The Benefits of Terracotta Cladding: A Comprehensive Guide

The terracotta cladding has been popular for its natural design and texture which gives it an aesthetic look and makes it one of the best cladding materials widely used by people for the purpose of cladding.

Gaining its reputation as being from a few of the oldest building materials that are manmade, Terracotta is celebrated for its textured look and earthy-toned colors.

Terracotta colors range from reds, oranges, and yellows. This range of colors evolves when naturally occurring brownish-colored clay is baked and then the iron present in the Terracotta clay reacts with the oxygen present in the environment.

What Is Terracotta Cladding?

Terracotta cladding is a type of clay or earthen material that is given shape and body by baking or heating it. Terracotta is porous and coarse in form. It can either be glazed or unglazed, according to the type of requirement of the construction project.

The Terracotta cladding is manufactured at a high temperature with the help of natural and raw clay. Terracotta cladding can be utilized vertically as well as horizontally.

Clay when turned into strong and stable output, can be used in various fields, like pottery, the making of pipes, bricks, roofs, utensils, tiles, etc. It can be given intricate designs and fashionable shapes. This is a quality for which it has been accepted in the field of architecture and construction over the years.

How Is Terracotta Cladding System Used in Construction?

Terracotta in architectural use is a combination of clay and water that has been fired or baked. This clay is then utilized in the construction of the interior or exterior of buildings and can be given structure according to the requirement of architecture and design.

When terracotta is unglazed, it has porous qualities. When glazed, or in other words, baked another round, it achieves waterproof qualities. Along with this, glazing can also help to achieve a variety of hues and colors of terracotta building material.

Cladding is the process of welding where the surface of the base material is coated or covered with another material for the purpose of making the base more resistant. This procedure of cladding helps to place a wall between the base and the environment, protecting from corrosion and other erosive effects.

When aged and raw clay that is found in nature is baked at very high temperatures, without the use of any other chemicals, the manufacture of Terracotta Cladding takes place. This architectural cladding material gives insulation and resistance to the Terracotta and also creates a pleasing look on outwards.

Types of Terracotta Cladding

• Terracotta Rainscreen Cladding System
• Terracotta Precast Solution System
• Terracotta Sunshade System

1. Terracotta Rainscreen Cladding

The Terracotta Rain Screen Cladding system is ornamented on the basis of it being a rain screen and also for the minimization of difference in pressure on the inside and the outside of the structure’s wall cavities.

It is a system in which a curtain like a wall is structured, which is done employing various constructional materials like Terracotta Panels, ventilation providing cavity, rain barrier systems, and support systems that help in tracking. The whole Rain Screen system is ventilated through the back and also allows the cladding and insulation with proper exposure to air. This happens because of its open joints that utilize the shiplap.

Terracotta Rain Screen Cladding systems help in shielding the residential buildings or structures from rain and snow, as well as protecting the walls of the buildings or structures.

2. Terracotta Precast Solution

The Terracotta Precast Solution system works with the utilization of precast concrete panels because concrete is much more strong and firm. Terracotta sidings are placed onto large precast concrete panels to give the structure more rigidity than is possible with the use of only the terracotta panels.

The Terracotta Precast Solution works best with the adoption of solid panels of terracotta. The Terracotta Precast Solution is a solution for construction designs where the outward front of the building or structure requires the look and work of terracotta, while the inside concealed part requires a stable and reliable layer of precast concrete.

 3. Terracotta Sunshade

The Terracotta Sunshade, which can also be called the Terracotta Sunscreen is aimed at the purpose of creating a shade or screen from the sun, onto the building or structure. While giving shade, the Terracotta Sunshade cladding also delivers a unique design firm for the building.

The use of the Terracotta Sunshade grants a fashionable and unique look to the outward front of the building or structure. For the construction of the Terracotta Sunshade wall cladding, the use of the Terracotta Rain Screen cladding is also adopted.

This combination gives the outward front of the building an even more aligned and properly cladded look. There are a number of architectural layouts for the design and construction of the Terracotta Sunshade.

