Rainscreen Cladding
The term rainscreen refers to components that are attached to the primary structure of a building to form non-structural, external surfaces.
A rainscreen (sometimes referred to as pressure-equalised or ventilated facade) is part of a double-wall construction comprising of an outer skin of panels and an airtight insulated backing wall separated by a minimum 25mm to 50mm ventilated cavity. The rainscreen itself simply prevents significant amounts of direct rain water from penetrating into the inner wall construction. In open joint systems some water may penetrate into the cavity but will evaporate or drain away due to the air pressure in the cavity. Thermal insulation, airtightness and structural stability are provided by the second, inner part of the wall construction.
The superior design capabilities and visual appeal of rainscreen cladding has long been understood. Here at Eltherington we have developed a panel and mounting system that ensures your project is able to access these benefits.
With a wide choice of materials ranging from aluminium, steel, aluminium composite and high pressure laminate the design possibilities are endless.
Rainscreen cladding is a dry-fix construction method that satisfies the requirements of modern methods of construction. It is lightweight, durable and creates buildings where people want to work, visit and live.
Benefits
- Lightweight construction compared to masonry walls, which also requires fewer foundation materials, resulting in a building with a reduced carbon footprint.
- Constant circulation of air keeps the exterior wall dry.
- Thermal bridging through the wall is eliminated due to no interruptions caused by floor slabs.
- Temperature fluctuations of the wall is minimised due to high levels of insulation within the structure.
- Interstitial condensation is prevented as vapour pressure and wall temperature prevents this forming within the ventilated cavity
- Reduces solar gain during hot summer months.
- Whole life benefit - aluminium is 100% recyclable. It can also be recycled an infinite number of times without loss of performance. These characteristics make it an ideal solution for creating a lightweight yet strong rainscreen cladding system. Eltherington makes extensive use of aluminium for both the rainscreen panels and support structure.
- With the energy savings measures required by latest building performance requirements, rear ventilated cavities are gaining an ever increasing popularity with specifiers and building owners.
