Cladding (construction)
Cladding is the application of one material over another to provide a skin or layer. In
Description
Cladding in construction is material applied over another to provide a skin or layer and used to provide a degree of
Design
Materials
Cladding can be made of any of a wide range of materials including wood, metal, brick, vinyl, and composite materials that can include aluminium, wood, blends of cement and recycled polystyrene, or wheat/rice straw fibres.[2] Materials used for cladding affect vulnerability to fire.
Purposes
Single-skin metal panels are pre-formed wall panels made from metal that are one of the most commonly available types of cladding for industrial and commercial projects. Their high durability and easy installation make them ideal for low maintenance builds.
Cladding may also be a control element for noise, either entering or escaping.
Cladding applied to windows is often referred to as window capping and is a specialized field.
Vulnerability to building fires
Between the cladding and the wall there is a cavity where rain can run down. In the event of a fire this draws hot air up like a chimney, intensifies the fire, and spreads it to the top of the clad area. The fire can then get inside the building through open windows, for example to curtains blowing through windows.[1]
In addition to the chimney effect, the cladding material itself can contribute to a fire. Brick has excellent
In the wake of the
See also
- Siding
- Stone cladding
- Centre for Window and Cladding Technology
References
- ^ a b Adam Boult (16 June 2017). "What is cladding, and why can it be a fire risk?". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ a b c "What is cladding and why is it used on buildings?". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ Nik Vigener, PE and Mark A. Brown (5 October 2016). "Curtain Walls – WBDG". Whole Building Design Guide – National Institute of Building Sciences. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ Mail.com. "London high-rise fire: Cladding helped spread blaze". mail.com.
- ^ Patrick Grafton-Green (22 June 2017). "Six hundred high rise blocks in UK have 'similar' cladding to Grenfell Tower". Standard.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ Robert Booth (26 June 2017). "Tower cladding tests after Grenfell fire lack transparency, say experts". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
- ^ "The English tower blocks that have failed combustibility tests – mapped". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 June 2017. Updated as information becomes available.