Fairview Aluminium Cladding

Contemporary build designs aim to show uniqueness in style and form while boasting durability and longevity. As such, architects, designers and builders seek cladding material that can match their design requirements, both for aesthetics and compliance. An aluminium cladding system meets various specifier demands and offers a wealth of benefits, as we discover below.

Advantages of Aluminium Cladding in Australia

Durable and easily fabricated, aluminium cladding panels feature a wide variety of styles, are available in a range of forms including sheets, extruded profiles and flat panels, and come in different finishes, colours and textures to suit design requirements.

This form of metal has garnered a reputation as a popular and reliable choice for exterior cladding for its ability to replicate favoured cladding styles, be customised to specific design briefs and withstand a variety of conditions, all while complying with the relevant Australian standards for non-combustibility and weatherproofing.

The most widely used and robust styles include extrusions and aluminium sheet cladding that allow architects to achieve modern and unique designs.  Fairview’s leading panels range, which encompasses a variety of profiles, offers designers creative freedom and customisation when it comes to specification.

Types of Aluminium Panel Cladding

An innovative building material, this cladding is compliant for use across residential, commercial, industrial and recreational industries. Specifiers typically turn to three popular types to achieve their design:

Solid aluminium wall panels

Solid aluminium wall panels are increasing in popularity due to the desire to specify fully non-combustible materials, as well as weatherproof options. Lightweight, and with the ability to be fabricated, curved, rolled or perforated, panels can add contemporary style to a façade, combined with easy installation. Solid aluminium wall cladding panels are typically made from either 3000 or 5000 series aluminium(read more about aluminium grades) due to the exceptional ability of these alloys to withstand the elements and are often pre-finished to facilitate easier onsite installation. Solid aluminium panel cladding has the advantage of being either face-fixed or slotted into existing cassette systems for efficient recladding projects.

Solid aluminium extruded profiles

Extruded aluminium is popular for its ability to replicate classic cladding styles, such as traditional weatherboards or standing seam cladding. Aluminium profiles often feature shadows, seams, steps or recesses between boards, mimicking beloved wall cladding styles, and can be finished in timber grains, or contemporary colours and metallic finishes for more urban designs. With interlocking boards, profiles can often be used as a complete rainscreen cladding system, protecting the building envelope from damage caused by moisture. Typically offered in longboard form, solid aluminium profiles can be installed horizontally or vertically to achieve different aesthetics.

Engineered aluminium panels

While solid aluminium is highly popular, engineered aluminium panel cladding is still a reliable, easy-install option for many façades and a popular design aesthetic for high-rise residential and commercial products. They’re composed of two aluminium skins surrounding a core made from fire-resistant materials such as profiled aluminium or non-combustible minerals. These specially engineered panels are exceptionally lightweight, resistant to distortion or oil-canning, and can be installed quickly and easily as a cassette system.

Stryüm

Stryüm is a premium rainscreen aluminium façade system made from solid, extruded aluminium. It features a hidden interlocking system, available in various popular profile styles including standing seam, step and shadow designs. Stryüm comes pre-finished in a range of finishes to suit design specifications, including anodising, textured woodgrains for a classic timber effect, and unlimited powder coat colours to match specification. Non-combustible and 100% Australian-made, Stryüm offers a compliant option with almost infinite design flexibility.

Stryüm can be installed horizontally or vertically to achieve multisensory designs, and has been used in a wide variety of high-end specification projects.

Vitradual

Australia’s first non-combustible cassette cladding, Vitradual is a pre-finished 3mm solid aluminium panel system. With proven integrity and performance, Vitradual boasts high impact resistance and can withstand significant weather and pollution, making it a market-leading performer. Available in both 3003 and 5052 series aluminium, Vitradual offers a sustainable façade option, as it is 100% recyclable and finished in durable PVDF for an extended lifespan.

Vitracore G2

Vitracore G2 is a specially engineered panel containing no combustible elements, featuring instead an aluminium honeycomb core. These non-combustible engineered aluminium panels are lightweight and fully compliant with AS 1530.1 and AS 1530.3 and suitable for Type A, B and C constructions where non-combustible materials are required. Vitracore G2 panels contain 40% less aluminium than solid panels, making them an ideal option for major infrastructure and rectification projects such as education facilities and hospitals, requiring fewer people and ancillary installation support.

Installed in a pre-made cassette system, Vitracore G2 is cost-effective, corrosion and pollution-resistant, and finished in PVDF for added longevity. This coil coating paint system also allows for a high degree of personalisation, allowing the choice of a broad range of colours, as well as the option of customisable graphic panels.

Aluminium Cladding Finishing and Customisation Options

As well as being available in a variety of aluminium cladding sheet, panel and board styles, this versatile metal can be finished using a variety of coatings to achieve different colours and even textures. Finishes add an extra layer of durability further protecting the cladding and the building envelope from rain, moisture, abrasion and UV rays while achieving and maintaining the desired façade aesthetic. Popular finishing options include powder coating and paint coatings, which typically offer matt, gloss or metallic colours, as well as coil coating, which allows for a wider colour range with extra durability. To replicate the appearance of timber cladding, a woodgrain appearance can be achieved using powder coating techniques such as sublimation or powder-on-powder technology. For an urban design, anodising can achieve a metallic finish in a range of colours, while added techniques such as brushing or perforation can add depth and texture to the façade.

With a variety of versatile options available, Fairview allows architects, builders and specifiers to design and build their ideal façade while reaping a range of benefits.

To learn more about Fairview’s aluminium cladding offerings, contact our friendly and knowledgeable customer service team.