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Making the premium affordable
Efficient to install and easy to maintain, rainscreen systems are widely recognised as a practical build choice. However, design innovations have resulted in a trend that sees rainscreen specifications being increasingly driven by aesthetics as well as practicality. With natural materials proving particularly popular, façade innovators are responding to market demand, pioneering advancements in technology to bring the cost of these high quality rainscreens down to an affordable level.
Natural rainscreen finishes are growing in popularity for a number of reasons. As well as being more environmentally sound than man-made alternatives, the style and finish that materials such as terracotta and stone offer have greater congruence with current architectural trends.
While the natural look and feel of stone and terracotta make these finishes a favourite at the specification stage, the inherent characteristics of traditional systems made them heavy and difficult to handle on-site. Now, through intelligent engineering, a new generation of natural rainscreens has emerged, helping to overcome barriers to use by making them more durable, lighter in weight and easier to install. Doing so culminates in a significant cost saving that puts a natural specification within reach of all development types.
A new generation
To withstand aggressive environmental conditions and deliver the required performance, natural façades have traditionally had to be approximately 40mm thick. The consequence of this is that the system generally takes longer to install, resulting in increased labour costs.
To help make natural finishes such as stone more competitive, façade innovators have developed lighter weight systems which are durable and easier to install than conventional constructions. Where stone is concerned, this has been achieved by creating a facing that is reinforced with a high strength fibre, aluminium or aluminium honeycomb backing. Stone facings are manufactured 6mm to 15mm thick and bonded to one of the backing systems, with the type of backing determined by the specification requirements of a project.
Sandstone, limestone, granite, basalt and marble can all be manufactured in this way to achieve a durable, high performance finish, without the need for a stonemason. While this offers an on-site cost saving because it substantially reduces site programmes, it also brings the overall system cost down because less of the raw material is required per square metre.
A natural choice
At the same time as advances in stone facing technology, new terracotta systems are emerging which make the system a natural choice for all types of development. Historically, twin skin tiles have been necessary to deliver the required impact performance. However, new systems launched to market are removing the need to use a twin skin design because technological advances have made the lighter weight single skin tile a viable option.
Increased strength and durability is achieved through an innovative manufacturing process. A porcelain base baked at a high temperature significantly reduces the water absorbency of the system, making it more resistant to the freeze/thaw phenomenon that causes some silicon sprayed alternatives to fail.
The precision calculated carrier systems of these modern terracotta systems offer complete design versatility as well as fast installation. To accommodate the full range of design requirements, they are available in module sizes ranging from small, typically 150mm x 400mm, to very large at 300mm x 1,200mm. Large format panels deliver the clean finish demanded by many premium developments, and remain easy to install owing to the sophisticated carrier system and minimal weight of the tile. At the same time, smaller tiles provide a cost effective solution for breaking up the monotony of a lower end finish, such as render. This is because the vertical carrier system will easily integrate with the primary frame of most alternative exterior finishes.
Continual innovation
In addition to these more traditional, natural façade materials, innovative urban glass systems have also been developed and are already proving as popular as natural products.
These high performance systems are available in high gloss or honed finishes to create a silk or matte look, which is extremely durable and impervious to staining. These systems are very versatile and, in addition to various panel sizes, they can be shaped and curved to clad pillars and create rounded corners.
Continual innovation, both in terms of cost engineering and high quality finishes, has raised the profile of rainscreens and made the systems a popular construction as well as design choice. This trend is expected to continue, as the façade industry drives forward increasingly inspiring yet practical system developments.