It’s not just cladding

Due to recent focus on cladding, we thought it timely to write to you to discuss that the issue is not just about cladding, balconies are as much of a concern yet don’t seem to get as much coverage, and the problem can be more difficult to solve because of the limited design solutions available.

Balconies are an essential part of high-rise living, especially during our current period of lock-down. They provide an essential space for fresh air, reflection, a quiet espresso in the cool morning air, and often, smoking!  Architecturally, balconies frequently define the drama of the façade of a residential building and invite the outside in.

The industry has responded to this challenge with a range of aluminium decking systems and until now, the choice has been between one type of aluminium or another.

“We had experience of developing composites for non-combustible cladding, and when we saw the requirement for decking, we set about trialling the same technology for decking boards”.

“We had a number changes to make to the production ingredients, adding higher strength fibre and eliminating water-based colourants, each time testing the end result. We had to consider properties that we hadn’t had to before, such as slip resistance”.

“We are really pleased with the results, we have achieved a non-combustible decking product that would be at home at home.”