Installation is where the fruits of our efforts are reaped. The work of design, supply, and fabrication pays off when our installers arrive to finish the job. Wiedehopf goes the full nine yards on any project and offers installation services for all modern cladding jobs. Not a fastener will be out of place when our expert team leaves you with a finished modern exterior!
Installation is the process of fastening cladding panels and siding onto the base wall of a building’s envelope. This is a pleasing step for any construction or renovation project, as this is the stage where the visual appearance of an exterior solidifies itself.
It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of a design coming to form, but there are other processes at work during installation that are just as meaningful—if not more—to your building. Installation is where the building’s envelope is waterproofed using rain screen systems and additional materials, including flashing and Blueskin.
Waterproofing—a highly recommended element of the installation—is finicky work. You can reasonably expect an exterior to see many rain-filled days in its life. The slightest leak left by a shoddy installation means decay for a base wall. This is why we always recommend waterproofing during installation, and we employ the business’ best to do the job right.
As an industry leader, Wiedehopf offers installation services throughout Southern Ontario. Our Cladding products are fabricated in Vaughan, and arrive on the job site expediently, along with installation specialists ready to get to work. The slim design of our panels maximizes the amount that can be carried by a single truck, easing the process of getting cladding materials to where they need to go.
Preparations must be accomplished before we can get to the fun part: hanging the panels themselves. For proper waterproofing, a building wrap (often Blueskin) must be applied to the base wall as a first step.
The wrap is adhered to and fastened with self-tapping screws. Then, it is time to refer to the design plans and chalk up a grid accordingly. This grid not only measures where panels will go but also the lines and points where extrusions and brackets will connect the base wall to the cladding.
Extrusions are the connecting link between the base wall and cladding panels. As their name suggests, they create an extrusion off of the building’s envelope, which facilitates a proper rain screen setup. Extrusions are fastened to the base wall along the lines of the chalked grid, in a particular order so that the sum of the extrusions is a uniform frame.
Installers are sure to use screws that are best accommodated to the base wall material in use, whether metal, concrete or wood. Clips are attached to each extrusion to fill the gap between them and the base wall.
Once extrusions form a solid frame across the base wall, the exterior is ready to be clad with panels. Installers lock the panels onto the wall, matching the brackets on the cladding with the extrusions fastened to the wall.
The best practice is to start with the bottom corner and install paneling out from there. This mitigates error and ensures a snug fit between one panel and the last.
All of our panels are protected by a protective film, which stays on during fabrication, shipping, and installation. This protects the material from any scratches or dirt that may be incurred in the process. Thanks to this protection, the installation process finishes with them still looking brand new.
The moment the protective film is peeled off the panels is always gratifying. Installers pull away from the veil, to reveal the exterior design that was once just an idea in your head.
Safety is central to every installation we undergo. Our team works with high-end equipment, and often at heights using boom lifts: their wellbeing—in addition to that of everyone around—is our top priority. We are compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), and our install teams take all necessary precautions to ensure safe work.
For our well-versed install teams, speed and accuracy are not mutually exclusive. Accuracy comes with proper training. Speed comes with practice. When you work with Wiedehopf, you draw on years of experience in the industry. Our elite team has put the hours in to hone their craft, and have the process down like clockwork.
Contractors, construction companies, and building owners are often juggling a variety of processes at once. When our installers arrive to work on an exterior, there are third parties and other teams using the job site as well. The last thing we want is to add chaos to an environment of myriad moving parts. Our shipping process is optimized to need as few trucks as possible, and our team knows how to work in synergy with a dynamic job site.
You want your new exterior to wow the neighbors, not annoy them with the hassles of installation. We work with speed, precision, and respect for the communities in which we operate.
Beyond our own install team, we also partner with independent installers. This allows us to cater to a variety of needs, locations, and contracts. Our deep partnerships and connections in the industry allow us to send the best people for the job, every time.
Wondering if our cladding installers can benefit your project?
Call our office, at +1(905) 761 9791, to learn more about what we bring to your exterior!
The cladding process requires careful attention to detail to both maintain the original design and ensure the base wall is waterproofed properly. We recommended the assistance of professionals to mitigate any hiccups and produce a long-lasting finished product. When using a premium material such as ACM, professional installation heightens the value of the original investment by maximizing the structural integrity of the cladding.
The timeline for cladding installation varies from one project to the next. Outside weather, project scope, and other moving parts on the job site have an impact on how long a job will take. To get a better idea based on your unique project, we invite you to call our office, at no obligation, for a free estimate tailored to your needs: +1(905) 761 9791.
Installation costs vary based on the scope and what materials are needed for the finished exterior. Wiedehopf offers a wide roster of modern cladding solutions at a variety of price points to accommodate the myriad needs of the industry. Give us a call, at no obligation, for a free quote based on the specifics of your next project.
Our installers come equipped with the tools to handle any cladding job. Tools include impact drills, Snap Lock Engagement Devices (SLED), mallets, chalk, and measurement devices such as levels and squares.
Cladding is installed on the exterior of buildings, so inclement weather can delay the installation process. Years of experience in the industry have taught us to plan installations with an understanding of the upcoming forecast, but there is always the possibility of weather-related delays.
Our installers are capable of fastening extrusions to a variety of base wall materials. Whether your building’s envelope is composed of metal, concrete, or wood, we will employ the right methods to ensure a proper installation.
Cladding is not fully waterproof unless it is properly sealed. Installers can use dry or wet seal methods to ensure a water-tight façade. Dry seal methods, which our installers commonly use, require that an Air Vapor Barrier, such as Blueskin, be wrapped to the base wall before cladding. Flashing, extrusions, and top caps are used to create a rainscreen system, which will result in a waterproof facade.
Rainscreen cladding is a format of installation that leaves an air cavity between the cladding and the base wall. This gap facilitates air circulation that will push water out from behind your cladding. For more information on rainscreen—what is, how it works, and how it is installed—be sure to check out this blogpost.
Sealing accounts for the gaps that exist between panels. Dry methods involve sealing these spaces with metallic top caps, and Wiedehopf’s preferred and recommended system for sealing. Wet seal methods are accomplished using caulking, which can be a finicky and messy process.
For working at heights, our installers typically use a boom lift. Boom lifts, sometimes called “cherry pickers,” allow for flexibility and mobility on the job site, and are less invasive than scaffolding that has to be uninstalled when the facade is complete.
Safety is a top priority! Our installers follow all the guidelines of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and listen to the advice provided by the manufacturers of our products. From proper footwear, to work gloves, to hard hats, our installers bring all the equipment needed to protect themselves on the job. Beyond that, care and respect are taken to ensure the well-being of everyone on the job site.
Modern cladding materials are made with installers keenly in mind! In fact, some of our suppliers, such as AL13, started their companies as installers themselves. This means we deal in products that are lightweight, intuitive, and forgiving during the installation process. The most difficult aspect of installation lies in the waterproofing process, for which we recommend the accuracy of a professional installer.
Other installers offer on-site fabrication, but we find it preferable to perform all fabrication in our top-of-the-line workshop. To learn more about our fabrication process, and how it works, click here!
Our panels and siding are cut and fabricated to the exact specification of the original design, with the help of CNC technology. This means that installers can chalk out the schematic on the base wall with certainty that there will be no surprise mistakes when it comes time to fasten cladding to the wall.
Our operation is constantly growing and we are regularly seeking seasoned installers to join our valued team. To find out if there are positions currently open, please refer to our job postings on LinkedIn or send your resume to info@wiedehopf.ca with a little description of yourself.