The Do’s and Don’ts of Cladding Systems
14 January 2021Cladding systems are very useful in construction projects as they can maintain the overall structure and frame of buildings and properties. These systems, which are mostly comprised of panels, normally cover the exterior of buildings, replacing materials that have been used for a long time.
With high-quality cladding systems, they can effectively protect not only the exterior and frame of the building but also its interior from damages caused by the surrounding elements. Additionally, these cladding systems can help enhance the overall appearance of the building, thanks to a wide variety of cladding materials, patterns, and finishes that are available in the market today.
When it comes to designing and constructing with cladding systems, some things must and must not be done to ensure their effectiveness and usefulness.
Do Hire Qualified Consultants
Consultants, architects, and other professionals must be consulted and even hired whenever there are cladding systems involved. Façade consultants can be hired to identify whether a specific cladding system can be built or not. They can also help in calibrating multiple cladding systems, which are normally comprised of multiple materials.
Cladding engineers and cladding architects can also be hired as consultants. Cladding engineers can help organise code requirements with the appearance and form that the architect may want to achieve. Cladding architects, alternatively, can help in dealing with moisture, thermal, and aesthetic issues.
Don’t Let Firms Work Individually
Shop drawings that are done by multiple firms can be problematic since their requirements and specifications may not match each other. Hence, designing a cladding system would truly require unity among professionals that are involved in the project. Remember that construction projects can only be successful if all involved professionals and firms can coordinate and communicate with each other.
Do Validate All Specifications
Before proceeding to the installation of cladding systems, you must encourage consultants and professionals to provide details about all the things for the said systems. Engineers may have to detail how the cladding systems will be connected to the building structure. Other professionals may have to specify and identify the location of the expansion joints on the design drawings so that contractors will know where to install them. You can likewise ask for adequate space for vertical deflection movement as well as the setting space for the building structure and the back of the stone.
Don’t Skip Essential Reviews
Shop drawings and structural cladding calculations must all be reviewed before cladding system installation so that any errors can already be identified. These reviews can also confirm if the cladding systems can truly be installed or not, or if there are details that may have not been filled by other professionals. Catching errors and miscalculations while they are still on documents is much acceptable and preferable rather than fixing them once the cladding system installation has been done already.
Once the installation of cladding systems is done, contractors and professionals should conduct frequent inspections as well as regular maintenance. Keeping the shop drawings is important so that any problems in the future can be resolved easily. If you have some questions about cladding system installation, feel free to contact us at Redrock Contracting.
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