Finishing slabs
There is a wide range of colours, products and formats for ventilated façade claddings too.
Different varieties of man-made stone, marble and travertine as well as porcelain stoneware are chosen to clad ventilated façades because of their technical characteristics. The high mechanical resistance of these materials permits the use of thinner slabs than would be required by quarried materials in equivalent slab sizes. This means that the weight of the cladding applied to the building can be considerably reduced, and thus permits the use of ventilated façades even during refurbishment of existing buildings where excessive load increases are not possible.
- The slabs have a very high modulus of rupture, always superior to 55 N/mm (according to ISO 10545.4)
- Average absorption of humidity is 0.04% (according to ISO 10545.3) and therefore the slabs are not damaged by exposure to severe weather conditions.
- They can be exposed to very low temperatures, indeed they are frost resistant(ISO 10545.12)
- They are not altered by exposure to sunlight (according to DIN 51094)
- They are acid-proof (according to ISO 10545.14) and therefore are not chemically or visibly damaged or altered, even when exposed to particularly polluted environments or salt attack.
- Stiffened fibreglass 5x5 mm mesh webbing is attached to the back of each slab as a safety precaution. Should the slab break, the webbing holds its fragments in place.
The characteristics of the man-made marbles, travertine, granites and stone are such that the slabs maintain their appearance over time thus reducing the need for frequent maintenance and repair work.
The UNI EN ISO 9001certified production plant, one of the most modern in the sector, can manufacture slabs of sizes sufficiently large to enhance the unique veining and shading of each slab.
Only porcelain stoneware and man-made marble, granite, travertine and stone are used to make the slabs used for ventilated façades. They are made in large-sizes, measuring 30x60, 60x60 or 60x120.
The difference in slab surface measurements determines differing final costs:
- the smaller the slab-size, the greater the number of elements required to anchor them, with an increase in cost for the structure and installation.
- in systems with concealed fittings, the larger the slab, the lower the processing cost per sq. m and as a result the lower the cost for completion of the façade.
When using rectangular slabs, it is important to decide how they will be installed, because placing them vertically rather than horizontally may have an impact on the final cost of the façade. When using a visible anchor structure, it is more economical to install the slabs with the long edge placed horizontally, since the uprights have the same pitch as the slabs, and therefore you will need fewer of them.
On the contrary, when you use structures with horizontal battens, therefore with concealed anchors, it is more economical to install the slabs with the long edge placed vertically because, since the slabs are anchored to the horizontal battens, their number of these tends to decrease.
Generally, the slabs sent on site are in standard sizes and any cutting to size which may be needed is done by the workers installing the façade. To do this, after installing the full-size slabs, the workers must measure the exact size required for the cut slabs and then cut them. W0hen concealed anchor systems are used, the slabs are prepared with multiple holes in order to permit anchoring of cut slabs.
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