Many sandwich panels are optimized for a specific application, such as roofing or cladding. However, you must ensure they meet local regulations and are suitable for your building. Here are the two most common applications and key considerations:
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Facade sandwich panels provide thermal insulation for the building's exterior while shielding it from various weather conditions. Keep in mind that fire safety requirements are often stricter for taller buildings.
Roof sandwich panels must adhere to the aforementioned criteria while also taking into account variables such as roof pitch and roof loads which may include snow accumulation, maintenance equipment, and personnel. Some roof sandwich panels feature profiles that mimic traditional roofs, with tile patterns, a standing seam, or a corrugated design.
Sandwich panels can also be used for walls, partition walls, soffits, and doors. Your specific needs may influence the material and finish you choose.
Sandwich panels sometimes have special fixing or interlocking systems to make installation much easier and improve performance. Interlocking systems are particularly interesting for insulation, especially for flooring, roofing, or facades, ensuring a continuous barrier and preventing cold bridging. Ensure that the sandwich panel is compatible with other building materials chosen to avoid damage to the panels or compromising the building's performance.
Before installing the panels, you should know the workflow and how the panels should be joined to other building elements such as doors and windows. The following is an example of a facade sandwich panel installation (but this can vary according to each type of sandwich panel and manufacturer): Once the first panel is secured, door and window profiles are installed. Subsequent panels must be correctly pressed down for tight fastening and to prevent thermal bridges.
The core of a sandwich panel can significantly impact characteristics such as thermal insulation, acoustic performance, fire resistance, and strength. The core structure typically consists of foam, honeycomb, or corrugated materials. In contrast to foam sandwich panels, honeycomb core panels prioritize strength over insulation. The most common materials for honeycomb cores include aluminum, polypropylene, or cardboard. For insulating sandwich panels, the most common foam core types are as follows:
Polyurethane (PUR) core sandwich panels offer high initial thermal insulation but lack optimal fire resistance. The polyisocyanurate (PIR) core is a variation designed to improve this performance by providing better fire resistance, thermal insulation, and stability.
Phenolic foam (PF) sandwich panels, while more expensive than PIR insulation boards, offer slightly higher thermal and fire resistance.
Polystyrene sandwich panels are often more affordable than PUR or PIR variants but tend to provide lower thermal and fire resistance. Flame retardants may be added during production to ensure that they meet fire safety requirements. Polystyrene sandwich panels come in two forms: XPS (extruded polystyrene) or EPS (expanded polystyrene). XPS is denser, offers higher thermal resistance, and is also more moisture/vapor resistant compared to EPS.
Mineral wool core sandwich panels are known for their excellent fire resistance as mineral wool is non-combustible. Although they tend to be heavier and less thermally insulating than PIR, they excel in acoustic performance.
The facing material of a sandwich panel can impact the performance and appearance of the panel. Below is a summary of the main types including metal, wood, and fiberglass.
The most common types of insulated metal-facing sandwich panels are aluminum and steel, which are often used for roofing and façades. While aluminum is more corrosion-resistant and lightweight, steel offers greater impact resistance. Metal panels are often finished with coatings for protection or aesthetics.
There is a wide variety of wood-faced sandwich panels, such as plywood and OSB, each serving different functions. These range from structural insulated core panels (SIPs) for structural wall systems to honeycomb core wood panels, which can be a lightweight alternative to solid wood panels for doors or furniture.
Fiberglass-faced sandwich panels may be chosen for their lightweight nature and resistance to corrosion, with applications in furniture, wall panels, and partitions.
HPL or PVC-faced sandwich panels are usually available in different colors and patterns. They are sometimes applied as a protective and decorative coating over other facing materials, such as metal or wood.
The technical characteristics you should prioritize may vary depending on how you intend to use your sandwich panel. Here are some of the most common characteristics to consider:
Other characteristics include water vapor, air, and moisture permeability which could have an impact on the quality of the building envelope. The mechanical resistance and compressive strength could be important for panels subject to diverse loads such as wind, snow, people, or equipment.
Seasoned architects and designers know that it's important to look at more than just upfront prices when recommending materials. Calculating the total cost of ownership is a much better guide to making smart decisions and ultimately saving money by purchasing cost-effective materials.
The durability, longevity, and low maintenance of phenolic panels make them an incredibly cost-effective option. Rainscreen façades that use phenolic cladding panels offer longevity of both form and function.
In addition to their impact resistance, exterior phenolic wall panels are UV-resistant. Specifically, Fundermax's phenolic cladding panels have a greyscale rating of 4-5, indicating the material is reliably colorfast.
