Spotlight on Alucobond

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Find out more about one of the world’s finest aluminium composite panel products.

Alucobond is one of the world’s most recognised aluminium composite panels. The origins of Alucobond can be traced back to the mid-1960s. 3A Composites (formerly Alcan Composites & Alusuisse) invented aluminium composites in 1964, with commercial production of Alucobond commencing in 1969. The product was subsequently patented in 1971.

Alucobond products are aluminium composite sandwich panels consisting of two aluminium cover sheets with a mineral-filled thermoplastic core.

They are most often used as aluminium external wall cladding products for commercial and residential building facades, but can also be used for automotive and marine applications, rail vehicles, outdoor products, furniture and more.

Alucobond products are available in a range of colours and surfaces and offer precise flatness and excellent formability. Besides their premium aesthetic properties, they are also highly durable with a long lifespan, UV-stable, easy to install and maintain and provide good insulation, ventilation and moisture control.

There are two main Alucobond panel products: Alucobond Plus and Alucobond A2.

  • Alucobond Plus
    Alucobond Plus is an aluminium composite panel with a mineral-filled polymer core. It has a low flammability rating and meets the relevant Australian and international standards for fire safety.
  • Alucobond A2
    Alucobond A2 is a completely non-combustible aluminium composite panel consisting of two aluminium sheets with a mineral-filled core. Beside a small amount of polymer adhesive, the core contains no flammable polymers. This means the entire product is non-combustible and meets the strictest worldwide fire safety regulations.

Colours and surfaces

Alucobond products are available in a wide range of colours, patterns and surfaces. Colours include a range of neutral and dark solid and metallic colours.

Spectra and sparkling colours create shimmering, shifting effects that celebrate the natural changes in light and colour that surround us every day. They include colours like Galaxy Blue, Desert Gold, Cosmic Grey Metallic and more.

Anodized surfaces create a satin-smooth metallic finish and include colours like Satin Brown and Light Gold.

The Terra range showcases natural earthy hues finished with a crystalline matt sheen that changes with the light. It includes finishes like Slate, Lava Nera and Terracotta.

Other surfaces include the Rocca stone-style finishes, vintage patinas and even a range of timber-style finishes.

Fire safety

Alucobond products are designed to ensure maximum fire safety in line with worldwide fire regulations. They have been comprehensively tested against a range of international fire standards including the European Standard EN 13501.1 “Reaction to fire” and Australian Standards AS ISO 9705 “Reaction to fire tests” and AS 1530.3 “Test for Material Fire Hazard Properties.”

Alucobond products, in combination with fire-smart design and non-combustible mineral insulation, show no flame propagation or critical rises in temperature, exceeding some international fire safety requirements.

Sustainability

Alucobond provides an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) that outlines an independent ecological footprint assessment of all Alucobond products. The EPD provides information on the environmental impact of the products, including energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and lifecycle assessment results. It also includes information on the durability and recoverability of the products. The document is an essential part of building sustainability certification.

Cleaning and maintenance

While Alucobond products are durable and long-lasting, stove-lacquered surfaces do require some minor maintenance to preserve the finish and remove any contaminants that aren’t washed away by rain water.

An annual inspection and cleaning of Alucobond surfaces is recommended. Cleaning can be done by hand with a soft brush and a mild cleaning agent with a pH of 6-7 or with a pressure cleaner. Highly alkaline, acidic or abrasive cleaning agents should not be used. It’s always worth testing the cleaning agent on an unobtrusive part of the metal to ensure the surface isn’t affected.

Before cleaning, ensure the panels are cool to the touch. Cleaning hot panels can lead to quick drying of the cleaning agent, which can cause blemishes. After cleaning, rinse with clean water to remove any residue from the cleaning agent.

Alucobond aluminium composite panels are among the finest ACP products available in Australia. To find out more, feel free to contact the team at Aluca Cladding today. Give us a call on 0418 373 563 or contact us online.

The Benefits Of Aluminium Composite Panels

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Aluminium composite panels are one of the most versatile and practical external wall cladding products. They are lightweight, easy to work with and durable. And of course, they look great.

However, in recent years, aluminium composite panels (ACP) have been getting some bad press.

