Exterior wall panel is the core enclosure material of the building facade, which directly determines the building's protective ability, value and later operation and maintenance costs. Aluminum, cement fiber hanging board is the mainstream material on the market, this paper combines the practical experience of the industry, all-round dismantling of the advantages and disadvantages of the two types of panels, to help building practitioners to accurately adapt to the project material selection.

Understanding Exterior Wall Cladding Panels

Basic Properties of Exterior Wall Panel

The exterior wall panel belongs to the building non-structural outer enclosure panels, will not bear the main body of the building load-bearing. The panel is installed on the surface of the external wall of the building, which is a special building material for the integration of rainproof, heat insulation and beautification of the external façade.
Hanging plate relying on the keel to build ventilation cavity, optimize the water vapor circulation efficiency of the wall, reduce the probability of wall moisture mold. At the same time with the use of thermal insulation materials, can directly reduce the building cooling and heating energy consumption, enhance the building energy efficiency level.

Classification of Mainstream Wall Panel Materials on the Market

At present, the commonly used materials for the exterior wall of the building cover metal, composite and inorganic building materials of three major categories, which are suitable for different building projects at the high and low ends. Among them, aluminum panels and fiber cement panels have the highest commercial landing volume and are suitable for most civil and public construction projects.
Stone, solid wood panels are suitable for niche high-end custom projects, high cost and operation and maintenance difficulties, popularity is far less than aluminum and cement panels. The composite panel performance compromise, mostly used for small and medium-sized street store facade renovation project.

What Are Aluminum Exterior Wall Cladding Panels?

Definition

Aluminum facade panel is an assembled facade enclosure panel with industrial alloy aluminum as the base material and prefabricated processing and molding. The panels are non-load-bearing, and are only used as functional building materials for façade protection and decoration.
All finished aluminum panels are pre-painted with anticorrosive coating, so there is no need to apply antirust protective coating twice on site. Standardized prefabricated size, suitable for assembly dry construction, suitable for modern construction site efficient construction mode.

Mainstream Aluminum Exterior Wall Panel Categories

Aluminum Composite Panel

Double-layer thin aluminum panels with core material bonded in the middle, ordinary models for polyethylene core, engineering models for mineral fire-retardant core material. Aluminum composite panels have high surface flatness, controlled mass production cost, and are a common choice for commercial building facades.
The thickness of the boards is light and thin, easy to cut, and suitable for flat and regular facade, storefront, and podium decoration construction. Fire-modified models can meet the requirements of high-rise building fire acceptance of hard construction compliance.

Solid Aluminum Veneer

The whole piece of thickened aluminum alloy plate is processed and shaped as a whole, without composite interlayer, and the structural integrity is more stable. Hard impact resistance, hail resistance far exceeds the performance of composite aluminum, outdoor durability and stability.
The panels can be customized as arc, shaped and hollow, which is suitable for the artistic facade design of landmark buildings. All-aluminum material can be 100% recycled, high-end public construction projects give priority to solid aluminum veneer facade.

Extruded Aluminum Profile Customized Hanging Panel

High-temperature molten aluminum extruded through the mold, with its own splicing slot, can achieve seamless splicing installation. Plate texture regular, can imitate wood grain, stone texture, weakening the cold metal facade texture.
Matching with the same system of aluminum keel accessories, material thermal expansion coefficient of unity, long-term outdoor use splicing gap uniformity.
Mostly used for residential facade, corridor cornice, facade vertical grille integrated decoration construction.

Special Functional Aluminum Wall Panel

Includes perforated sound-absorbing aluminum panels, honeycomb reinforced aluminum panels two special categories, targeted to match the special building conditions. The perforated aluminum panels take into account the triple functions of ventilation, lighting and noise reduction on the façade, and are suitable for corridors and venues.
Aluminum honeycomb panel sandwich comes with honeycomb support structure, doubling the rigidity, and the construction of large board surface is not easy to bend and deform. Suitable for high-rise office buildings with large paved facade, guaranteeing the facade is smooth and beautiful for a long time.

Advantages of Outdoor Application of Aluminum Wall Panel

Construction Compliance and Safety

AdvantagesFlame-retardant modified aluminum wall panel passes NFPA285 international fire test, and there is no obstacle for fire acceptance of high-rise buildings. Under high temperature environment, the panel will not spread open fire, no toxic smoke precipitation, enhance the safety of building fire escape.
The whole set of hanging plate keel system has been measured by wind pressure and seismic mechanics, and the risk of falling off under extreme weather is extremely low. The assembly dry construction has no on-site wet work, avoiding the hidden dangers of plastering hollow drum and adhesive shedding construction.

