Solutions

Refurbishment Solutions

There are many situations when it can make more sense to refurbish and upgrade a building rather than demolish it and start again. Metal walls are ideal for refurbishment as a replacement or over-cladding solution.  Each refurbishment solution can be tailored to the building owner's requirements and to the character of the project. The main categories of roof refurbishment are outlined below.

Flat and trapezoidal profile over-cladding for walls

Over-cladding is the most effective and the simplest way to transform the appearance of any building. Profiled metal cladding can be fitted to any existing wall material and additional insulation can be added to improve thermal performance.  A wide range of smooth and angular profiles combined with the choice of laying sheets vertically, horizontally or even diagonally means that there is a plethora of choice when it comes to building aesthetics.  Profiled over-cladding can provide a system which will insulate and protect an old building with the option for the wall to reflect a corporate image or design aspirations.  Profiled sheeting can also be installed as an entire wall system if the old wall is removed.

Composite panels

Composite panels are well suited to refurbishment projects. Flat, micro-ribbed and sinusoidal panels are available, offering an opportunity to enhance the appearance and performance of the external wall cladding.  They are a fast and economical way of over-cladding an existing wall.  An additional rail or 'top hat' section would be recommended, fixed to the building structure.  The panels could then be fixed to these supplementary rails.  The resulting gap between the inner surface of the panel and the old wall would need to be ventilated or filled with insulation.  Careful thought has to be put into the detailing and the decision has to be considered whether to over-clad or remove-and-replace the old wall.  Either way composite panels quickly create a defence around the old structure, keeping it warm and preventing further deterioration.

Façade panel system

Flat panel façade systems can be used to refurbish existing brick, stone or concrete walls or failing panel-based cladding systems. The façade panels can be fixed to a supporting grid, which is anchored to the existing walls.  Panels are usually manufactured from aluminium composite material (ACM) or aluminium but other materials are available including prefinished steel, anodised aluminium and metal composite materials (MCM).

Rainscreen cladding

A ventilated rainscreen incorporating insulation will allow the building fabric to breathe without the risk of interstitial condensation or structural decay. External wall insulation used in this way is superior in performance since as it eliminates the condensation risks associated with internal or cavity wall insulation. This is particularly important for refurbishment schemes.  The air gap provides ventilation and it may also assist in providing pressure equalisation across the outer skin, depending on the design of the rainscreen.  MCMs, incorporating ACM, are proving to be increasingly popular materials for use in refurbishment projects as they are light, strong and durable, providing less of a strain on the building structure than heavier options. MCM can provide a mirror-like smoothness and can appear flatter than glass. It can be produced in a range of colours and can provide excellent colour consistency, offering architects design freedom which other materials cannot deliver.