You're probably seeing them every day but you just don't know what they are. If you want to know what aluminium composite panels are continue reading.
What are aluminium composite panels?"Architecture starts when you carefully put two bricks together. There it begins." said Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. And it is true, greatest buildings in history were carefully made by putting bricks together. Bricks combined with concrete, wood and steel created some of the greatest masterpieces the world has seen. There is no person alive who can deny the importance of these materials in architecture and construction industry. But as concrete and painted walls had some shortcomings so did wood and steel.
Aluminium composite panels are perfect solution
Perfect construction material has two main characteristics. First one is that it has to be lightweight and the second is that is has to be easily used. According to that definition bricks, concrete, wood and steel are not such a perfect construction material. For that reason for many years and centuries architects had problems with materials until 100 years ago. Aluminium was started being used in architecture but even aluminium caused some complications. Perfect solution was introduced in 1969. Aluminium was used in production of aluminium composite panels and architects were amazed. Aluminium panels complety changed the look of city skylines. But what are those aluminium composite panels and what are they used for?
Perfect for exterior cladding systems
In simple terms aluminium composite panels are two aluminium sheets with thermoplastic core made of polyethylene which holds them together. Because of its structure aluminium composite panels are perfect for exterior cladding systems. In the language of architecture a cladding is a proces when a buildings facade material is covered with some other material in order to protect the building against the weather and/or to create an elegant and modern finish to the building. Apart from external use, aluminium composite panels can be also used in interior design.
Low price and can be well shapped
Main advantage of aluminium composite panels is that they are low priced and they can be cut and shapped in any size or shape. Apart from that aluminium panels can be coloured in any colour and they can imitate other materials like wood. The aluminium is lighter than other cladding panel materials. In comparison to other materials aluminium is very durable because it has natural durability factor. When it is exposed to air it forms a special layer of aluminium oxide which protects the panels from rooting, rusting and corrosion. Aluminium composite panels are subjected to the process called anodization which increases aluminium panel thickness. Additional advantage of aluminium is that moisture and sun don't affect it at all. Since panels are protected they don't get "dirty" easily so the maintenance is very easy. Cleaning doesn't have to be performed very often and cleaning process is fairly easy.
All things considered, the aluminium composite panels are very cost effective solution considering that they are lighter, easier to install, more durable and they can imitate any other material.
Some of the main characteristics of them are:
weather-resistant
shock resistant
vibration absorbtion
unbreakability
easy to install