Appearance, Operation and Maintenance of Energy-saving Advantages

The paint surface can be customized with solid color, metal, wood grain, stone grain all kinds of texture, high and uniform color reproduction. Customized perforated and curved shapes can be integrated to meet the demand for personalized façade design of modern buildings.
Ventilation cavity optimizes the thermal insulation performance of the wall, reduces the energy consumption of building air conditioning heating and cooling, and saves the building's electricity bill. The façade can be cleaned by daily wiping with water only, no need for sanding, renovation and protective topcoat.

What Are Cement Exterior Wall Cladding Panels?

Definition

Mainstream exterior cement panels on the market are collectively known as fiber cement panels, which belong to inorganic fiber composite assembly building materials. Silicate cement, quartz sand as a substrate, with plant fibers, mineral additives, high-pressure compression molding.
Compliance with commercial cement pegboard completely eliminated asbestos fiber raw materials, in line with the national standard for environmental protection construction of civil buildings. The board has high density and heavy texture, creating a calm and original building facade visual effect.

Mainstream Cement Wall Board Categories

Conventional Fiber Cement Exterior Wall Panel

Divided into three regular types: horizontal lap wall panels, vertical paving panels, and imitation stone texture panels. It is suitable for the original ecological facade of houses and multi-storey houses, and the mainstream brands in the market are Jade, Riji and other professional board manufacturers.
Medium-density panels are lightweight and easy to cut, suitable for home furnishings, low-level facade; high-density panels with higher strength. High-density models are suitable for outdoor windy, rainy and harsh environments, with crack resistance and durability fully upgraded.

High-end Modified Cement Board

GRC glass fiber cement board, mixed with glass fiber to enhance the toughness of the board, can do curved shaped shape. It makes up for the shortcomings of ordinary fiber cement board which is easy to bend and break, and is suitable for the construction of niche artistic façade modeling.
UHPC ultra-high performance cement board has very high density, anti-pressure and anti-impact performance, belonging to high-end facade building materials. The texture is close to that of fresh water concrete, and it is mainly used in minimalist industrial style high-end public building facade customization projects.

Advantages of Outdoor Application of Cement Wall Panel

Practical Advantages of Scene Adaptation

Imitation of wood, natural stone simulation texture realistic, low-cost restoration of the original high-end facade texture. The matte native texture is thick and heavy, suitable for cultural tourism buildings and low-rise residential localized architectural design style.
The boards are resistant to open flame, and in wildfire-prone areas around mountains and forests, the cement boards can reduce the risk of ignition of the building. The aging speed of the paint surface in the outdoor sunlight is smooth, and the board surface has its own warm retro façade texture after aging.

Advantage of Cost, Operation and Maintenance

Affordable fiber cement board cost is friendly to the public, replacing natural stone to significantly reduce the cost of hard furnishing materials for the façade. High substrate hardness, daily bumping, cleaning friction will not easily leave scratches and damage marks.
No need for high-frequency refinement of maintenance, outdoor rough use can still be stable service for many years. Only humid and rainy areas, regular sealing board edge protection paint, can extend the overall service life of the facade.

Aluminum vs Cement Cladding: Key Performance Comparison

Self-weight Load and Construction Installation

Aluminum hanging plate overall weight is extremely light, only about one-third of the cement hanging plate, building load-bearing pressure is extremely small. It is convenient and labor-saving for lifting and manual handling, and no large-scale lifting equipment is needed to complete the plate in place.
Cement boards are compact and have a large self-weight, which will increase the additional load on the walls and the main beams and columns. Handling and paving need more people to work together, cutting process is complicated, the overall construction period will be significantly longer.
Preferred Conclusion: For high-rise, renovation and reinforcement, and projects in a hurry, give priority to the construction of aluminum exterior wall panels.

Outdoor Weathering Durability and Damage Resistance

Aluminum panels come with oxidized anti-rust layer, fluorocarbon paint surface resistant to salt spray, acid rain erosion, coastal areas, the degree of adaptability to pull full. Short board for the texture is soft, extra large hail directly hit the board surface, easy to produce local depression marks.
Cement wall plate hardness is very high, anti-hail, gravel impact performance is excellent, no fear of external hard objects bump damage. Installation of expansion joints control is not appropriate, temperature deformation is very easy to appear board surface cracks.
Preferred conclusion: the coastal choice of aluminum panels, hailstorm-prone inland areas give priority to cement panels.

