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Glossary & Knowledge Base
Plain-English definitions of the cladding, finish and compliance terms that come up when specifying woodgrain aluminium in Australia.
Specifying cladding throws up a lot of jargon - BAL ratings, AS 1530.1, sublimation, concealed-fix, marine-grade alloy. This glossary gives plain-English definitions of the terms that come up when you are choosing woodgrain aluminium, with links to the pages where each one matters.
Terms A-Z
Cladding & compliance terms
- ACP (Aluminium Composite Panel)
- A panel of two aluminium skins bonded to a core; fire risk depends on the core.
- Alfresco
- A roofed outdoor living area attached to the home.
- AS 1530.1
- The Australian Standard test for combustibility of building materials.
- AS 3959
- The standard for construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas.
- BAL (Bushfire Attack Level)
- The rating that measures a building's potential exposure to bushfire, from BAL-LOW to BAL-FZ.
- Batten
- A slim linear section used for screens, ceilings, facade blades and feature walls.
- Batten Spacing
- The gap between battens, which sets privacy, airflow and shadow.
- Blackbutt
- A pale golden Australian hardwood favoured for light, contemporary looks.
- Cladding
- The external skin applied to a building's structure for weather and appearance.
- Cladding Rectification
- The programs to replace combustible cladding on existing Australian buildings.
- Colorbond
- A widely specified pre-painted steel product for roofing and cladding.
- Concealed Fix
- A fixing system where fasteners are hidden, giving a clean fastener-free face.
- Dimensional Stability
- A material's resistance to changing shape with moisture and temperature.
- Eave
- The part of a roof that overhangs the wall.
- Extrusion
- Forming aluminium by pushing it through a die to make a constant cross-section.
- Facade
- The external face of a building, especially the principal or street elevation.
- Facade Blades
- Deeper battens set proud of a facade to shade glass and add shadow.
- Face Fix
- Fixing through the face of a board, leaving the fastener visible.
- Fascia
- The board running along the roof edge that carries the gutter.
- Knockdown-Rebuild
- Demolishing an existing house and building new on the same block.
- LCP (Liability Cladding Product)
- Shorthand used in cladding rectification for products with combustible cores.
- Marine-Grade Aluminium
- Aluminium alloy chosen for its corrosion resistance in coastal and salt-air environments.
- NCC Combustibility
- National Construction Code provisions governing combustible external walls.
- Non-Combustible
- A material that does not burn or contribute to fire, as determined by AS 1530.1.
Where these terms come up
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