LEADING UK PLASTIC CLADDING PANEL SUPPLIERS

Click here for an easy-to-use listing of leading UK suppliers of plastic cladding, provided by Archbone.

The most common form of plastic cladding is made from glass fibre reinforced polyester (GRP). GRP is a composite material consisting of a resin reinforced with glass fibre, sometimes with various fillers and colour pigments. On its own the resin is brittle, but the inclusion of glass fibre produces a though, high tensile form of plastic cladding.

GRP cladding panels are made by building up layers of liquid resin and glass fibre mats or fabric, and then compacting the whole with a roller. Alternatively, GRP plastic cladding can be made by simultaneously spraying the resin and the fibres. The resin reacts with added hardener, causing the plastic cladding panels to set hard. Plastic cladding can be made in the form of panels with returned edge profiles, and with concave or convex surfaces.

The durability of plastic cladding depends critically on the resin type, glass content, compaction efficiency and curing conditions.

DETAILED INFORMATION RESOURCES ON PLASTIC CLADDING PANELS

We recommend the following websites, with building product information including manufacturers' specs, standard specifications, and CAD details: Barbour Compendium, RIBA Product Selector Plus, ASC Bricsnet, Building Products Index, British Board of Agrément, British Standards Online.