Whether you’re designing a residential or commercial building, you’ll want to choose the right façade for the structure so that it looks great while also keeping the entire building protected from the elements.
With many different types of cladding to choose from for the exterior of a building, including precast panels, it’s best to take the time to understand which one would work best for your particular project.
To help you select the right type of architectural cladding, here’s a brief rundown of some of the most popular:
Aluminum
Lightweight, offering design versatility, and available in a range of finishes and colours, there are two types of aluminum cladding most commonly used: aluminum plate and aluminum composite material, or ACM.
- Aluminum plate: a low-weight but high-strength alloy sheet, resistant to corrosion, and with outstanding formability.
- ACM: light, flat panels comprised of a couple of thin sheets of aluminum that are bonded to a core that isn’t made of aluminum; designed for both interiors and exteriors.
Brick
Sometimes referred to as masonry, this material has long been used to keep the outside of buildings protected and is weather and fire resistant, as well as simple to clean and maintain. Proper ventilation is achieved thanks to a gap situated between the exterior wall and the cladding.
With many design possibilities, it comes in a whole host of colours, styles, and finishes.
Sintered ceramic
When different natural materials are ground down and compacted into a solid slab, you’ve got something called sintered ceramic. This can then be formed into cladding panels that are light, highly durable, and very long-lasting.
Fibre cement
If your project calls for cladding that looks like wood or brick, fibre cement is an affordable and hardwearing option. Usually made from a combination of water, cement, and cellulose fibres and produced in clapboard form, this material is weather-resistant and requires little maintenance.
Glass
Lightweight, highly resistant to harsh weather conditions, and often energy-efficient, glass cladding allows for a wide array of design options. It can be installed using systems such as window walls, curtain walls, as part of a rainscreen, and is also commonly used in shopfronts..
Stone
With stone cladding made of limestone or granite, buildings can achieve a sleek, polished façade that’s long-lasting and naturally highly durable. Typically capable of lasting many decades, stone cladding can resist even the harshest of weather conditions and climates and rarely fades.
Precast concrete
Factory-made using moulds that are pre-set, precast concrete panels are joined on-site ready to be added to the exterior of a building in the form of architectural cladding. With fewer transportation costs and less concern over flaws due to the use of moulds in a highly controlled environment, they are highly desirable. Precast concrete is as durable as regular concrete and can be made to resemble a variety of other construction materials, such as brick and stone.
Another advantage is that the panels can be produced in a wide range of colors, shapes, and finishes.
Architectural cladding comes in many different types. For further, detailed information on each, you’ll need to carry out further research or chat with industry specialists.
Sarah Ross 
Melissa Williams