Thermal movement in claddings - Build 166 (2018)
- Abbreviation
- Thermal movement in claddings - Build 166 (2018)
- Valid from
- 1/06/2018
- Information provider
- BRANZ Limited,
- Information type
- BUILD article,
- Format
- Website, PDF,
Description
After a great summer with lots of sun, now is a good time to consider the impact the sun and higher temperatures have on a building’s cladding.
All materials move in response to temperature changes – some significantly more than others. The hotter or colder a material gets, the more movement there will be. Other factors that influence the amount of movement are:
- daily temperature range
- material – for example, steel expands and contracts more than timber but less than aluminium
- the amount of insulation behind the cladding – material surface temperatures will be higher where insulation is fitted tightly to the back of the cladding
- colour – darker-coloured materials get hotter so will expand more when heated
- orientation – north and west-facing materials get hotter and move more than those facing south
- potential shading
- cladding (panel) length – the longer the element, the greater the expansion and contraction that must be accommodated.