Cladding is used in numerous projects — from agricultural to high-end commercial buildings, you’re likely to see cladding materials along the exterior of the structure. This offers sturdy and durable protection against weather conditions, abrasions, UV rays, and more environmental factors.
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While a variety of materials are used to create cladding, metal cladding is the top option for many homeowners and business owners due to its form, functions, and advantages.
But what is metal cladding, and what should you know about it? This article discusses the fundamentals. Read on!
Metal cladding is a product made of layered metal. It performs the same function as other cladding options — protecting the exterior walls (or the interior) of a building. Metal cladding may also be used for roofing material.
Aside from structural protection, the metal cladding also has aesthetic and design purposes, adding versatility to any structure.
Compared to other types, — such as stone, concrete, and wood — metal cladding strikes an optimal balance between function and aesthetic. Various metals can be made into cladding, offering versatility and other mechanical properties:
Some projects opt for aluminum cladding, as aluminum offers more resistance against rust and corrosion. It is often used for homes, commercial centers, and other buildings in humid climates.
Aluminum cladding offers other benefits, such as being lightweight and highly versatile when it comes to coating and painting. However, it is not as strong as other metals, so it may not be applicable in harsher environments.
Steel cladding’s most important advantage is its high strength. When it comes to rust resistance, steel may not be the best option — but certain grades of steel offer good protection.
As it is extremely durable, it is popular for exterior and interior cladding. This type is best applied in buildings where long-lasting strength is required, such as in industrial settings.
Copper cladding offers adequate protection against the elements but oxidizes quickly — turning from shiny orange to light green — unless a protective coating is applied. Thus, it is often chosen for its aesthetic appeal rather than any protective advantage it may offer. It is typically used for roofing and other finishing work.
All metal cladding systems offer more or less the same properties:
Metal cladding can protect and shield a structure from ever-changing and harsh elements that may damage it — such as rain, winds, pollution, and temperatures. They’re strong and durable enough that they improve the stability and lifespan of a structure. Often, metal cladding products are long-lasting and manufacturers sell them with warranties as long as 30 years or more.
Metal cladding can be quite lightweight, reducing the load of the building, and also making this material much easier to transport, install, and repair.
All metal building materials must be resistant to fire. This puts metal cladding above other materials — such as wood panels — in terms of protective advantages.
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Metal cladding is often used for architectural and design purposes. While there are many practical benefits to using this product, it offers many aesthetic benefits as well. Installing cladding can change the overall look of a building. Both material and installation choices may be used in such a way that it creates varying styles.
As it is made from common materials, metal cladding can easily be recycled at the end of its life. As a result, you can reduce your building’s carbon footprint.
There are two main ways to install metal cladding:
Aside from that, there are many different ways to configure metal cladding. Configuration is important as it affects the overall look of the building.
Common setups include panel, strip, brickwork, mesh, cassette, textile, tube, shingle. Some configurations offer better thermal insulation, protection, and durability.
Aside from configuration, there are multiple finishes to choose from that will affect the aesthetics of your building. The most popular options are: polished, smooth, natural, textured, ribbed, perforated, matte, oxidized, and lacquered. The best choice for your building will depend largely on your personal preference and budget.
Other kinds of finishes a manufacturer may offer are: grooved, patina, painted, high-gloss, brushed, sandblasted, 3D-printed, aged, oiled, brush-hammered, metalized, lozenge-patterned, and mirror.
There are options for metal manufacturers to add additional characteristics to metal cladding projects. Aside from offering non-combustible, sturdy, and weather-resistant protection, your metal cladding may have other characteristics.
Common additions include LED lighting, backlighting, and planters (to grow plants like moss, ferns, vines, etc.). These additional characteristics improve the aesthetic appeal and help create better-looking facades and environments.
Depending on the material, configuration, finish, and additional characteristics you choose for your building, your metal cladding will have different maintenance needs.
Here are a few pointers for taking care of metal cladding to extend its lifespan:
Now that you know what metal cladding is and the structural and aesthetic benefits it offers, you may be interested in learning more about this product and how it may be applied to your construction project.
There are a few copper electroplating methods on here, but they are either dangerous, provide very low quality results, or cost an arm and a leg. Your plated object should be a brilliant, shiny red, not blackened, and your pocket book shouldn't be hit hard by chemical costs or hospital bills.
The method I am writing about here is the copper acetate method. Rather than buying copper acetate pre-made, we will make it ourselves.
I wanted this instructable to be as easy as possible, safe as possible, and as cheap as possible.
Copper plating has a variety of uses. Aesthetically, it can be used to create a steampunk look on otherwise ill-fitting metals. Anodizing the object after plating can create brilliant, multicolored objects. Electrically, it creates a highly conductive surface for soldering or use in AC circuits (for the skin effect). It is also frequently used to prepare stubborn materials for other platings such as nickel and silver down the road.