A 2014 fire in a Docklands high-rise in Melbourne caused $12 million damage and resulted in major compensation lawsuits. In 2017, a fire decimated the Grenfell Tower in London. Both of these fires were attributed to poor-quality ACP products.

As a result of these accidents, there have been some major changes to building regulations in the past five years. In 2017, the Victorian Government established the Victorian Cladding Taskforce to look into the use of non-compliant external wall cladding in Victoria and to make recommendations for safety improvements.

Stringent new design regulations for ACP products and tougher building inspection and approval processes mean that only premium quality aluminium composite panels can now be used in Australia.

Besides the stringent fire safety requirements that ensure a completely non-combustible product, ACP products offer a range of other benefits. But before we get into that, what is an aluminium composite panel?

What is ACP? 

Aluminium composite panels (or ACPs) are made up of two thin sheets of aluminium bonded to a polymer core. The composition of the polymer core varies depending on the ACP product, some products containing a polymer core of less than 10%. Aluminum honeycomb products have a honeycomb-pattern aluminium core instead of a polymer core. These products contain no polymer core and are completely non-combustible. 

Solid aluminium cladding panels are also available. Although, since these are made from 100% aluminium, they are technically not composite panels. 

Now that we have a general idea what an ACP is, let’s have a look at some of the benefits.

Non-combustible 

Aluminium itself is completely non-combustible. While it will melt at around 600℃, it will not release any harmful gases. While ACPs have had some combustibility issues in the past, it was the polymer core in older style panels that was combustible, not the panels themselves

New building guidelines require that ACP products have a less than 30% polyethylene core to ensure they are non-combustible. ACP products must also meet the Australian Standards for fire safety testing and the relevant building codes as a non-combustible building material.

For the best in fire proofing, solid aluminium cladding products — like Alfrex Solid, Mondoclad or Vitradual — contain no polymer core and are completely non-combustible.

Durable and lightweight

Any exterior wall cladding material needs to be tough, durable and capable of withstanding the elements, especially in the harsh Aussie climate. Aluminium composite materials are weatherproof and corrosion resistant and can be expected to last a lifetime with minimal maintenance.

Together with its durability, aluminium cladding is also extremely lightweight. Aluminium cladding products can be as much as two-thirds lighter than steel cladding of comparable thickness and have a remarkable strength-to-weight ratio. This makes aluminium products easier and cheaper to transport and work with on-site, compared with heavier building materials. 

Flexible and versatile 

Aluminium is extremely flexible, especially compared to denser, heavier metals like steel. This makes it easy to bend and shape and work with in general. Aluminium panels can be cutted, folded, drilled, bent and perforated without losing structural integrity. This makes aluminium extremely versatile and perfect for use in a range of architectural and design applications.

Recyclable 

Aluminium is highly recyclable and doesn’t lose any material quality in the recycling process. Additionally, recycling aluminium requires only a fraction of the energy compared with manufacturing new products. Much of the aluminium used in construction is recycled. This means that by carefully choosing your ACP products, you can enhance the green credentials of your building project.

Low maintenance

Compared to other external wall cladding materials — like timber, steel or solid concrete walls — aluminium wall cladding requires very little maintenance. Most ACP products are finished with premium PVDF coatings or painted to help protect the surface and keep the panels looking great. Due to the finishing, aluminium panels require only basic cleaning once a year to remove contaminants and keep them looking clean. They are corrosion resistant, resistant to mould and mildew and not susceptible to damage from moisture or pests.

Old style, low quality aluminium composite panels have taken quite a beating in the media lately. However, if you’re working with premium quality aluminium cladding, you can rest assured that you’re working with one of the best cladding materials available.

Choosing Fire-Resistant Aluminium Cladding

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Aluminium cladding products are great for a variety of reasons. They are lightweight and durable, easy to work with and require very little maintenance. They are flexible and versatile and can be used to create an ideal balance between functionality and architectural aesthetics.

However, aluminium composite panels (ACPs) have been in the news for the wrong reasons lately. In 2014, a fire in a Docklands high-rise in Melbourne caused $12 million damage and resulted in major compensation lawsuits. In 2017, a fire decimated the Grenfell Tower in London. Both of these fires were attributed to poor-quality ACP products.

