Fiber cement wall panels: aesthetic, durable and several fastening options

As a flexible partner for sustainable facade and roof solutions, SVK developed the fiber cement facade panels. Anouk Crauwels, SVK's Marketing Coordinator, talks about the material, applications and processing methods.

SVK has been producing building materials since 1905. Today, SVK specializes in the production of fiber cement materials such as corrugated sheets, siding and slates. The family business with a rich tradition has its focus on the future. "Fiber cement is a recyclable material and therefore it will become increasingly important in the coming years for both renovations and new construction projects," says Crauwels.

Versatile application

"Our double-pressed fiber cement siding panels are of high quality and have a long lifespan. They are enormously versatile and the architectural freedom is unprecedented, allowing you to give each project a unique look." Crauwels explains that the extensive standard color range is available in several standard sizes, within which almost all shapes can be cut. In addition, SVK has its own paint preparation and virtually any color can also be made from 50 m² upwards. "Thus, creativity no longer knows any limits and that is exactly what we want to offer our customers. For both our Decoboard Classic cladding panel with acrylic coating and our Ornimat with two-component polyurethane coating, we can produce very many custom colors in addition to the standard colors. Moreover, all our paints are always water-based and, of course, also UV-resistant". 

Crauwels also mentions the Puro Plus, a lightly polished fiber cement wall board with a natural fiber cement appearance. This board is also very interesting in terms of price. "All our fiber cement products comply with Fire Class A2, making them virtually incombustible," Crauwels adds.

Fastening methods

A wall cladding panel must always be ventilated. All SVK fiber cement cladding panels are extremely suitable for bonding and can also be fixed blind. Frederik de Kegel, Business Developer TwinBond at Novatech International: "For each panel or specific application in a project, the processing is important. We offer advice and support to manufacturers, architects, distributors, contractors and processors. It is our mission to make complex things simple and that can be done with TwinBond's adhesive system." 

TwinBond is a system that allows you to provide high-quality solutions with a limited number of products. "The TwinBond Panel is our adhesive for facade panel bonding. Not every panel is the same and the backcoating plays an important role. That's why we put a lot of effort into support and training. Clear guidelines and on-site support ensure worry-free implementation. Every board is tested in our lab - more stringently than Komo standards - which allows us to not only meet but exceed the requirements of the Building Code." According to De Kegel, gluing is a very good method of fastening. "It is simple and gives a luxurious look. Architects are very enthusiastic about the many possibilities and the sleek and modern 'look' when bonding facade panels. The possibilities of a larger size also adds to the design freedom. Moreover, you have no point loads and the adhesive can absorb vibrations due to its high elasticity." Crauwels adds that screw connection is also a way in which the SVK façade panels can be attached. The big advantage of this is that the panels can also be easily removed from the facade again. "Here, too, it is important that processors follow the rules of the game carefully. Choosing the right screw depending on the material used and the climatic conditions of a project's surroundings are important factors. Screw holes should always be pre-drilled slightly larger than the screw diameter. This is important for the shrinkage and expansion of the board. To prevent chipping or warping, it is important to maintain proper edge spacing. And to make the screw less visually visible, we give the head of the screw a color that matches the color of the board." Thus, SVK always offers a solution within fiber cement siding in terms of visible fastening options.