Cladding the World in Decorative Laminates, 2006 Decorative & Industrial Laminates Sympoisum

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Conventional thin hpl is not recommended for exterior use because it must be bonded to a surface with adhesive and to date adhesive and/or laminate manufacturers have been reluctant to guarantee the performance of that bond for the lifetime of a building, 30 - 50 years. Thick, compact laminate (> 6mm) is however self-supporting and does not suffer the same limitations. Compact laminate was first used on the façade of a building some 30 years ago. The market size for exterior applications has risen in Europe to approximately 3.5 million m² per year for 6 – 13mm compact laminate. As a consequence there is now a European standard for exterior compact laminate, EN 438 part 6.

This paper will examine the performance requirements for exterior grade laminates and explain the basic principles of using compact laminate on the exterior of a building. Common methods of fixing laminates to a building will be described. The advantages and disadvantages of laminates for these exterior applications will be considered and compared to that of competitive products in these markets. The exterior market segments established in Europe will be described and the opportunity to develop similar markets in North America considered.