Aluminum facades: design options

Aluminum facades of buildings are the most popular way of modern design of external walls of buildings. Their demand is due to their excellent decorative properties and versatility.

Aluminum facades are characterized by ease of installation, which occurs by fixing the cladding material on a metal frame previously installed on the facade of the building. A layer of insulation is laid between the cladding material and the frame, and a little empty space is left between the external and internal elements. The air gap avoids the formation of condensation and mold under the cladding on the walls of the building and extends the life of the structures.

Installation of products involves the use of special brackets and other components along with the cladding material. The design and practical properties of the building depend on the quality and appearance of the latter.

Aluminum facades are good for their versatility: they are equally well in harmony with siding, profiled sheet, porcelain stoneware, glass. Today, glass cladding is especially popular, giving style and airiness to any structure.

Like any other material, aluminum profile has its advantages, such as:

• the service life of facades reaches up to half a century, and facades made of such materials are extremely durable;
• installation can be carried out at any time, regardless of weather conditions and time of the year;
• facades do not need special care and retain their original properties for many years;
• for the manufacture of facades, non-combustible or hardly flammable materials are used;

• different materials can be used as cladding;
• aluminum facades increase the level of sound and noise insulation of the building;
• with their help, you can hide engineering communications, irregularities and wall defects.

If we talk about the disadvantages of aluminum facades, then first of all it is worth noting the high cost. The material is characterized by an attractive gloss that will fade over time.

There are two types of aluminum facades.

• Ventilated represent a structure in the form of an aluminum frame (subsystem), insulation and decorative facing material. Different materials can be used as cladding: composite panels, fiber cement, siding.
• Translucent are constructions made of 90% glass. If desired, the glass can be replaced with plastic, but aluminum bearing profiles are always used as a support. This type of cladding is widely used in the design of the facades of office buildings, hotels, shopping centers, sports complexes, swimming pools and residential buildings.

The listed structures are divided into several more types of facades.

• Post-transom facade. It is considered one of the most reliable and durable among all the others. But at the same time, there are few design options - the facade of the building will always resemble a glass cube, since a glass profile can only have the shape of a rectangle.
• Semi-structural facade. All bearing racks are located inside the building, and outside there is only a clamping mechanism that fixes the glass unit.Such facades are distinguished by a higher price and a variety of appearance.
• Structural facade. Unlike the previous type, the glass is mounted using a sealant, and is not fixed to a metal frame. But this does not in any way affect its strength qualities - such a facade is in no way inferior to the previous types, and even wins in aesthetic terms.

Facade aluminum systems are "warm" and "cold".

• "Warm" ones are mounted to the finished wall of the building. For example, it can be glazing of a balcony or loggia. Such structures are characterized by a high level of thermal insulation, for which they received this name.
• Cold profile systems are anchored as separate supporting structures. Often, the aluminum frame is equipped with tempered glass 1–2 cm thick.

Combined systems are considered no less popular. This is when the facade is equipped with either horizontal or vertical metal profiles. Structural or semi-structural curtain facades are mainly used. There is a trapezoidal facade profile, solid, hollow and open-ended profile.

The modern building materials market offers many options for cladding an aluminum profile.

• Porcelain stoneware slabs are quite expensive material, but they are distinguished by high strength, reliability, durability, a wide palette of natural colors. The standard panel size is 600x600 mm. The larger the slab size, the more expensive its cost.
• Composite aluminum panels are made of aluminum sheets, between which a layer of non-combustible material is laid. Using special equipment, the metal is folded to the desired size and forms a cassette. Basically, cassettes with a size of 1250x4000 mm are used for facing the facade.

• Block house - This is a great option for luxurious and inexpensive cladding. The parameters of the material can be any up to the creation of individual boards. Installed together with wooden lathing. The cost of the material depends on the type of wood and the manufacturer.
• Metal siding - this is one of the most popular options for cladding a profile frame. The popularity of the material is due to the availability of prices, functionality and practicality, a wide palette of colors. Panel sizes reach 200-300 mm, some manufacturers can adjust the dimensions to order.
• Fiber cement and asbestos cement boards (Japanese façade) is a durable, reliable material that is incredibly flexible. Its advantage is resistance to corrosion, UV light, moisture and shock. The only negative is the high price.

