Aluminium composite panels

Aluminium composite panels for facades

An aluminium composite panel (ACP) is a sandwich of two thin aluminium skins bonded to a polymer or mineral-filled core. The skins carry the colour and weather resistance, and the core keeps the sheet flat and light. The combination gives a large, rigid, perfectly flat panel that weighs far less than the same area of solid aluminium plate, can be bent and routed into cassettes and takes any RAL colour or metallic finish.

VENTFASAD 24 LLC designs ventilated facades and supplies the materials. For ACP we work from the same drawings in both roles, so panel size, cassette geometry and subframe are matched before an order is placed. We serve projects in Tbilisi, Batumi and elsewhere in Georgia.

Typical parameters

Thicker 4 mm boards are normally chosen for cassettes and large flat elevations, while 3 mm boards suit canopies, signage and interior work. PVDF coatings, a blend of roughly 70 percent PVDF resin and 30 percent acrylic, are the preferred choice outdoors for colour retention and chalking resistance, particularly in strong sun or the humid sea air of the Black Sea coast. PE coatings are economical and well suited to interiors and less exposed locations.

Core type and fire performance

The core is the most important decision for facade safety. A standard polyethylene (PE) core is combustible. Fire-retardant (FR) and mineral-filled cores perform considerably better, and a higher-grade mineral core is used where non-combustibility is required. In Georgia, facades taller than 12 m are checked under Chapter 14 of the Building Safety Rules (Resolution No. 41 of 2016, based on the IBC), and wall assemblies containing combustible components may have to demonstrate performance under NFPA 285. For that reason we name the core type in the project documents from the start, and we do not recommend PE-core panels for tall or public buildings.

Installation methods

• Cassettes: sheets are routed with a V-groove and folded into trays, hung on horizontal or vertical rails. This is the main method for premium ventilated facades.
• Riveted or screwed flat sheets: faster, economical for simple geometry, with visible fixings in a regular pattern.
• Bonded sheets: adhesive on a subframe for a smooth, fixing-free face.

In every case movement must be planned. Aluminium expands more than most cladding materials, so joint widths and sliding fixings are calculated for the length of each element and the colour. Dark and metallic colours move most.

Points to check in design

• Flatness of the substrate and tolerance of the subframe
• Panel orientation and direction of any metallic finish, which looks different when rotated
• Drainage and ventilation at the base, top and around openings
• Corrosion separation between aluminium and steel fixings
• Handling and protective film: remove the film only after installation

Why order with the design

Cassette sizes are nested on sheets to minimise offcuts and the fabrication drawings come from the same model as the facade layout. This avoids mismatches between the design and the delivered parts. Pricing is on request after we know the area, colour and core type.

Send us your elevations or a specification and we will prepare a calculation of panels and cassettes.

Request a calculation →