Where architecture & adhesive technology meet.

Introduction

A major renovation for a circa 1989 office building located near Wellington's vibrant Cuba Street precinct has almost reached completion. This 11-storey building has been stripped back and modernised with the addition of fully non-combustible and fire-rated cladding, a requirement due to the change of use from commercial to residential.

Client

Architectural Facades Co (AFC) was awarded the contract for the cladding, having a reputation for innovation and excellence on large-scale projects. AFC had previously delivered many highly-regarded New Zealand building projects including NZ Police headquarters, health facilities, regional sports parks and shopping precincts

Challenge

The façade engineering teams approached Sabre to deliver the optimum solution for bonding the stiffening bars on the panels used in the façade designs. The stiffening bars ensure minimal flex of the panels, prolonging the appearance and structure of the façade itself. Sabre's technical application team was engaged by the project architects and engineers to review the designs and recommend the most suitable adhesive solution.

Solution

After a collaborative technical review and testing process, SabreBond SMP60 was selected to secure the stiffening bars to the cladding panels. SabreBond SMP60 has a long and proven track record in the aluminium cladding industry for bonding stiffeners. Its high bond strength combined with good flexibility means it is the optimum choice to provide maximum stiffness to the cladding panels. Its flexibility means it can withstand the high wind loading and thermal cycling once installed, and still maintain long-term bond integrity.

Outcome

SabreBond SMP60 was used by AFC production teams for bonding the panel stiffeners in the factory, as part of the cladding fabrication process. SabreBond SMP60 also has high grab and fast development of handling strength in the first 24 hours, which allowed for efficient processing of panels through AFC’s factory.