Cladding

Kavita Ramnarine-Ramsawak
BSc. Civil Eng., MSc. Coastal Eng. & Mngmt,
M.ASCE, MAPETT, R.Eng
What is Cladding?
• Claddings are a form of masking or infilling a structural
frame

• Can be thought of as the ‘skin of a structure’

• The term 'cladding' refers to components that are attached

to the primary structure of a building to form non-structural,
external surfaces. This is as opposed to buildings in which
the external surfaces are formed by structural elements,
such as masonry walls, or applied surfaces such as render.
Cladding
• Whilst cladding is generally attached to the structure of the
building, it typically does not contribute to its stability.
However, cladding does play a structural role, transferring
wind loads, impact loads, snow loads and its own self-
weight back to the structural framework.

• In particular, wind causes positive and negative pressure on

the surface of buildings and cladding must have sufficient
strength and stiffness to resist this load, both in terms of the
type of cladding selected and its connections back to the
structure.
 All forms of cladding must fulfill the following functions:
• Be self supporting between the framing members
• Provide the necessary resistance to rain
penetration
• Be capable of resisting both positive and negative
Functions wind pressures
• Provide the necessary resistance to wind
of Cladding penetration
• Give the required degree of thermal resistance
• Provide the required degree of sound insulation to
suit the building type
• Give the required degree of fire resistance
• Provide sufficient openings for the admittance of
natural daylight and ventilation
• Be constructed to a suitable size
Typical Schematic
of Cladding
Classifications of Cladding
• Claddings fixed to a structural backing
• Claddings to framed structures
Claddings fixed to a structural backing
Materials used in this form of cladding are generally
considered to be small unit claddings and are applied for one
of two reasons:
1. If the structural wall is unable to provide an adequate
barrier to the elements, a covering of small unit claddings
will generally raise the wall’s resistance to an acceptable
level
2. Small unit claddings can be used solely as a decorative
feature, possibly to break up the monotony of a large plain
area composed of a single material
Examples of Materials used
• Tiles
• Slates
• Shingles
• Timber boarding
• Plastic Boarding
• Stone Facings
The general method of fixing these small units is to
secure them to timber battens fixed to the structure
backing
Shingles
Timber
Cladding
Stone Facings
Claddings to frame structures
• The methods available to clad a frame structure are
extensive and include panels of masonry constructed
between the columns and the beams, light infill
panels of metal or timber, precast concrete panels
and curtain walling which completely encloses the
structure.
Curtain
Walling
Concrete Cladding Panels
Typical
Details
Typical
Details
Storey Height
Cladding Panels
Curtain Walling
References
• Chudley, Roy and Greeno, Roger. (2016) Building
Construction Handbook. 11th Edition Routledge