As a result, there have been changes to building regulations regarding the use of cladding products, issues with insurance companies refusing to cover buildings and inspectors, refusal of occupancy permits on non-compliant buildings, and apartment and building owners being forced to foot the bill for the removal of cladding that shouldn’t have been used in the first place.

In July 2017, the Victorian Government established the Victorian Cladding Taskforce. Its purpose was to look into the use of non-compliant external wall cladding in Victoria and to make recommendations for safety improvements.

As you can see, there have been some major changes regarding guidelines for the use of external wall cladding in Melbourne. Obviously using inferior quality external cladding products can cause some serious issues. So, let’s have a closer look at the cladding materials in question and how you can avoid these problems by using high-quality and completely non-combustible aluminium cladding.

What are Aluminium Composite Panels?

Aluminium composite panels (or ACPs) are made up of two thin sheets of aluminium bonded to a polymer core. The composition of the polymer core varies depending on the ACP product. Some products have a 100% polymer core, usually polyethylene. These are known as PE.

Other varieties include ACP FR products, which have an approximately 30% polymer core; ACP A2, which tend to have a polymer core of less than 10%; and aluminium honeycomb products, which have a honeycomb-pattern aluminium core instead of a polymer core.

Solid aluminium cladding panels are also available. Although, since these are made from 100% aluminium, they are technically not composite panels.

Why are ACP Products a Fire Risk?

Firstly, not all ACP products are combustible or a fire risk. Aluminium itself is not combustible. However, the insulating polymer core inside old-style panels is flammable.

Aluminum has a melting point of about 660°C. During a serious building fire, temperatures can reach upwards of 900°C, causing the aluminium sheets to melt and the polymer core to ignite. The fire can then spread across the building facade via the ignition of the flammable polymer core.

ACP products

Since it’s the core that determines the combustibility of ACPs, ACP PE products with a 100% polymer core pose an extremely high fire risk. Some FR products with a 30% polymer core are also considered high risk.

A2 products, aluminium honeycomb and solid aluminium cladding products are extremely low risk due to the low volume or complete absence of a polymer core.

Changes to cladding regulations

In 2018, the Victorian Minister for Planning issued new guidelines for the use of certain external wall cladding products. These guidelines outlined new levels of compliance for the use of external wall cladding products.

The guidelines required that building surveyors only issue a building permit for the installation of certain ACP products where the use has been determined compliant by the Building Appeals Board. It specifically refers to ACP products with a core consisting of 30% or more polyethylene. Solid aluminium cladding or panels with a less than 30% polymer core are not subject to the new guidelines.

The Victorian Government also established Cladding Safety Victoria, a $600 million initiative aimed at reducing the risk associated with combustible cladding on residential apartment buildings and publicly owned buildings.

So, what does that mean for you?

If you’re considering renovating or doing a new build with aluminium wall cladding, you need to make sure you choose a cladding product that meets the new guidelines for exterior cladding.

Solid aluminium cladding products — like Alfrex Solid, Mondoclad or Vitradual — contain no polymer core and are completely non-combustible.

Other non-combustible alternatives to ACP products include steel cladding (such as Colorbond), aluminium extrusion panels, fibre cement panels (like Vitrapanel) or ceramic or terracotta panels.

If you’re buying an existing house or apartment, you should also make sure you find out what type of cladding has been used. Talk to a registered builder and ask them to look over the cladding materials during the pre-purchase inspection. If you’re a tenant in a residential building or part of an owners corporation in an affected building, visit the Cladding Safety Victoria website for more information.

It’s important to note that while old-style ACP products (generally designed and manufactured prior to 2012) may not meet the new guidelines and still pose a fire risk, all new, premium-quality panels are designed to not only meet the guidelines requirements, but exceed them.

Aluminium external wall cladding is still one of the best and most versatile building products available. However, it’s vital that you are aware of the differences between products and understand the guidelines around the different styles of cladding.

If you’re uncertain about your cladding products, talk to the team at MG Alucacladding today. Give us a call on 0418 373 563 or contact us online. As a premier supplier and installer of premium external wall cladding in Melbourne, we can talk you through the available products and make sure your cladding meets (and surpasses) all relevant safety and compliance guidelines.