What is a rainscreen facade?

As their name suggests, rainscreen facades have been developed to manage moisture and prevent it from passing into internal spaces.  Also sometimes referred to as ventilated facades, they are non-loadbearing external wall systems which have a double wall construction, comprising an inner insulated and water-resistant layer and robust external cladding layer, with a cavity left between. 

These systems are commonly found on mid- and high-rise buildings which can be exposed to rain, sleet and snow being driven with considerable force due to higher wind loadings. The cavity between the inner and outer leaf is designed to effectively manage or prevent this moisture ingress. It does this either by allowing the water to drain or evaporate away through openings at the top and/or bottom of the system (ventilated systems), or by maintaining positive pressure within the facade to prevent moisture being driven into the systems by wind (pressure-equalised systems). 

How much flexibility do rainscreen facades offer?

Rainscreen systems offer the widest range of design potential, allowing different combinations of framing systems, insulation and rainscreen finishes to be chosen as suitable for the project requirements. 

For insulation, phenolic boards and mineral fibre slabs are the most common options. These rigid or semi-rigid products are easy to fix on to the framing system to provide the thermal and acoustic performance layer. Whilst phenolic boards are usually protected with a foil facing, a waterproof membrane is typically installed over the top to ensure they are never exposed to rainwater. Sometimes the joints of the boards are taped rather than being covered with a waterproof membrane.

There is then a vast variety of rainscreen panels to choose from, allowing a myriad of aesthetic effects to be achieved. They are available in various sizes and shapes, made from materials such as powder-coated or anodised aluminium, weathered steel, ceramic granite, brick slips and more. There are also systems that allow designers to vary the depth and angles of each individual cassette without affecting the substructure to create shadows and interest across the facade.

For coated panels, there are almost unlimited colours and finishes available — including those designed to replicate the look of more expensive and heavy materials, such as stone or COR-TEN. The paint often also includes additives which prevent corrosion or UV damage, providing better colour stability, gloss retention and weather resistance. 

Are rainscreen facades difficult to install?

Whilst the built-up nature of this facade type offers plenty of design potential, it can make them more complex to install. Considerable attention must be paid to detailing to ensure all the components are installed together to achieve the desired airtightness, fire performance, insulation continuity and weathertightness. Therefore, it is important that any installation is done by a trained and competent installer. 

To help reduce the complexity of rainscreen installations, hybrid systems have also been developed which use an insulated panel system as a substrate— combining a robust inner liner, insulation, and external metal face into a single panel. These can then be overclad with rainscreen cassettes. In these systems, the insulated panels provide thermal performance and weatherproofing for the building along with an external support structure for the outer facade. This combination supports faster installations than with a conventional built-up system whilst retaining design flexibility in the facade finish.

What rainscreen facade options do we offer?

Bringing systems and expertise from across the Kingspan Group, Kingspan Facades offers an array of rainscreen facade options. Starting with the substructure, there is the option to use our Eurobond Rainspan or QuadCore Karrier composite panels to create a weathertight building envelope in a fraction of the time of traditional built-up systems.  

We then offer a wide selection of rainscreen finishes, with a variety of materials, forms and colours to choose from including shingles, recessed cassettes, ceramic granite and brick slip options. For projects looking for something different, our innovative Dri-Design facades allow designers to tailor each individual cassette, available in various depths and facing angles, and even perforated using advanced computer-based manufacturing techniques, allowing any image to be replicated onto the facade.

We can even supply the steel framing system and any ancillary or daylighting products necessary to complete the rainscreen system to the highest standard in terms of aesthetics and performance.

Learn more about Kingspan Rainscreen Solutions.