ACP is one of the most fabricable cladding materials available, which is exactly why it gets designed badly. Here are the constraints that actually govern what can be built.
Bending and forming
- Minimum bending radius: 30 cm for a 4 mm panel, cold bent
- Routing and folding: standard CNC routing allows 3D shapes including double-curved and faceted surfaces
- Punching and cutting: standard wood-working tools work — no special blades needed
For complex shapes we can pre-fabricate panels in our factory from your CAD drawings rather than shipping flat sheet.
Panel sizing
Standard widths are 1220, 1250, 1500, 1550 and 2000 mm; standard lengths are 2440, 3050 and 4880 mm; total thickness runs 2 to 6 mm. Size panels from the elevation rather than from the sheet: a panel schedule cut to the bays usually reduces both the order quantity and the offcut waste.
Joint systems
- Flush-joint (密拼): panels routed and folded so adjacent faces touch, giving a near-seamless surface. Precise fabrication required — a 2 mm error shows as a step.
- Open-joint (离缝): flat-cut panels hung on clips with a deliberate 8–16 mm gap, with the weather barrier one layer behind. More forgiving of tolerance, faster to install.
We supply matching aluminium profiles and send detailed installation drawings with every order.
Directional finishes
Brushed, wood-grain and some metallic finishes are directional. State the grain direction on the cutting list — it cannot be corrected on site, and a panel installed the wrong way round reads as a different colour.
Thermal movement
Aluminium expands. Open joints absorb movement naturally; flush joints have to be engineered with adequate panel counts and fixing flexibility or the seams will open over time. Decide the joint system on the drawing board, with the panel supplier, before fabrication.
Installation
For a small interior feature wall a competent carpenter can install ACP with basic guidance. For a full exterior facade an experienced ACP installer is essential. We provide installation manuals and can connect you with installers in your market.
