Subframe for clinker tiles

Subframe for clinker tiles

Clinker and clinker-look tiles recreate the feel of brick on a ventilated facade. Their small size makes the cladding rich in detail, and the tile can be fixed on rails by clips or hooks, leaving an open or grouted joint. This is a good way to obtain a masonry look on a building whose walls cannot hold real brick.

Fixing principles

• Horizontal rails with a profile that engages the upper and lower tile edges, for open joints and easy drainage.
• Vertical rails with clips for modular formats.
• Systems for grouted joints, in which tiles are fixed to a base and the joints are filled after installation. These produce an appearance similar to traditional masonry but need careful movement joints and drainage detail.

Design points

• Tiles are small, so the rail grid is dense, and positioning of rails must match the format exactly.
• Corner pieces are important for external angles, giving a clean masonry look without mitred cuts.
• Tile weight depends on material; the subframe is calculated accordingly.
• Movement joints are needed at regular intervals in grouted fields.
• Keep cavities ventilated at base and top.
• Keep the build tolerance tight, since small tiles reveal misalignment.

Fire

Clinker is non-combustible, and aluminium rails are too, but in Georgia, buildings above 12 m are checked under Chapter 14 of the Building Safety Rules, including the full assembly.

It is a particularly good solution for plinths, ground floors and entrances in Tbilisi, where the brick look matches the older streets. Pricing is on request.

Send us your drawings and we will prepare a calculation of rails and fixings.

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