Post-operation and Maintenance Service Life

High-quality fluorocarbon aluminum pegboard service 40-50 years, perennial water rinse can be, without the need for paint sealing maintenance. The paint surface is resistant to ultraviolet aging, and the color is uniform for decades, so the value of the façade remains consistent for a long time.
The service life of cement wall board can be more than 50 years, outstanding durability, but more operation and maintenance procedures. In rainy areas, it is necessary to reapply sealing paint and refurbish the façade every 10 to 20 years, resulting in higher cumulative operation and maintenance costs.
Preferred Conclusion: Aluminum façade panels are the direct choice for projects with insufficient O&M manpower and minimal maintenance.

Styling Design Facade Value

Aluminum panels can be bent, perforated, curved surface integrated molding, can be landed parametric, artistic shaped facade.
Color, matte metal texture full coverage, perfectly adapted to modern minimalist, science and technology style architectural design.
Cement panels are good at reproducing the natural texture of original wood and fair-faced concrete, with a thick, warm and grounded texture. The layout is regular and flat, complex arc and hollow shape is difficult to process, and customization is more restricted.Preferred conclusion: modern art facade choose aluminum, natural retro ecological facade choose cement board.

Design Flexibility and Architectural Appearance

Aluminum Wall Panel

Geometric Modeling Processing Advantages

Aluminum alloy plate can be CNC bending, punching, hot bending processing, easy to create a smooth arc, sharp corners shape. The cost of shaped processing is controllable and the construction period is short, which is the preferred exterior wall panel for parametric creative facade.
The oversized whole plate is molded in one piece, with few splicing gaps, creating a minimalist integrated flat facade visual effect. With the hollow carving process, it shades and shapes during the day and creates light and shadow art facade at night with lighting.

Advantages of Surface Craft Finishes

Fluorocarbon spraying, anodic oxidation, coating process full coverage, solid color, metal, wood grain and stone pattern customized. High-end outdoor paint surface is resistant to ultraviolet weathering, decades of uniform color, no local color difference, fading problems.
Can do the same color system of shades of matte, glossy layered color matching, to create a sense of hierarchy on the facade, three-dimensional light and shadow. Matching with the same color aluminum profile doors and windows, grille, the whole building facade material hue is highly uniform and coordinated.

Cement Hanging Board

Natural Material Simulation Expressiveness

High-pressure pressing texture 100% replicates the original touch of solid wood, rough stone, and freshwater concrete. Dyeing process through the body of the board, cutting and cutting the board surface color consistent, no need to make up the color modification after cutting.
The matte frosted texture of the board surface is soft, weakening the hard industrialized temperament of the building, and adapting to the nature of the recreation building. It is suitable for the design and construction of cultural tourism and countryside, recreation and health care communities, and the atmosphere of the original ecological park.

Visual Characteristics of Version Paving

The two mainstream patterns of long stripes and square slabs are suitable for American, wabi-sabi and industrial mainstream decoration styles. The joints are neat and sharp, creating a wabi-sabi style minimalist and rustic façade effect at low cost.
The self-weight of the board brings a sense of heavy volume, and the low-rise building facade is calm and atmospheric, with a strong sense of the atmosphere on the ground. It is not suitable for the design of fine and varied shapes, regular and straight paving to maximize the advantages of the value of the cement board.

Stability of long-term facade value of the two types of boards

Aging and Discoloration Performance

Compliance aluminum outdoor paint surface weathering stability, wind and sunshine is not easy to chalking, mottled off, the appearance of perennial as new. Only in extreme chemical corrosion areas, the panel surface will show slight oxidized luster changes, which does not affect the overall aesthetic.
High-quality cement board aging speed is gentle, the surface will form a warm natural pulp, vintage texture gradually upgraded. Low-quality and low-priced cement boards are prone to alkali whitening, and irregular white spots appear on the façade, destroying the overall appearance.

Post-repair Value Restoration

Aluminum hanging plate can be disassembled and replaced, the same batch of paint color matching is accurate, and there is no trace of color difference between the old and new after repair. Repairing the hidden closure, after the completion of the façade integrity is high, it is difficult to distinguish the repair position with the naked eye.
The color difference between the cement board patchwork is obvious, and the corners are easy to leave traces, and the overall aesthetics of the restoration is weak. It is difficult to repair the damaged cement board, and it is likely that the whole board needs to be replaced, and the loss of value after maintenance is high.

