Sandwich panels

Sandwich panels: façade finish and insulation in one operation

Sandwich panels consist of two metal facing sheets with an insulating core between them. That build-up means one product delivers both the façade finish and part of the thermal envelope. For industrial buildings, warehouses, cold stores and agricultural buildings, that is why the material has been the standard for decades.

We supply and install sandwich panels for façades and roofs, and finish them with the corner pieces, connection profiles and flashings that actually make the panel watertight.

When sandwich panels are the right choice

The strength of the system lies in speed and in the combined function. A façade that would otherwise consist of a supporting structure, insulation, a vapour barrier and cladding comes down here to a single fixing operation. That cuts the build time and the number of parties on site.

It is less suitable when you are after a strong architectural image with varying textures and depths. Cladding in aluminium cassettes, slats or composite is usually more appropriate then. We say so even when it costs us the job — a wrongly chosen system cannot be put right afterwards.

The core determines the performance

• PIR and PUR: the most widely used cores, with a high insulation value per centimetre of thickness. Useful where the available depth is limited.
• Mineral wool: heavier and slightly less insulating per centimetre, but with clearly better reaction to fire and better acoustic damping. The choice as soon as fire requirements come into play, for instance in fire compartmentation or in buildings with a public function.
• EPS: more economical, with limitations in terms of fire.

The thickness follows from the insulation value you need. We work that out on the basis of your requirements or of what the tender specification prescribes, rather than proposing a standard thickness.

Facing sheet, profiling and finish

The facing sheet is usually steel with a protective coating, or aluminium where corrosion is a concern. The profiling determines the appearance: from a flat, crisp sheet to a pronounced ribbed version. Flat panels look more refined but also show imperfections in the sub-structure more readily, which places higher demands on the installation.

The coating determines how long the appearance lasts. A heavier coating class fades more slowly and is advisable on south-facing façades, at the coast and in aggressive industrial environments. Colour is free to choose in RAL, including your own corporate colours.

Detailing: where things go wrong in practice

The panels themselves are rarely the problem. Leaks and cold bridges arise at the junctions: around windows and doors, at the roof edge, at the base of the façade and on the corners. We pay explicit attention to those and supply the matching profiles in the same colour, so that the finish does not end in an odd trim piece.

The fixing counts too. Visible screws in a flat panel stand out; concealed fixing costs more but gives a calmer façade. We discuss that trade-off in advance.

Maintenance and service life

Sandwich panels need little maintenance: periodic cleaning keeps the coating in condition and extends its colour-fastness. Damage to the coating is best repaired quickly, because corrosion of the steel sheet starts from that point. Individual panels can be replaced separately, which is a major advantage when a warehouse façade is hit by a vehicle.

What determines the price?

Sandwich panels have no fixed price per square metre. The cost follows from the core type and thickness, the choice between steel and aluminium, the profiling and the coating class, the colour, the number and complexity of junctions and corner pieces, the height at which the work takes place and whether a lift platform is needed, and the condition of the existing structure in a refurbishment.

Send us the façade drawings or the dimensions and the insulation value you need, and you will receive a quotation in which the panel, the profiles and the installation are set out separately.

Putting your project to us

Send us the drawings or a few photos of the existing façade. We will come to site, take measurements and indicate which build-up makes the most sense for your building.