Fibre cement is an ideal material for exterior cladding panels as it offers many practical benefits, such as strength, durability and an excellent fire performance rating.
Wienerberger’s SVK panels are manufactured from a mixture of Portland cement, reinforcement fibres, additives and water, which is built up in thin layers and compressed to create sheets which left to dry and harden before being painted or coated to achieve a decorative finish.
Fibre cement façade panels are resistant to mould, rot and bacteria, and there is no risk of shrinkage, warping or cracking once installed. Although they do offer some weather resistance, cladding products such as this are designed to be used as a decorative outer skin rather than a completely water and wind-proof shell, so inner cavity walls should be made watertight. As fibre cement is a non-combustible material, it will not fuel a fire within the building or ignite when exposed to flames.
All SVK fibre cement facades have achieved a fire performance rating in accordance with EN 13501-1 of A2-s1, d0”.
For more information on the SVK rated A product, download our SVK Technical Guide here.
Fibre cement cladding products are extremely low maintenance, for example SVK panels which should be cleaned with water and a mild detergent, with no specialist chemicals or processes required. Colourfast, UV resistant and hydrophobic coatings can be applied to SVK panels to offer additional protection against weather and pollution.
Lightweight but strong, modern façade panels such as SVK can be installed quickly, efficiently and safely onto a wide range of substrates as an outer skin, minimising labour costs and disruption to public facilities. Typically fitted onto a timber or aluminium sub-frame using rivets, screws or glue, SVK cladding panels can also be easily installed alongside other façade systems or more traditional building materials like brick for a mixed material aesthetic.
Panels can be pre-cut to bespoke measurements to limit expensive waste or delivered to a project in full sheets to be cut and drilled on site. This helps to limit manpower, wastage and storage footprint.
When installed according to manufacturer’s instructions, open-joint façade systems such as SVK allow the building to breathe and thermo-regulate by providing a well-ventilated cavity between the back of the panels and surface of the insulation, which can be installed either behind or between wooden battens or aluminium profiles. An 8mm joint between panels allows for hygro-thermal movement and any execution tolerances.
The SVK Fibre Cement Facades collection is a cladding solution precision engineered to meet the needs of the modern construction industry. This choice of cladding material brings with it many technical and performance related benefits, making it the perfect option for everything from high rise to small scale projects.
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