Installation and Maintenance Comparison

Comparison of Two Types of Panels on-site Construction Conditions

Aluminum Exterior Wall Panel Construction Features

Prefabricated standardized finished panels, no secondary deep processing on the site, directly to the site snap assembly assembly. A single person with simple tools can be installed, the number of workers is small, the site site management is less difficult.
Dry dustless construction work, no dust pollution, no need for wet cement mortar bonding fixed construction. It is suitable for remodeling the old external wall, will not damage the original wall structure, and the construction is more environmentally friendly in terms of noise and dust reduction.

Construction Characteristics of Cement Wall Panel

On-site cutting boards according to the need to adapt to the size of the house, cutting produces a large amount of silica dust, must be equipped with dust removal protective equipment. Construction personnel need to wear professional respiratory protection equipment, site safety control standards are higher.
Construction must be reserved for expansion gaps, cutting cuts one by one sealing edge waterproof, the construction process is complicated and low error rate. Relying on multiple collaborative lifting board paving, scaffolding operations longer, the overall construction labor costs are high.

Landing Construction Cost Itemized Disassembly

Aluminum Hanging Plate Construction Cost Composition

The unit price of the main material is moderate, with universal aluminum keel accessories, consumables procurement channels, procurement costs can be controlled. Construction efficiency to speed up the shortening of scaffolding, equipment rental cycle, indirectly reduce the site of the comprehensive construction expenses.
No need for special dustproof, protection construction supporting input, site safety supporting infrastructure investment is less. The unit price of the overall package is low, and the rush project can save the construction cost of the construction period premium.

Construction Cost Composition of Cement Hanging Board

The unit price of main material is high, light steel keel, sealing and waterproofing adhesive consumables are in large quantities, and the spending on auxiliary materials is higher. Special dust control equipment, labor insurance material procurement, superimposed on pre-job safety training, increasing the hidden construction costs.
Construction cycle lengthening, scaffolding, tower crane rental billing hours increased, site average daily management costs superimposed on the rise. Niche plate cutting loss rate is high, and waste loss further increases the construction cost per party.

Comparison of Normalized Late Operation and Maintenance Rules

Aluminum Hanging Plate Operation and Maintenance Standards

Daily operation and maintenance only high-pressure water with neutral detergent can rinse the floating dust and stains on the façade. The paint surface is dense and does not adsorb oil and dirt, with excellent self-cleaning performance in rain and dirt, so the cleaning workload of urban buildings is greatly reduced.
Replacement of single piece with localized depression and damage, no need to dismantle intact panels on the façade over a large area. There is no annual normalized painting and edge sealing maintenance work, and the long-term manpower and material investment for property operation and maintenance is extremely low.

Operation and Maintenance Standard of Cement Hanging Board

The microporous surface of the board is easy to accumulate dust and dirt, and after the rainy season, it is easy to breed moss, which requires regular high-pressure flushing and cleaning. After the board edge sealant is aging and cracked, it must be replaced in time to prevent water seepage and cracking of the board.
According to the regional climate, every 10-15 years overall renovation of the facade paint, unified repair of faded and damaged surface layer. Corner bumping damage can only be repaired to leveling, poor durability of the repair location, the probability of subsequent secondary damage.

Cost Analysis: Initial Investment vs Lifecycle Value

One-time Input Cost in the First Stage

Pre-input contains the main material, keel auxiliary materials, labor construction, equipment leasing all into the field spending. It is the project bidding, pre-budget stage, the most intuitive reference to the façade project cost amount.
Construction difficulty, length of construction period, local mechanics salary level, directly floating two types of sheet metal unilateral landing cost. Regional differences in the supply chain of building materials will make the cost of the same panel fluctuate slightly up and down.

Comprehensive Life Cycle Value

Life cycle accounting cycle according to 40-60 years of standard service life of the building facade. Superimposed maintenance and repair costs, renovation costs, energy savings, end-of-life recycling residual value of multi-dimensional cost accounting.
A lot of low-priced panels in the early stage, the later renovation, maintenance costs superimposed, the full cycle cost far more than high-end panels. Long-term operation of the project, we must rely on life cycle costing, scientific finalization of the selection of materials for the facade.

