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Ventilated rainscreen facades

What is a ventilated rainscreen facade? The cladding is fixed to the wall on a metal substructure, and an air gap is left between the cladding and the insulation through which moisture escapes. Such a facade protects the wall and insulation, allows cladding to be installed in a wide range of weather conditions and lets individual elements be replaced. Russian project documentation often lists it (NVF) next to SPK — glazed translucent structures; together they form the building envelope.This section has articles on ventilated facade build-ups and substructures made of aluminium, galvanised steel and stainless steel; on cladding with GFRC (glass fibre reinforced concrete), stone, porcelain stoneware, composite and fibre cement; on insulation, wind barriers and fire breaks; on load calculation and anchor testing; and on facades for high-rise housing, business centres, hotels and public buildings.Ventilated facade installation is covered on the Construction and facade works page.

Ventilated Facade Calculation: Loads, Wind, Bracket Spacing

Ventilated rainscreen facades

Ventilated Facade Calculation: Loads, Wind, Bracket Spacing

Ventilated facade calculation is the structural design of the substructure for the cladding's self-weight, wind pressure and suction and thermal effects, with verification of the load-bearing capacity of brackets, rails, fasteners and anchors in the specific substrate. The result is the spacing of brackets and rails and the types of elements and anchors for each facade zone.The key to a correct calculation is real input data: actual cladding weight, the building's region and height, and on-site anchor test results. A standard "catalogue" spacing without calculation is not always suitable, especially for heavy claddings — stone and GFRC. This article is for designers, reviewers, technical supervisors and clients checking a rainscreen facade design.The general logic of the systems is in the Ventilated rainscreen facades section.

Anchor Pull-Out Testing Before Facade Installation

Ventilated rainscreen facades

Anchor Pull-Out Testing Before Facade Installation

An anchor pull-out test is an on-site check of the load-bearing capacity of anchor fixings in the wall of a specific building. The anchor is installed in the substrate exactly as during installation and loaded axially with a portable tester up to a set load or to failure, and the maximum value is recorded.The key criterion is that tests are carried out before the rainscreen facade working drawings are issued, at a sufficient number of points and in different wall zones, and the results are documented in a report. Without them, the substructure calculation relies on the anchor's published data, which may be unreliable for a real wall, especially a hollow or old one. The procedure is needed by general contractors, designers and technical supervisors in new construction and refurbishment.The role of anchors in the overall system is in the Ventilated rainscreen facades section.

What Makes Up the Cost of a Ventilated Facade

Ventilated rainscreen facades

What Makes Up the Cost of a Ventilated Facade

The cost of a ventilated facade is made up of cladding, substructure, insulation with membrane and fasteners, installation labour, access equipment, design and associated work — reveals, sills, parapets, tests. An advertised "per square metre" price almost never includes all of this at once, so comparing it with a real estimate is pointless.The main price factor is the cladding and the complexity of the facade: stone and architectural GFRC cost differently from porcelain stoneware, and a facade with dozens of openings and projections costs differently from a blank wall. This article helps clients and general contractors understand the structure of an estimate and compare quotes on the same scope of work. At TECHNOFORMA, the cost is determined after a site inspection.Basic concepts are in the Ventilated rainscreen facades section.

Facade Installation Timescales: How to Plan

Ventilated rainscreen facades

Facade Installation Timescales: How to Plan

Facade installation timescales are determined not by how fast the cladding is hung but by the whole chain: design and approvals, manufacture and delivery of materials, substrate preparation, substructure and insulation installation, cladding, acceptance. For a multi-storey building this means months; for a large complex, one or two construction seasons or more.The main planning principle is that facade preparation starts long before the installers arrive: the layout, calculation and cladding order are launched while the shell is still being built. This article is for clients, general contractors and project managers who draw up the construction schedule and want to understand what drives the duration of facade work.How rainscreen systems work is in the Ventilated rainscreen facades section.

Facade Work in Winter: What Can Be Done

Ventilated rainscreen facades

Facade Work in Winter: What Can Be Done

Facade work in winter is possible, but not all of it. The dry processes of a ventilated rainscreen facade (installing brackets, insulation, membrane, rails and hanging cladding on mechanical fixings) can be carried out at sub-zero temperatures, observing the limits for materials and safety. Wet processes (render, adhesives, painting, some sealants and chemical anchors) require above-zero temperatures or special conditions: heated enclosures, heating, winter grades of materials.The main criterion is the application temperature range of each material stated in its technical documentation, not a general rule like 'fine down to minus ten'. This article is for general contractors, clients and technical supervision deciding whether to continue facade work in the cold season.For how rainscreen facades are built, see Ventilated rainscreen facades.

