How is Rockpanel cladding made?
To find out how sustainable Rockpanel facade cladding is produced, we need to zoom into the production process:
How Rockpanel facade cladding is produced? From spinning lava to coating the pressed boards: we will take you through the production process of Rockpanel step by step.
To find out how sustainable Rockpanel facade cladding is produced, we need to zoom into the production process:
Rockpanel facade cladding is made of stone wool fibres. All stone wool used for products made within the ROCKWOOL Group is created in the ROCKWOOL factories. To create stone wool fibres, a combination of basalt (which is solidified lava), recycled stone wool and secondary raw materials is heated to a temperature of about 1500 °C – as hot as a volcano. The production process for stone wool fibres actually is a technological replica of the inside of a volcano. A spinning machine whips the melted basalt into thin strands of stone wool. You could compare the process of making stone wool to how candy floss is made.
The stone wool fibres are collected and baled for transport and storage. The material is then ready to move on to the Rockpanel production lines.
On our press line, the stone wool is being pressed into a high-density board. For the binding of the stone wool fibres, a small amount of thermosetting resin is used. This creates a panel with a low calorific content and very good reaction to fire performance.
Production waste is fully utilised in this process: every piece of stone wool that’s cut off, goes back into our recycling process and is used to create new stone wool fibres. And thanks to our unique and highly efficient manufacturing process, we are able to produce more than 400 m² Rockpanel boards from only 1 m³ of basalt.
The next step is to finish our boards with a coloured coating. We use a waterborne coating system which has a high durability. With our modular system we can create all kind of designs, from unicolour boards to Woods, Stones, Metallics or Chameleon designs.
Afterwards, an extra protective layer can be applied. This ProtectPlus coating creates a self-cleaning anti-graffiti surface with improved weathering resistance and optimal UV resistance for an even more durable result.
We produce more than 400 m² Rockpanel boards
From only 1 m³ of basalt
Every single year, the ROCKWOOL Group continues to make progress towards our sustainability goals. Download our 2019 Sustainability Report to learn more about our progress, achievements and our new commitments.
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The core ingredient of Rockpanel facade cladding is a unique natural material: basalt. But what is basalt exactly? And why is it such a sustainable material?
Basalt, the volcanic stone that forms the basis of Rockpanel facade cladding, is a sustainable raw material that is sourced in a responsible way close to our factory. It’s a unique material that offers many advantages, such as fire resilience, high durability, dimensional stability and resistance against moisture. We’ll tell you more about the origin of basalt and how it’s mined.
How Rockpanel facade cladding is produced? From spinning lava to coating the pressed boards: we will take you through the production process of Rockpanel step by step.
One of the many naturally built-in strengths of Rockpanel facade cladding is its fire resilience. And because Rockpanel is firesafe by nature, we don’t need to use toxic fire retardants. We’ll tell you more about how our built-in fire safety contributes to the sustainability of our products.
Rockpanel exterior cladding is made from basalt: a volcanic stone which can withstand extremely high temperatures by nature. This naturally built-in strength of stone is a very important aspect of the fire resilience of our sustainable facade boards.
At Rockpanel, we use the natural properties of stone to create products resistant to the toughest conditions. One of the assets of stone fibres, where Rockpanel exterior cladding is made of, is that it’s resistant to humidity and moisture by nature.
Building in a sustainable way means building for the long run. After all, the longer things last, the more sustainable they become. When buildings are built to last, less new resources need to be used. Rockpanel cladding, made of stone wool fibres, is durable by nature for many reasons.
We manufacture board material mostly used in ventilated constructions, for facade cladding, roof detailing, soffits and fascias.