All you need to Know about Combustible Claddings

Building materials and their upkeep has been a matter of interest for architects for ages. New materials and protective gear for buildings have been as important as the interiors of the building. If you have ever been involved in the construction of a building or a skyscraper, you must have heard about claddings. Claddings are nothing but the protective covers of the building for its exterior safety. If you have any doubts about claddings, then this one will put an end to all of them. Read on to find out all the things you should know about combustible claddings.

1. Table of Contents

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   What is a Combustible Cladding?

Combustible cladding is a type of cladding material that catches fire quickly and burns up. This makes many people wonder that all the combustible claddings are risky and can catch fire anytime, which is not true at all. Combustible claddings come with core material such as polyurethane, polystyrene, and polyisocyanurate. These core materials are called PE substances and these core materials help the two sheets of aluminium or other Metal Composite Claddings to stick together and offer rigid protection against all odds. Cladding is important for the long life of a building and the interests of the building materials.

2. What Material is Used in Claddings?

Claddings are can be of two types namely metal composite panels and insulated cladding systems. Metal composite panels or MCPs are what we call a Combustible Cladding that comes into a variety of color shades and can be colorless as well. On the other hand, insulated claddings come in a bulk foam insulation that is later fixed to a structure and then given shape accordingly. MCPs can be used as a protective cover, a wall shield, or a decorative piece for that matter. Insulated claddings, on the other side, are preferably used for protection purposes as they offer better thermal properties than the former. Based on your requirements and type of structure, you can choose one of these cladding systems.

3. Are Insulated Claddings Unsafe?

After a couple of fire incidents, the internet and newspapers declared that combustible claddings are unsafe for high-rise buildings and multistory apartments, which is a half-truth. Combustible claddings come with insulated cores and do not catch fire instantly. Plus, a building catching fire can be the result of several possibilities. Hence, before installing any kind of cladding, the architects and the installing agencies need to check manifold safety measures of the building such as fire sprinkler system, alarm mechanism, and fire retardant materials. Conclusively, all the cladding materials are not unsafe, it is a matter of several things and proper safety precautions are taken when a cladding installation takes place.

Keeping that in mind, make sure you choose the right cladding materials and cladding system for your building.