Long-term Operation Cost of Aluminum Panels

There is almost no large amount of maintenance expenditure in the whole cycle, and only the annual routine water cleaning of the façade is the basic expenditure. Fluorocarbon paint surface lifelong renovation-free painting, eliminating the large extra wall overhead painting construction labor and material costs.
Aluminum can be recycled at a high price after the scrapping of panels, offsetting the cost of dismantling and removing the facade. Lightweight structure to protect the main body beams and columns, reduce the building structure labor damage, reduce the hidden cost of maintenance of the main body of the building.

Long-term Operation Cost of Cement Hanging Board

Every ten years or so, it is necessary to carry out overall renovation and painting of the facade, and sealing and replacing the board edges with aerial work. The labor cost of aerial work rises year by year, and the cumulative rounds of renovation, superimposed on the cost of repair in the later stage, the expenses continue to add up.
Impact cracking, alkali damage can only be replaced with a new board, the waste material can not be recycled, can only pay for the removal of disposal. The advantage of fire-resistant and impact-resistant can reduce the building warranty, but it is difficult to offset the cost of cyclical maintenance overlay.

Which Cladding Material Is Best for Your Project?

Aesthetic Positioning of Building Facade Design

Technological minimalism, streamline shaped, light and shadow facade design, 100% suitable for aluminum customized panels. Free color and unlimited shape, perfect for architects' creative façade design.
Wabi-sabi countryside, natural, retro and calm architectural tone, suitable for fiber-cement texture panels. The texture of natural sandstone and solid wood is reproduced, and the building is integrated into the surrounding environment by adapting to the geomorphology and humanistic atmosphere of the site.

Attributes of Building Volume and Industry Usage

High-rise office buildings, commercial complexes, city landmark public buildings, uniformly use aluminum assembled exterior wall panels. Self-weight compliance is adapted to the wind pressure standard of high-rise buildings, and the construction is fast without delaying the opening node of commercial projects.
For single-family houses, multi-storey houses and rural supporting houses, the cement panel is more suitable. The building height is low, the load-bearing capacity is sufficient to carry the self-weight of cement boards, and the sense of atmosphere is suitable for living scenes.

Climatic Conditions of the Project Site

Coastal sea breeze, salt spray, industrial acid rain pollution in urban areas, locking corrosion-resistant alloy aluminum exterior wall panels. Eliminate the problems of rusting and aging of the panels and paint, and reduce the frequency of failure of the façade in the harsh outdoor environment.
Inland hail frequent, wildfire prevention and control areas around the mountains and forests, prefer A-class non-combustible cement wall panels. Relying on the high hardness and non-combustible properties of the board, it can resist the external force of natural disasters and protect the main body of the building facade in an all-round way.

Stage-by-stage Capital Budget Planning for the Project

For projects with expedited construction period, limited funds in the early stage, and short-term sales return, aluminum composite panels are preferred for affordable prices. Rapid completion and delivery, control the cost of hard furnishings in the early stage, and ensure that the project is completed, accepted and delivered on time.
Low-rise self-holding lodging, recreational buildings, funds focus on the texture of the facade, can choose fiber cement board. Moderately increase the investment in the early stage, relying on the original ecological texture to enhance the building premium and business value.

Requirements for Hard Performance Indexes of the Project

Pursuing decades of maintenance-free, minimal property operation and maintenance, directly finalize the whole series of aluminum facade panels. Suitable for shopping malls and office buildings with unmanned high-frequency cleaning conditions, reducing the pressure of property management work on the exterior walls.
For projects with strict fire rating and hard acceptance of impact-resistant exterior walls, the native fireproof cement panels are prioritized. Easily pass the special acceptance of fire protection and impact resistance of external walls, and reduce the workload of later rectification and rework.

Supporting Conditions for on-site Construction and Maintenance

Few professional carpenters on site, tight schedule, no exterior wall maintenance team in the later stage, suitable for aluminum assembly construction. Simple installation of snap fasteners, convenient replacement of damage, no need for long-term operation and maintenance by professional technicians.
The site cutting technicians are sufficient, can arrange the exterior wall maintenance operation every year, and can be floor cement hanging boards. Normalized gluing and paint repairing operation and maintenance work, with special personnel to implement, to ensure the long-term integrity of the facade.

Conclusion

The whole text of the aluminum, cement wall panel performance, construction, cost, adaptable scene, aluminum plate main lightweight easy to install, low operation and maintenance, free modeling, adaptable to high-rise commercial renovation projects; cement board fire-resistant, anti-collision, natural texture, adaptable to low-level mountain residential projects. Mix and match aluminum keel double plate is also the most cost-effective compromise solution, which can be adapted to most of the building façade construction needs.