What is Aluminum Composite Panel?
An aluminum composite panel is a
building material that features a foam core surrounded by an outer aluminum
skin. These panels share many characteristics with wooden sandwich panels, but
generally offer a higher strength-to-weight ratio. The core of these panels
consists of an insulating foam, such as polyethylene or polystyrene, both of
which are effective at reducing thermal transfer through walls. By combining
insulation and aluminum panels into a single material, manufacturers allow
installers to quickly and easily construct walls and other building features.
Contractors may use an aluminum
composite panel to construct the walls or ceiling of a home or commercial
building. They may serve as the structure of the facility, or be used as
cladding over traditional wood or steel framing. An aluminum composite panel
may also be used as a source of insulation in a refrigeration system. These
panels may form the walls of a large walk-in cooler, or may be used to line a
traditional freezer or refrigeration unit. Finally, sign makers often use
aluminum composite panels in place of heavy steel or other metals when building
signs or billboards.
One of the factors that has
contributed to the popularity of the aluminum composite panel is the wide
variety of finish options these panels offer. Left unfinished, they provide the
natural shine and beauty of aluminum. They can also be painted or covered with
special metal coatings to add or reduce shine. Aluminum can also be embossed or
texturized to resemble natural stone, or to add a design pattern of the user’s
choice. Finally, aluminum panels are fairly easy to bend and shape to create
curves and other design features on a structure.
Beyond their appearance, aluminum
composite panel products also offer a number of additional advantages to users.
They are very lightweight, and require minimal structural support, yet are
strong and durable. Compared to a wooden sandwich panel, the aluminum composite
panel also offers a high degree of moisture resistance and fire resistance. Finally,
these panels are fast and easy to install due to their light weight and
flexibility. **SAB**
