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Posts Tagged ‘Exterior siding’

Brick Siding for Steel Buildings

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

Installing building siding not only enhances the appearance of steel buildings, it also increases the structures’ durability and lessens their maintenance requirements.

Brick is another type of siding for steel buildings. Brick is made of fired clay and it comes in a wide variety of earthly, eye-pleasing colors that can give any structure elegance and style. Brick siding is durable, strong, and long lasting. It is pest and weather resistant and is fireproof.

Brick exteriors of buildings are easy to maintain. They don’t need to be painted and never rots, fades, warps, burns, dents, tears, or become brittle. However, you need to hire an experienced professional to install brick siding, which means that the project is often expensive and time consuming.

Another drawback of bricks is that they are heavy. To use traditional brick for finishing the exteriors of steel buildings, the structures should be capable of supporting the additional weight of the materials.

Brick veneer siding is a veneer with a thin brick surface on the front. Aside from its attractive appearance, it provides high resistance to fire and water penetration. Brick veneer siding also offers low rate of thermal transmission, low maintenance, and increased resale value of steel buildings. Unlike wood or metal siding, brick veneer does not require painting. However, an experienced professional must be hired to install brick veneer siding for steel buildings.

Simulated brick siding panels, on the other hand, are made of lightweight polyurethane that imitate the appearance of bricks. The panels reproduce the texture and character of the materials they simulate. Simulated brick siding panels can be easily applied to any dry, stable surface using screws and adhesive. The good news is that this can be done by a non-professional.

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Posted in Steel Buildings | 15 Comments »

Fiber Cement Siding for Steel Buildings

Monday, October 25th, 2010

Still on the subject of exterior siding for steel buildings, this post talks about fiber cement siding. This siding is manufactured by combining silica, cement and reinforced with wood fibers. Fiber cement siding for steel buildings resemble wood siding when painted, but is less expensive.

Fiber cement siding replaced asbestos shingles mainly due to the concern and safety of asbestos. Fiber cement siding is the choice of customers who want the look of wood siding combined with durability and long life expectancy. It requires minimal maintenance because it offers resistance to termites and decay, which are commonly associated with wood siding.

Fiber cement siding is a non-combustible material that is somewhat flexible. The product is very dimensionally stable and is resistant to shrinking and swelling, cupping, warping, and splitting. Fiber cement siding is cost-competitive with vinyl and hardboard siding.

When combined with exterior siding, steel buildings are attractive and comparable with structures made of traditional materials such as wood. Fiber cement siding comes in a wide variety of styles and finishes that resemble other materials including wood, bricks, and stones.

Fiber cement siding products vary in thickness and density – the higher the density, the smoother is the edge when cut. In general, the thicker and denser the product, the better resistance to UV radiation and sound transmission.

A word of caution: fiber cement siding produces a very fine silica dust when cut with a saw or abrasive blade. Long-term exposure to the silica dust can cause serious respiratory problems, such as silicosis. To prevent this from happening, properly ventilate areas where the product is being cut.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_cement_siding

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Posted in Steel Buildings | 4 Comments »

Aluminum Siding for Steel Buildings (continuation)

Friday, October 22nd, 2010

Aluminum siding is the most economical exterior siding for steel buildings. Compared to vinyl siding, it is a good insulator of heat, greatly reducing the workload of heaters and air conditioners.

Aluminum siding is easy to install. The panels are lightweight, making aluminum siding popular for those who prefer to do the installation by themselves.

The best time to install aluminium siding, and for that matter, any other siding for steel buildings, is during summer or spring. It’s always a good idea to check the weather forecast in advance before starting the project.

Prepping the surface

Prior to installing aluminum siding, ensure that the exterior walls are clean and smooth, to achieve a perfect finish. Grime and dirt must be removed. Any protruding nails must be hammered or removed. Holes or any depressions must be filled.

Installing the Underlay

Before the actual aluminum panels are installed, the backing surface has to be smooth and flat. This is the purpose of installing a surface underlay, first. Foam boards are considered the best underlayment for aluminum siding. Install the foam boards over the clean walls and brush down when finished.

Installing and Fastening the Aluminum Sheets

Aluminum panels are installed from the bottom up. For a more efficient installation, start working on one wall and move on to the next only when you’re done. Make sure that the sheets are in a straight line. It is very important to ensure that two adjacent panels of aluminum siding overlap at least two inches with each other, to create a solid and tight barrier.

Aluminum siding sheets are fastened to exterior walls of steel buildings by using aluminum nails that are hammered into factory-made holes, which are conveniently placed in the panels. The nails should NOT be hammered too tightly to make room for thermal expansion.

At the end of each wall, leave gaps measuring 3 to 4 inches for the corner caps. Fixing the corner caps in place is simple. Just slide the rims of the caps under the edges of the two aluminum panels and then nail them in place.

Painting

Just one more step and you’re done. Before applying paint, double check that all panels are firmly nailed. Then apply the color of your choice. Be sure to clean the siding once a year and repaint every 5 or 6 years.

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Aluminum Siding for Steel Buildings

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

Aluminum siding is another exterior option for steel buildings. It offers attractive protection to steel buildings, from a variety of weather conditions for more years. The aluminum panels can be coated with enamel to make them resemble different looks including artificial wood surfaces.

Compared to wood siding for steel buildings, aluminum siding is more durable because it never rots, splits, splinters, or cracks. Unlike steel siding, aluminum siding does not rust. It won’t even grow brittle during winter, a common issue with vinyl siding.

Aluminum siding is waterproof and fireproof. Aluminum siding provides all-around weather protection for any steel building. Properly installed aluminum siding prevents damage to interior walls caused by direct contact with moisture brought about by rain or snow. Moisture causes growth of molds or harmful bacteria – infestations that are very difficult and costly to cure.

Compared to other exterior sidings for steel buildings including bricks, stone, or wood, aluminum siding costs less. It can last for several decades and only requires minimum maintenance. Aluminum siding exteriors need to be cleaned only once every year and painted once in maybe 5 or 6 years.

The paintability of aluminum siding has been one of its advantages over its nearest rival, vinyl siding. Once vinyl siding fades, restoring it to its original luster is very difficult. On the other hand, aluminum siding can be painted over and over again, to make it look like new.

For repainting aluminum siding, it is important that the surface be properly prepped. Use only paint that is specially made to adhere to aluminum.

One disadvantage of aluminum siding is its susceptibility to blemishes caused by impacts. For scratches and minor dents, the surface can be cured by sanding and repainting. For major dents, damaged panels have to be replaced.

(to be continued)

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Posted in Steel Buildings | 1 Comment »