Metal Panel Material… Mounting System… Fabricator… Installer… or all 4?? This continues to be probably the most confused topic in the Metal Panel Façade industry. We have broken this important topic into four parts. If you missed the first, second or third parts you can find them below:
In this fourth and final part of our series, we explore installation as the concluding topic in our comprehensive overview of the supply chain, from raw materials to the finished building.
Sheet Material > Installation System > Fabrication > Installation
INSTALLATION:
The Installer installs the fabricated panels on the building. Sometimes they are also the Fabricator, and often their scope includes other areas such as waterproofing, fenestration, storefronts, glazing, and roofing.
The Installation of the fabricated panels onto the building is possibly the most important piece of the puzzle… the best panels with the best system installed wrong can be disastrous a few years, or sooner, down the road.
Important considerations for specifiers for installers are similar to that of fabricators, such as:
1. Ensuring the installer is trained and certified by the system manufacturer (and not just “pay-to-play”)
2. Knowing that the installer understands the important considerations of the system you are specifying (i.e. effects of thermal expansion), and that the installer has a good relationship with the fabricator, system manufacturer and the panel manufacturer.
Once again, our advice is to not dismiss an installer because they have not taken on a project of this size before, their past performance on smaller projects combined with their hunger for a good reputation might yield better results than choosing the big guy just because they are big.
So, which one should I specify? The Panel Manufacturer, the Systems Manufacturer, the Fabricator, or the Installer?
As there are many testing requirements that apply to the Panel Material and to the Installation System, these two are the most important to specify correctly. If you have had good experience with a Fabricator and Installer, or if they have given assistance in the design of the project, I strongly recommend including them in the specification.
Whatever you choose, it is most important to clearly differentiate between the Panel Manufacturer and the Installation System in your specifications.
Learn more about Vitrabond MCM and our Arrowhead Installation System.