• Terracotta (ceramic) slabs. Clay is used as the basis for the production of these raw materials. Plates are used for facing country cottages, government agencies, shopping centers, various private buildings. Buildings faced with this material look solid and elegant.
• A natural stone - This is an expensive material, the cost of which is fully justified by its strength and aesthetic properties. It belongs to the premium segment of cladding materials, and also requires a professional approach to installation and appropriate framing in the exterior and interior.
• Glass. Glass arrays are strongly associated with modern construction. For cladding, high-strength glass is used, which tolerates loads, wind, precipitation well. There is a special facade glass using aluminum: laminated, armored, sheet, patterned, reinforced, polished, fire-resistant, sunscreen, matte, tempered, with a hard and soft coating.

Aluminum profiles for facades can be of any size. The most common options are 45x45 and 50x25 mm products.They are used to create the frame and various partitions of the subsystem. The dimensions of the angular aluminum profile are also quite diverse: 10x10, 12x12, 15x15, 25x25, 30x30, 40x20, 40x40, 40x80 mm. There are also more overall structures, measuring 70x70, 100x50, 120x40 mm. Small aluminum profiles such as 25x25 mm are used for cladding the facades of standard office buildings.

Currently, more than a hundred companies are represented on the domestic market, offering services for the design and manufacture of facade profiles.

It is worth familiarizing yourself with the list of brands whose products are time-tested.

• Company "Tatprof" Is the leader in the domestic production of facade metal structures. It has been on the market for over 25 years and during this time the quality of products has reached the highest level. Products undergo 7 stages of testing, and the high strength and reliability of products is due to the company's modern equipment. Tatprof is engaged in the development of new projects in the field of energy saving, construction, mechanical engineering and production, which makes it possible to talk about the creation of new, improved products.
• Company "Alutech" ranks second in the top five leading manufacturers of aluminum facades. The corporation has five manufacturing plants and 25 sales companies. For the manufacture of products, modern equipment is used that meets European standards and ensures the production of designs of excellent quality. The company has its own production facilities, which makes it possible to fully control the quality of products at all stages of production.

• Company "Realit" Is a domestic manufacturer of extrusion aluminum profiles. This company is engaged in the design, manufacture and release of finished products of any complexity. In addition to facade systems, the company produces profiles for windows and doors. The holding is in no way inferior to the leaders of facade production. The company even opened its own engineering and exhibition and training center. The quality of products is controlled by the best specialists of the company's laboratory.
• Company "Plastal" offers certified products that have passed a series of tests confirming their quality. It is distinguished by a huge dealer network, and the profiles are rightfully considered one of the best in the country.
• Company "Windows-Premium" enjoys wide popularity and offers German quality aluminum profile structures. All brand products comply with European quality certificates. The production uses environmentally friendly materials, so the products can be used in buildings with increased sanitary requirements.

Installation of aluminum facade structures requires additional materials. To fix the system, you will need the following elements:

• L-shaped brackets;
• sliders for sealing;
• pipes;
• guides (lamellas);
• clamps;
• edging;
• stub.

Brackets are required to fix the system to the façade wall. With the help of sliders, the material can take the required shape, change its configuration and volume under the influence of temperature and humidity.

The advantage of using a ventilated facade is that, if desired, the installation can be done with your own hands. The ease of installation of aluminum facades is due to the ease of fixing the material.

But, despite this, it is advisable to know the following nuances, then the quality of the facade arrangement will be at the level:

• it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions for installing the facade system, thermal insulation plates and carefully monitor the quality of all points;
• it is best if the layout of the facade design is developed individually for the building and preferably before the materials are purchased. In addition, planning will make it possible to think through all the stages of facade cladding;
• it is not recommended to save on materials, tools and other necessary technical elements. The strength, reliability and durability of the future facade depend on their quality;
• fasteners should be chosen carefully. It is best to give preference to trusted manufacturers, the quality of whose products you can be completely confident.

You will learn more about aluminum facades in the following video.

• The glass façade is a perfect example of the combination of stunning architecture, modern design and building functionality.

• Connoisseurs of strict forms and laconic design should take a closer look at facades faced with siding.

• Bright ventilated façade panels are a great way to decorate an office. A wide range of materials allows you to embody the most creative ideas.

• The most advantageous option is the use of combined materials. Such design options are referred to as premium cladding. They will never go out of style!

• Original lighting can drastically change the design of a building.
• The advantage of ventilated facades is the ability to create any shape from a classic cube to a polygon.