GLOSSARY of Definitions

The cladding & insulation industry uses much technical jargon which can even vary between different areas of the country. Thus we have provided this  glossary to help the un-initiated understand the terms listed below as much as possible.

Click on any of the blue headings below or page down.

[Cladding]-[Profile]-[Substrate]-[SWG]-[Twin Wall]-[Triple Wall]

CLADDING : Refers to the external envelope (covering) of the building, which normally carries no loads beyond its own weight, those imposed by snow and wind, and those that occur during maintenance. It describes steel, asbestos, fibre-cement, plastic and other material manufactured sheets exposed to the external environment.

 ROOFING: Cladding for roofing is often referred to as Roofing, Roof Sheeting or Roof Cladding. A Roofing Profiled Sheet is a box profile sheet as illustrated below with the coating and colour on the side with the small peaks or flutes upmost.

WALLS: Cladding for walls is sometimes known as Walling, Siding, or Wall Cladding. A Cladding Profiled Sheet is a box profiled sheet as mentioned at ROOFING above and illustrated below, but with the coating and colour on the reverse side to a roofing profiled sheet. That is with the large peaks or flutes upmost.

PROFILE: Refers to the cross-sectional shape of the cladding sheet. It may also describe the cladding so shaped. Profiles are categorised as:

1. Sinusoidal (corrugated)
2. Trapezoidal (often referred to as "Box Profile", no two opposite sides parallel).
3. Ribbed Trapezoidal
4. Grecia (a small "box" profile) Generally associated with Aluminium and Clear PVC Sheets

PROFILE COMPONENTS.

 

SUBSTRATE: Refers to the base material. In the case of steel cladding it is the base material before pre-treatment and protective coating has been applied (+ or - 10%). It can also apply to the structure, often plywood or chipboard over which cladding is laid in certain types of construction.

SWG (Standard Wire Gauge) : Refers to the thickness of the substrate in metal cladding (+ or - 10%). It is now normal to use millimetres to describe this thickness - see conversion table below.

SWG.	Millimetres		SWG.	Millimetres
10	3.25		23	0.6
12	2.64		24	0.55
14	2.03		25	0.5
16	1.62		26	0.45
18	1.2		27	0.4
20	0.9		30	0.3
22	0.7

 

SUBSTRATE.= the bare steel shown in Blue. Grey = the preparatory/primer coats and Green = The Top Coat be it Plastisol, Polyester or other finish and the underside finishing coat.

 

TWIN WALL: Refers to PVC or Polycarbonate structure that has two walls joined together with a series of internal ribs.

TRIPLE WALL: Refers to PVC or Polycarbonate structure that has three wall - two outer and one inner joined together by two series of internal ribs.