Introduction
Terracotta is a widely used construction material that is manufactured by using natural and seasoned raw clay without any other chemicals burned at high temperatures. Terracotta siding is an architectural siding material that gives a specific degree of weather resistance and thermal insulation while making an aesthetically pleasing building front. Terracotta is a material that is strong, very long-lasting and not toxic to the environment.
Terracotta is categorized into two categories:
- Unglazed
When speaking of unglazed terracotta, numerous colours can be obtained by blending different types of clay. Natural colours typically include yellow, white, taupe, sand, and a wide range of reddish hues. You may add oxides and pigments to get a bit of pigment variation. Through pigments will show reaction with clay, while flaming these pigments around 2000°F temperatures, it will produce stable and lasting colours. You won’t really notice a difference in hue over 50 or even 100 years.
- Glazed
Beyond an endless archive of color choices, glazes lend you the freedom to attain different finishes and opacities. Either you can have a transparent glaze where you can still see the body shade underneath or an entirely opaque glaze where you can’t see through at all. You will also get to choose between high gloss and entirely matte finishes. Additional special effects like iridescence can also be achieved by combining 2 or 3 glazes on several layers of the product.
Methods to employ terracotta siding in building sites:
- Rain-screen Principle
The traditional way to install terracotta is following the rain-screen principle. Terracotta panels are dangled onto an aluminium sub-support system which offers the strength of a masonry installation without the additional weight. This creates a continual insulation outboard with coinciding joints; the system is designed to let water drain away from the compartment that lies under the support structure. This protects the building from rain, snow, and wind. Many profiles, finishes, colours and other options for customization are possible.
- Precast Concrete Panels
In this method, a terracotta covering is bonded onto the large precast concrete units. These systems give strength as well as flexible design, shape and finish options provided by terracotta facing. From the outside, it looks like a terracotta building, while from inside, it appears like a solid concrete wall.
Thermal Performance
A terracotta rain-screen can provide a building with finer energy performance than a precast system. However, if the precast system is detailed, by using a sandwich wall you’ll be able to improve the system’s energy performance.
Life cycle
Terracotta, in comparison to other siding materials, has a very long life cycle. Moreover, it doesn’t require much maintenance, especially with the rain-screen principle. On the other hand, we see many fibre cement facades that lose colour and fade away; having a very high color resilience, terracotta will not change its color for decades.
Conclusion
Due to the numerous qualities of terracotta, it is one of the most desired materials in construction works. It is economical due to its life-span and non-fading quality. It provides an excellent decorative appearance to the structures.
