There are many reasons why commercial properties choose GFRC panels for cladding on their properties. They are one of the most attractive exterior design elements with options to create panels in a range of different textures and colors to fit them with any architectural style. GFRC cladding is waterproof, durable, fireproof, and lasts for decades.
Along with all of these benefits, GFRC cladding is also one of the most affordable options when building or recladding an existing property.
How GFRC Cladding will Save Money in Construction Projects
The affordability of GFRC comes from the fact that it is cost effective to manufacture, lightweight, and easy to handle. This saves you both on material costs and installation costs when adding GFRC cladding to the exterior of your property.
The different areas where you will see cost savings throughout the process include:
- Fabrication of GFRC – The process for making GFRC cladding requires first crafting a mold and then using a hand sprayer to create an even layer of the GFRC mixture in the mold. Each mold has multiple uses, usually around 10, which makes the customization costs extremely reasonable unlike other materials that require each panel to be custom designed and often with a high degree of skill to be sure that the separate panels are all still identical
- Manufacturing Time – Precast concrete is often a comparable material for GFRC cladding, but unlike concrete that takes many days to cure before it can be shipped and installed, GFRC cures in less than 24 hours, reducing the chance of costly construction delays.
- Affordable Shipping Costs – Because GFRC has 1/3 the weight of concrete, we can ship it extensive distances at a fraction of the price of shipping precast or other heavy materials like stone. One truck can often carry up to 1500 square feet GFRC cladding, but is limited to about 500 square feet for precast.
- Reduced Building Weight – Using GFRC cladding as opposed to other materials can reduce building weight by several hundred tonnes depending on the size of the property. Without the need to support the extra weight, you can see cost savings in all aspects of construction, including the foundation, beams, and support columns.
- Easier Installation – Getting panels into place will require less heavy duty equipment and can sometimes be done without cranes altogether. You will also need a smaller team. This saves you extensively in manpower and equipment costs.
- Faster Installation – Whether you are doing an initial installation on recladding a building, a single team that can install between 4 and 12 panels on every shift, meaning that the work will be completed more quickly and you will save extensively on labor hours.
Because of the long lifespan and easy maintenance for GFRC panels, you will also experience long term savings as you do not have to constantly pay for expensive cleaning, repairs, or recladding because panels will be very slow to show wear.
While GFRC cladding will often be one of the most cost effective options for your property, the exact cost will vary depending on multiple different factors, such a square footage and customization options. GC Products specializes in GFRC cladding and has worked with a wide range of properties of all types to create custom cladding to our clients’ specifications. When you contact us, we can discuss your specific needs for GFRC cladding and provide an initial quote to get you started with your project.