Why Aluminium is used as a building product

Aluminium is a non-ferrous metal that has many applications in the construction industry. Many of the products used for building commercial buildings and residential homes are made from aluminium, this includes; walls, doors and windows. Aluminium is also used to make products such as ladders and scaffolding. Metal products that are typically used as building materials include aluminium box section, tubes, angles and sheets.

Building construction is one of the biggest industries that uses aluminium. It is soft and easy to fabricate into many different shapes for a wide range of applications. For example a hole can be easily drilled to attach aluminium sheets with screws or rivets. The material is impervious to moisture and this means that warping and rotting will never be an issue.

The most valuable property of aluminium is its durability. Building products made from aluminium are ideal as they are resistant to corrosion, moisture and are not affected by UV rays. This means aluminium windows or doors will last for many years. Aluminium can also be used as framing for glass partition walls and is also starting to be used instead of wood for framing interior walls and for cladding.

Aluminium is available in many shapes because of the extrusion process. The metal can be easily formed by bending or stamping. As an example struts can be made from aluminium round bars and attached to aluminium box sections and aluminium floor plates.

Builders often use aluminium in the form of panels and as gutter systems of residential homes. The use of aluminium panels are increasingly popular in the building industry today because of the growing interest in energy collection. Solar panels, also made of aluminium are used to power lights, water-heating systems and provide other electrical needs.

The use of aluminium for doors and walls is common in commercial buildings as it does not burn. This means that aluminium is a good option to use for fire safety. Exterior and interior walls are often clad with a series of aluminium panels that will melt during an intense fire. This will allow smoke to vent out and heat to dissipate.

Finishes such as anodising, powder coating and polishing can be applied to aluminium. These finishes can produce any type of optical effect. Anodising is typically done to protect the metal if it is not painted. The goal of an external finish is to enhance its appearance and life span.