Scaffolding or Suspended Platforms: How High-Rise Facades Are Installed

Ventilated rainscreen facades

Scaffolding or Suspended Platforms: How High-Rise Facades Are Installed

Facade scaffolding is a modular structure of standards, ledgers and decks that stands on the ground along the wall and gives installers a continuous working platform on every storey. The alternative is suspended facade cradles (gondolas): hanging platforms raised and lowered on wire ropes by hoists fixed to outriggers on the roof. There is also a third class: mast climbing work platforms and self-propelled aerial work platforms.The main selection criterion is not height alone but the combination of height, the volume of work on one section of the wall and the weight of the cladding elements. Scaffolding wins when several crews work on the wall at once and material has to be stored on the working level; cradles win when the work front is narrow and vertical and the building is tall.This article is for general contractors, site managers and technical supervisors planning the installation of a rainscreen facade on a multi-storey building. For background on the systems themselves, see Ventilated rainscreen facades.

Render Facade vs Ventilated Facade: A Comparison

Ventilated rainscreen facades

Render Facade vs Ventilated Facade: A Comparison

A render facade (a "wet" facade, known in Russian standards as SFTK, an external thermal insulation composite system, ETICS) consists of insulation bonded and dowelled to the wall and covered with a reinforced render layer. A ventilated facade is insulation on the wall, cladding on a metal substructure and an air gap between them.In short: a render facade is cheaper up front and works well for low-rise and standard buildings; a ventilated rainscreen facade costs more but is more reliable at height, is quicker to repair element by element and can carry heavy cladding such as porcelain stoneware, stone or glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC) panels. The main selection criteria are the number of storeys, the required service life and the cladding you want to define the building's look.Below is a comparison of build-up, durability, cost and decorative options. More on the systems in Ventilated rainscreen facades.

Facades for Multi-Storey Residential Buildings: Requirements and Solutions

Ventilated rainscreen facades

Facades for Multi-Storey Residential Buildings: Requirements and Solutions

The facade of a multi-storey building is its external envelope: insulation, fixing system and cladding, which must at the same time withstand wind loads at height, meet fire safety requirements and keep their appearance for decades. Multi-storey buildings most often use ventilated rainscreen facades, less often rendered systems.The main selection criterion is not appearance alone but a combination of three conditions: non-combustibility and fire classification of the system for the given height, reliable fixing designed for wind, and access for maintenance. The architectural image is created by the cladding — porcelain stoneware, glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC), stone — within these constraints.This article is for developers, architects and building management companies. An overview of systems is in Ventilated rainscreen facades.

Business Centre Facades: Materials and Image

Ventilated rainscreen facades

Business Centre Facades: Materials and Image

A business centre facade is both a technical envelope and the building's main marketing tool: tenants judge the class of the property before they even enter the lobby. As a rule it is a ventilated rainscreen facade or glazed curtain walling, complemented by cladding in porcelain stoneware, glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC), natural stone or metal.The main selection criterion is the balance between an image that supports the building's stated class and the cost of operation: the cladding must keep its appearance for a long time, be easy to clean and be repairable element by element. Decisions at this level concern commercial property developers, architects and property management companies.On how rainscreen systems are built, see Ventilated rainscreen facades.

Hotel Facades: Balancing Image and Operation

Ventilated rainscreen facades

Hotel Facades: Balancing Image and Operation

A hotel facade has to sell rooms and keep working without interruption: guests see the building in booking photos before they walk into the lobby, and the owner cannot close the hotel to repair the cladding. That is why hotel construction almost always uses ventilated rainscreen facades with durable cladding: glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC), natural stone or porcelain stoneware.The main criterion is how well the cladding keeps its image with minimal maintenance in a given climate. A seaside resort hotel, a city hotel and a mountain complex each require different choices of materials and protection.This article is for hotel developers, architects and operators. General information on the systems is in Ventilated rainscreen facades.

Public Building Facades: Universities, Theatres, Institutions

Ventilated rainscreen facades

Public Building Facades: Universities, Theatres, Institutions

The facade of a public building, whether a university, theatre, museum or administrative building, is not just an enclosing structure but a public statement: the building must look dignified, be easy for visitors to understand and last for decades under heavy use. Such buildings most often use ventilated rainscreen facades with non-combustible cladding: natural stone, glass fibre reinforced concrete (GFRC) or porcelain stoneware.The main selection criterion is compliance with the requirements for buildings with large numbers of occupants (fire safety, reliable fixing, accessibility) within a realistic budget, which for state and municipal clients is usually tightly limited.This article is for architects, developer clients and design institutes. General information on the systems is in Ventilated rainscreen facades.

Facade Refurbishment: Replacing Cladding and Adding New Ornament

Ventilated rainscreen facades

Facade Refurbishment: Replacing Cladding and Adding New Ornament

Facade refurbishment is a package of works to replace cladding, add insulation and renew the architectural appearance of an existing building. Unlike cosmetic repairs, it involves the structure: the old finish is removed, the substrate is surveyed and strengthened where necessary, and then a new system is installed, most often a ventilated rainscreen facade with new cladding and ornament.The key to a successful project is reliable data on the load-bearing capacity of the walls. It determines what cladding and ornament the building can carry and how many anchors the substructure will need.This article is for owners of commercial buildings, management companies, clients of major repair works and architects. More on the systems in Ventilated rainscreen facades.

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