Rockpanel cladding’s naturally built-in resistance to humidity

Like the source material basalt, Rockpanel facade panels are not affected by moisture. That has many advantages. One of them is that humidity fluctuations cause practically no change to the length or width of the boards, making them dimensionally stable and therefore adding to durability.

In addition, this naturally built-in resistance to humidity means that the boards don’t rot or attract fungus. Finishing the edges to protect them from moisture is not necessary. Any moisture that is absorbed is released directly into the environment without any change to the boards’ mechanical or optical properties. As a building owner, you can therefore be sure that you can enjoy the beauty of your house for decades to come.

Another asset of using Rockpanel cladding is that it enables a ventilated facade construction. This construction has an air gap between the insulation and the facade cladding. This gap is open at the top and bottom and the cladding has small open joints, thus creating a way for natural ventilation of the facade.

A ventilated facade can be viewed as a raincoat: it protects a building against the weather, while at the same time creating a healthy indoor climate. Scientific research shows that a ventilated facade has multiple benefits compared to other building techniques. When a brick or concrete wall is exposed to continuous rain, it will act as a sponge, due to the porous nature of the materials.

Ventilated facades, however, allow for the water to be drained in the cavity and any other humidity to evaporate through the air gap. The facade may get wet in the cavity because of the open joints, but this moisture will evaporate quickly thanks to the ventilation flow within the air cavity.

Ventilated facades do not only protect the exterior of a building, but also improve the indoor climate of a building. A ventilated facade reduces the direct solar impact on the building and reduces thermal movement of the structure itself. With a well-designed/constructed facade, condensation inside the façade build-up can be prevented. Algae and moisture problems do not occur in that case, because the facade is ‘self-breathing’.

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