If you like this instructable, but want a silvery finish instead of a copper finish, check out my nickel plating instructable!
https://www.instructables.com/id/High-Quality-and-safe-Nickel-Plating/
On another note, I LOVE your questions! I have noticed that a few folks are asking the same questions, so I've added a "Common Questions" step/slide/section/whatchamacallit at the end of this instructable. Take a look there to get quick answers to most of the questions you might have. If you have a new one, comment below and I'll be happy to answer it and add it to my step/slide/section/whatchamacallit :D
A quick disclaimer - copper acetate, the chemical we will be making, is poisonous. The title "High Quality (and Safe) Copper Plating" is referring more to the fact that you don't need to play with insanely powerful acids that will burn your skin or ask you to open batteries. In the concentrations we will be working with, the process is fairly safe. However, do NOT drink the solution and be sure to wash your hands after plating and properly wipe down any surfaces that come near or into contact with your plating solution. Always supervise kids. That said, enjoy!
Can I plate [insert your metal here] with copper?
It depends. Certain metals play nice together, others do not. The ones that do not are called "dissimilar metals". In the picture, you'll find a table I borrowed from RFI. The table is designed to let you know when a galvanic reaction might occur causing corrosion. For our purposes, it also tells us which metals are compatible and which are not. The lower the magnitude of the number (aka the absolute value), the more compatible (ie similar) the metals will be. If you are trying to plate a metal that is not compatible, you may need to plate with nickel or another metal first. Aluminum, for example, should be plated with nickel before it can be plated with copper. You can find my nickel plating instructable here: https://www.instructables.com/id/High-Quality-and-safe-Nickel-Plating/
How do I plate non-conductive objects?
First, you need to make them conductive. You can do this with conductive paints, conductive glues, and even metal leaf (think gold leaf) as long as whatever you are coating your surface with is not water soluble. I haven't experimented much with this myself which means you will have to. Send me a message with your results and I'll post them here for others to reference.
How much voltage/current do I need?
As little as possible. The lower the voltage and current, the better results you will get. You need a minimum of 0.5V DC to plate with copper. A C or D cell battery will give you pretty decent results. If you don't have access to lower voltages, you can put the electrolyte into a big container and move your electrodes as far away from another as you can - the increase in distance will also increase the resistance of the circuit and decrease the current.
Can I use copper chloride or another electrolyte instead of making it with vinegar and such?
Yes, you can. I just like the idea of making my own chemicals. You can get root kill (which are green crystals if I recall) at your local hardware store for relatively cheap.
Can I use other acids other than acetic acid (vinegar)?
Yes.....but be careful... This instructable was written for average Joes and Jolenes, not chemists. Other acids can be significantly more dangerous as well as release some very nasty, very toxic chemicals into the air. Unless you are an experience chemist (ie you have an actual degree, not just AP Chem in high school or Chem 111 in college), I would not recommend playing with other chemicals.
Is plating coins illegal?
The first thing I want to point out is that I'm only using coins because they are everywhere and cheap by definition. The copper and nickel content make them ideal for small experiments. This isn't a "how to plate coins" instructable, coins are simply handy and recognizable. For those of you who took high school chem lab, you probably used quarters, dimes, and pennies for a couple different classroom experiments.
As far as the legality of plating coins, to my understanding, it is legal as long as you 1) Aren't removing metal from the coins with intent to sell that metal, 2) Are not trying to pass them as something they are not (ie a copper plated dime is worth 10 cents, nothing more), and 3) Aren't defacing the coins for malicious intent. As a personal disclaimer, this is MY understanding - take it with a grain of salt. If this is incorrect, I would welcome a friendly or message from the US Treasury or other qualified persons.
Why are you using a 6V lantern battery when you say that lower voltages are better?
-The difference in plating quality between low voltages (0.5VDC is the lowest you can go) and 6VDC is not much. BUT, the time it takes to plate using 6VDC is a lot less.
-If you want lower voltages, you can do so by moving your anode and cathode farther apart. This is because your electrolyte acts as a variable resistor and the square resistance of your anode and cathode create two more resistors of a fixed resistance. The further your anode and cathode are from each other, the greater the resistance of the electrolyte, the greater the voltage drop across the electrolyte, the lower the voltage between the cathode and the electrolyte directly touching it. Without taking an electronics class, this can be a little difficult to understand, so if you don't, you will just need to trust me.
-Good lantern batteries will last a very long time. They have many, many AA batteries in parallel which gives you more available juice and higher current if you want it.
-Lantern batteries are easy to clip alligator clips to and don't need battery holders.
-As the battery drains, its internal resistance will not raise significantly and its voltage will not drop much due to the highly parallel internal battery connections. This gives you more consistent results.
Can I plate Aluminum?
I would avoid it. Aluminum is just one of those metals that don't plate well. If you are looking for a corrosion-resistant finish, you can anodize the aluminum to create a clear oxide layer that is extremely corrosion resistant. If you are looking for a colored finish, you can get dyes that absorb into the oxide layer and stain it whatever color you want (this is actually what Apple and other companies do to make different colored iPods).
Can I use copper plating to keep steel parts from rusting?
No. Absolutely not. This is for a couple different reasons.
- Copper patinas (ie rusts) and can eventually flake off over time exposing microscopic and macroscopic holes through to your base metal. As salt, water, and oxygen reach the base metal, it will rust underneath your plating causing more plating to flake off and ....you get the idea.
- Copper will create a galvanic reaction (which is how most batteries work) with the iron in the steel when your object is placed in water. This will cause your steel parts to rust EVEN FASTER. If you want to test this, place a piece of copper in salty water with a piece of steel touching it. It will start rusting like crazy in a couple hours or faster.
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