Blog
Rainscreen Moisture Management: Drainage, Drying & Air-Barrier Coordination
A rainscreen’s moisture strategy has to carry through the cladding and attachment scope. aPlank and aFrame offer flexible options for addressing drainage, insulation, system depth, and project-specific wall conditions.
How Substrates, Fasteners and Pull-Out Testing Shape Rainscreen Attachment
Rainscreen attachment must respond to project-specific wall conditions. Explore the decisions and field verification that help align the attachment strategy with the actual supporting construction.
Designing Ventilated Rainscreen Cavities for Continuous Drainage and Ventilation
A practical look at designing ventilated rainscreen cavities for continuous drainage, airflow and reliable facade detailing.
Facade R-Values and U-Factors: What Aluminum Subframing Changes
Explore how aluminum subframing influences whole-wall thermal performance, from insulation requirements and bracket geometry to attachment spacing and assembly U-factors.
Thermal Bridging in Facades: How Thermally Broken Subframing Reduces Heat Loss
See how subframing design affects whole-wall thermal performance and how aFrame helps reduce thermal bridging through an engineered attachment approach.
NFPA 285: What It Tests, What It Covers & Why It Matters for Cladding
NFPA 285 applies to the complete exterior wall assembly, not the cladding alone. This brief outlines what the test covers and what specifiers should verify in the supporting documentation.
Aluminum Cladding Code Compliance: Fire, Wind & Performance Standards
A practical overview of the code requirements governing commercial aluminum cladding assemblies, from ASTM E84 and NFPA 285 to ASTM E330 and Miami-Dade NOA, with guidance on the system-level documentation needed for specification and submittal.
aFrame Thermally Broken Subframing: System Integration
aFrame is aPlank's thermally broken adjustable subframing system, engineered to support the structural, thermal, and constructability requirements of rainscreen facade assemblies. This post covers bracket sizing, fixed and sliding attachment logic, multi-material rail compatibility, and the installation details that contribute to long-term assembly performance.
Rainscreen Facade Systems for Commercial Buildings: Engineering, Performance & Specification
High-performing rainscreen facades rely on more than cladding selection. Cavity design, thermally broken subframing, and compliance documentation each determine whether the assembly performs or fails inspection. This technical overview covers every layer of a commercial rainscreen system.
Aluminum Rainscreen Cladding Systems for Urban Heat Island Reduction: Reflective Coatings and Thermal Performance for Urban Buildings
Aluminum rainscreen cladding systems reduce urban heat gain through high-SRI, AAMA 2605-grade reflective coatings, cool-pigment technology, and thermally broken subframing. Engineered as a complete thermal assembly.