Metal Facade Screens and Cladding

Used for: Facade screens, rain screens, sunshades, car park and plant room screens, link bridge screens, green wall mesh
Products: Expanded mesh (fine, medium, louver, aluminium facade mesh), perforated sheet, laser cut panels
Metal: Aluminium for most facades. SS304 inland, SS316 by the coast, galvanised for industrial screens
Finish: Powder coat to RAL colour, PVDF, anodised or mill finish

Expanded, perforated or laser cut?

Panel	What it does best	Watch for
Expanded mesh	One continuous piece of metal, rigid for its weight, so panels span between fixings. A textured diamond face for screens, rain screens, sunshades and green walls.	Not flat. The relief depth needs clearance in the framing.
Perforated sheet	A flat face with exact control of hole size, pattern and open area. Privacy screens, solar screens, link bridges and car park cladding.	Very high open area reduces stiffness, so thickness goes up with panel size.
Laser cut panel	Any pattern from a vector file, including logos and artwork. Feature screens and branded panels.	Costs more and takes longer than standard perforated sheet.

Open area: light, air and privacy

Open area is the share of the panel that is hole. It sets how much light, air and view passes through.

Below 30% is the usual start for privacy: residential frontages, screen walls and gate panels.
Above 35% is typical for car park facades, industrial screening and anything that must ventilate.
Green Mark projects: a screen in front of the wall or glazing cuts the solar heat reaching it, and its open area changes the ETTV calculation. Check the open area with your M&E consultant before fixing the specification.

Material and finish for Singapore weather

Aluminium suits most Singapore facades: light, with a natural oxide layer. Isolate it from steel fixings.
Stainless SS316 for coastal and waterfront facades; SS304 for inland commercial and institutional buildings.
Galvanised steel for industrial facades and plant room screens, with powder coat on top where it shows.
Finish: powder coat matches any RAL colour; PVDF holds its colour longest on exposed Grade A facades; anodising gives a consistent metallic finish.

Panel sizes, fixing and retrofit

Standard sheets are 1220mm x 2440mm, cut to any size your facade grid needs, with folded edge returns for framing. The largest practical panel depends on the metal, thickness and pattern, so tell us the size and we advise on the largest panel that will stay flat under Singapore wind and heat. Perforated cladding can also be fixed to an existing building as a second screen layer, without structural changes to the original wall.

Perforated metal screens on the link bridge of Singapore Polytechnic T16

Expanded metal facade screen at Malthouse, East Coast

Frequently asked questions

Should I use expanded or perforated metal for a facade?

Expanded mesh is one continuous piece of metal, rigid for its weight, so it suits large screens, rain screens and sunshades that span between fixings. Perforated sheet gives a flat face and exact control of hole pattern and open area, so it suits privacy and solar screens. For a custom pattern or artwork, use laser cut panels.

What open area should a facade screen have?

Below 30% open area is the usual starting point for privacy, such as residential frontages and gate panels. Car park facades, industrial screens and ventilation critical facades are typically above 35%.

Which metal is best for a facade in Singapore?

Aluminium suits most Singapore facades because it is light and resists corrosion naturally. Use SS316 stainless for coastal and waterfront sites and SS304 for inland buildings. Galvanised steel with powder coat suits industrial facades and plant room screens.

Can metal cladding be added to an existing building?

Yes. Perforated metal cladding can be fixed to an existing facade as a secondary screen layer without structural alterations to the primary wall.

What size are facade panels?

Standard sheets are 1220mm x 2440mm and we cut to any size your facade grid needs. The maximum practical size depends on the material, thickness and pattern, so we advise on it for each project.