From the series "Facade and wall materials—trends 2023"
Modernist and original style—this will be guaranteed by steel, which offers many interesting possibilities when used as a decorative material for the facade of a building. Steel elements are particularly prominent on the walls of commercial and service buildings and offices, where they not only have a decorative function, but also a protective one. This fashionable, minimalist style in architecture, using large glazing, cubist shapes and modern sheet metal, can also be found in residential construction. What products will look good on the facade?
Trapezoidal sheet metal on the facade
The simplest and both cheapest solution is trapezoidal sheet metal, which gives interesting visual effects, through longitudinal, even strips with a trapezoidal indentation. It can be made of various alloys, with a matte or glossy finish, and have a higher or lower profile and a protective coating. The most common options for this type of sheet metal are trapezoidal sheet—galvanized steel, aluzinc and aluminum-coated—with sheet thicknesses ranging from 0.50 to 1.50 mm. It is worth starting the review of models with the offer of Blachy Pruszyński, the leader in the Polish tin roof market. It has facade profiles, covered on the outside with decorative varnish, and on the inside with a protective coating. Individual models differ in the way they are embossed, resulting in a unique play of light and shadow.
Trapezoidal sheet metal on the facade of the WAVE Skanska office building in Gdańsk
© BLACHY PRUSZYŃSKI
Facade with a soft wave
To balance the number of straight and geometric elements of the building mass, it is best to clad the facade with an elevation wave profile. Its name comes from the cross-section of the panel resembling a regular wave. The wave profile reflects light in a soft way, it is worth taking this fact into account when choosing a matte or gloss finish. When combining the two finishes, we will get an original effect of multilayer and three-dimensionality. Choosing a facade corrugated profile, we have a range of possibilities, starting from the finish, to different coatings and colors, which will give an individual character to the house.
The seam roof panel used on the estate
© BLACHY PRUSZYŃSKI
Standing seam sheet metal—decoration and protection
Standing seam metal panels are often used on the gable walls of modern barn-style houses, complementing a roof made with the same technology or covered with tile. Thanks to this procedure, the building not only becomes stylistically coherent, but also its sensitive parts of the facade gain additional protection from driving rain, snow or strong wind. The „standing seam” sheeting makes it possible to visually raise the building (placed vertically) or widen it (placed horizontally). The panels are available in various protective coatings with a matte or glossy finish.
Facade coffers—a colorful chocolate bar
The system of facade coffers, particularly prominent on the walls of commercial or office buildings, is making inroads into single-family housing, betting on unconventional form and modernity. The system is made up of coated galvanized sheets 1 mm to 1.5 mm thick or aluminum sheets 1.2 mm thick with a uniform geometric pattern resembling a chocolate bar. The advantage of the coffers is not only a wide range of colors, which allows you to create the most unusual composition on the walls of the building, but also they provide trouble-free and quick installation both vertically and horizontally, and their appearance will not change for many years, thanks to the highest quality performance and durability.
Steel on the facade is double protection
The placement of sheet metal on the facade of a building is often due to its remarkable appearance and the original vision of the designer. However, it carries other benefits that are not directly related to decorative qualities. Steel on the facade provides protection of the exterior walls from the adverse effects of the weather and significantly improves the thermal insulation of the building. As a result, panels or coffers are often used on the walls of the house, which are particularly vulnerable to getting wet or cold.
It is worth noting the availability of protective coatings, in the selected model, which ensure the durability of the material around the location of the building, industrial damage or corrosion resistance. Nevertheless, every investor should familiarize himself with the maintenance of the steel facade, so that the sheet metal will retain its decorative and protective qualities for as long as possible.
Maintaining minimalism and modernity does not mean putting up an unremarkable block, but it makes it possible to create an original, timeless house, and the steel on its facade will be proof of creativity and a well-thought-out concept.
For more information, visit the company's BLACHY PRUSZYŃSKI page on the Products for Architects portal.
