Why are aluminium composite panels (ACP) so widespread? We cover their structure, uses and advantages, and what to look for in a quality composite facade.
Look at new commercial buildings, office towers, fuel stations or showrooms in Bursa and you will most likely see aluminium composite panels. With their light weight and flat, colourful surfaces, composite panels have become one of the most popular facade materials of the past two decades. So what exactly is a composite panel, and why is it so popular?
The structure of a composite panel
An aluminium composite panel is a sandwich of two thin aluminium sheets with a core between them. Standard panels are 4 mm thick overall with 0.5 mm aluminium skins. The outer face is factory-coated with high-performance paints such as PVDF or FEVE.
The core determines fire behaviour: mineral-filled cores are class A2 (non-combustible) and FR cores are class B (flame-retardant).
Advantages of aluminium composite facades
- Light weight: about 5.5–8 kg per m², adding minimal load — an advantage in seismic zones.
- Flatness: a smooth look without waviness even on large surfaces.
- Formability: CNC routing and folding into cassettes, corners and curved forms.
- Colours and textures: metallic, matt, gloss, wood, stone and concrete finishes.
- Long life: PVDF-coated panels keep their colour for 25–30 years.
- Easy maintenance: the smooth surface resists dirt; an annual wash is usually enough.
- Fast installation: workshop-prepared cassettes are installed quickly on site.
Where are composite panels used?
- Office buildings and towers
- Factories and industrial buildings
- Malls, showrooms and shop fronts
- Fuel stations and corporate identity applications
- Decorative bands on residential projects
- Column, beam and parapet cladding
4 critical points for a quality composite facade
The right fire rating
Polyethylene (PE) core panels are cheap but can cause fire to spread rapidly across a facade. We only use documented A2 and B rated panels on facades.
Cassette system with concealed hooks
Riveted systems are economical, but in a cassette system the panels are folded and hung on concealed hooks, giving much crisper joints and allowing free thermal movement.
A substructure free of thermal bridges
Without thermal isolators between substructure and building, energy loss and condensation occur.
Timely removal of the protective film
If the protective film stays in the sun too long after installation, it bonds to the surface. It must be removed promptly from finished areas.
See our composite cladding service page or contact us for a free site survey.
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