildings.
Exterior Wall Claddings are extremely easy to install, offering a quick and easy way for owners to improve the aesthetics of the walls of their building.
Exterior wall claddings offer homeowners the option to create unique looking walls by offering a number of options in terms of materials. Thus, owners can easily create their ideal style of home.
Exterior wall cladding not only improves the looks of walls but also impart additional strength to the walls and consequently to the whole building.
Since wall cladding materials are hard and heavy, they offer additional stability to the building by increasing its strength and its safety.
Some exterior wall cladding materials like vinyl are mold and mildew resistant offering protection to the walls of buildings against degrading and damaging elements.
Contact the experts at Zero Defects today to schedule your no-obligation consultation or get a detailed assessment and book your exterior wall cladding project with us
