Halls, warehouses and plants

Start with how the building will be used

An unheated warehouse, a production hall and a cold store place different demands on walls and roofs. Before choosing the cladding, establish the internal conditions: whether the space will be heated or cooled, expected humidity and any special requirements for cleaning internal surfaces. These determine the insulation core, panel thickness and protective coating of the steel facing.

Insulated sandwich panels combine cladding and insulation. Trapezoidal sheets serve as cladding or as a load-bearing component in a built-up assembly, depending on the profile and intended application. Profiled sheet alone does not provide thermal insulation; each layer of a built-up roof needs a defined role.

Panel thickness is only part of the specification

The panel must suit the support spacing and the loads acting on the building. Roof design needs to account for snow, wind, pitch and drainage; wall design also depends on facade exposure and the arrangement of openings. Allowable spans must be checked against the selected product’s load tables and the project conditions. A thicker panel is not, by itself, confirmation that it suits the proposed span.

For heated or cooled spaces, check the thermal transmittance (U-value) and the joint details. Where the design requires a particular fire resistance, review the documentation for the complete assembly and its installation conditions. Reaction to fire and fire resistance are different properties.

Joints, flashings and fixings need to be specified too

Wall-to-roof junctions, panel bases, ridges and door openings need proper details. Continuous insulation and well-sealed joints help limit thermal bridges, air leakage and the risk of condensation. Screws, sealing tapes and flashings should be selected for the panel, supporting material and exposure conditions as part of the cladding specification.