There can also be significant savings over time on a building's heating and cooling costs when using a properly designed rainscreen system with continuous exterior insulation behind the Fundermax phenolic wall panel system.
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Among a long list of popular features, ease of installation remains one of the most commonly mentioned benefits of phenolic panels.
With just three main factors to consider (substructure material, mounting direction, and fastening system), installing a phenolic wall panel system is a fairly straightforward process. Additionally, Fundermax's selection of fastening systems and variety of panel sizes (more than many other phenolic panel manufacturers) provide options to fit any budget or aesthetic.
Choosing durable materials that will hold up over time preserves not only the integrity of the design but also the client's investment. The importance of durability is multiplied when designing for high-traffic applications such as in airports, transit systems, cities, and schools. Phenolic panels are a solution that offers all of the durability you need while maintaining the design flexibility you really want.
Phenolic cladding panels are scratch-, impact-, weather-, and chemical-resistant. The hygienic, non-porous surfaces of Fundermax phenolic panels make for easy cleaning when necessary, (for more details on cleaning and chemical resistance, see here), and the acrylic surface of Fundermax's Max Compact Exterior phenolic wall panels is 5x thicker than comparable products from other phenolic panel manufacturers, making them exceptionally durable, even down to high-traffic, sidewalk level installations.
As a general rule, phenolic panels are strong building materials. But, in order to ensure you select the most durable phenolic panel system, be sure to work with highly reputable and globally trusted phenolic panel manufacturers like Fundermax, who go above and beyond the industry standard for durability.
Sustainable construction reduces the industry's overall impact on the environment -- not only during construction but also throughout the lifespan of the building. The benefits of Fundermax phenolic panels include both.
Fundermax has been making sustainable manufacturing choices for more than a century, and using Fundermax phenolic panels can contribute to a client's environmental goals in many ways.
Our exterior phenolic wall panels are FSC Certified and consist of 65% natural fibers, and some of our interior phenolic panels now utilize 100% recycled core paper. Fundermax also has several ISO certifications that demonstrate our company-wide commitment to operate in a responsible manner.
For more details, consider this article on Fundermax and LEED and Fundermax's Green Energy Manufacturing.
Fire rating and code compliance are two important matters of safety when considering any building material, including phenolic panels, and Fundermax has consistently been ahead of the curve among phenolic panel manufacturers regarding code compliance.
While some phenolic panels have a standard Class B fire rating, all Fundermax exterior phenolic panels are Class A fire rated, and even before the code adoption of high-pressure laminates as a specific segment of IBC Chapter 14, Fundermax invested in a full ICC Evaluation Services Report for our Max Exterior Façade Cladding. As of , Fundermax now has a full Intertek Code Compliance Research Report for all of our commercial exterior façade systems.
The ICC AC92 Criteria remains far beyond the minimum IBC Code Requirements for High-Pressure Laminates.
Bottom line: Fundermax rigorously tests all products, offering architects the assurance and peace of mind that comes with local and national code compliance.
Versatility is another of the most appealing benefits of phenolic panels. Architects appreciate the great flexibility of product applications without sacrificing the freedom of high-quality design capabilities.
Specifically, Fundermax offers a phenolic panel sheet program, a factory cut-to-size option, and a fully engineered package program, not to mention a variety of fastening options -- all of which uniquely allows Fundermax to provide innovation and design flexibility to architects and installers alike.
Phenolic panels provide architects the opportunity to make bold and creative choices, emphasizing architectural features with the durable, high-quality aesthetics of the material. Digitally printed phenolic panels are also available, allowing customization that will fit the unique specifications of any project.
Exterior phenolic wall panels are an excellent material for rainscreen facades, balconies, soffits, sunshades/louvers, furniture, and/or signage. For these uses, Fundermax offers exterior architectural panels, digitally printed panels, and natural panels.
Phenolic panels are an exciting solution for interior wall lining, washroom partitions, lockers, and furniture. Fundermax offers interior architectural panels, digitally printed panels, and thin laminate panels for these applications.
Phenolic resin panels can also be used in laboratory applications including lab shelving, fume hood lining, wall lining, furniture, and work surfaces. Fundermax offers laboratory architectural panels, horizontal lab work surfaces, vertical lab work surfaces, and digitally printed panels.
The rise of phenolic panel system use in the United States is an exciting development for architects and designers.
From sustainability to versatility, the benefits of phenolic panels can add value to any project.
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