Design Elements of Terracotta Cladding System

Terracotta has been used for decades or even centuries in Chinese and Indian cultures for the purpose of constructing decorative and sophisticated roof designs for distinguished and prominent buildings.

Terracotta can either be glazed or unglazed, according to the type of requirement of the construction project. Unglazed terracotta refers to the terracotta clay that has been fired or baked once. This unglazed material has mainly reddish or brownish color tones.

On the other hand, glazed terracotta refers to the clay material that is baked more than once, using different temperatures, and also sometimes has added tints to achieve the aimed color tone.

Terracotta can be modeled into a large number of shapes and formations depending on the requirement and details of the construction project. This feature of terracotta is relatively a new addition to its already long list of specialties.

Terracotta generally has a texture of its own that is liked by many. Over the years though, the glazing process of terracotta has led architectural designs and formations to create a variety of textures of terracotta. This helps in giving the buildings or structures that are being constructed a wide range of textures in a wide range of colors.

Performance of Terracotta Cladding System

Terracotta Cladding allows for intricate designs and fashionable shapes to be given to interiors as well as exteriors of buildings or other structures. It is also known to not catch any dust or dirt and thus is very low maintenance.

Easy cleaning methods can be adopted and even that leaves Terracotta looking like new. Terracotta, being made of naturally occurring clay, is not only eco-friendly but also causes no harm to living beings.  Terracotta Sunshades minimize sun exposure and the resulting heat from the sun.

The utilization of Terracotta also makes sure of minimal transfer of high or low temperatures from the outside to the inside of the structure or building.

This feature of Terracotta in turn lowers energy consumption. Terracotta Rain Screen Cladding systems help in shielding the buildings or structures from rain and snow, as well as protecting the walls of the buildings or structures.

Terracotta in architectural use is a combination of clay and water that has been fried or baked. This clay is then utilized in the construction of the interior or exterior of buildings and can be given structure according to the requirement of architecture and design.

This combination of materials for its manufacture gives Terracotta a long life and exceptional durability. Terracotta shows more rigidity and is more compact than other constructional materials used for building, like ceramic.

When the installation of terracotta takes place as per professional parameters, it can go on without gaining any defects for decades. The color of Terracotta, either glazed or unglazed, can also go on for decades without showing any signs of fading or wiping away.

Terracotta is one of the safest cladding materials because of its certified character as being fireproof. Due to these desirable functions and benefits, Terracotta has often been considered a superior construction material.

Terracotta cladding can be also recycled to construct newb projects and it has good weather resistance. It also requires very little maintenance.

Utilizing Terracotta in building and construction work is a cost-effective process. It not only is naturally available but the manufacturing process of Terracotta is also quite uncomplicated and straightforward.

Terracotta bricks can cost approximately Rs 30 to Rs 60 per piece, while tiles can cost approximately Rs 80 to Rs 150 per square foot. These prices are for basic Terracotta construction material. When architecture schemes need to utilize designs and patterned arrangements, the costs also effectively increase.

Advantages of Terracotta Cladding System

There are various advantages of Terracotta Cladding panels that are as follows

1. Terracotta is known for having durability and strength. It is naturally immune to getting contaminated by mold or bacteria.
2. The terracotta cladding has low tendencies of cracking and high tolerance to changing temperatures.
3. Terracotta panels, if installed as per professional parameters, can go on without gaining any defects for decades.
4. The use of Terracotta in the construction of exteriors of buildings and structures is relatively more economical than the use of carved stone for the same purpose.
5. Terracotta can be used not only for exteriors but also for interiors of buildings or structures.
6. Terracotta exteriors are quite low maintenance, they do not gather dust or dirt and can be cleaned with jets of water with ease. This cleaning tool only needs to be done after years of the last cleaning period.
7. The process of cladding makes sure that the surface is safe from corrosion due to the environment.
8. Terracotta bricks and panels are much more lightweight than traditional bricks.
9. The use of Terracotta guarantees low energy consumption, which is a valuable feature in times when eco-friendliness is much appreciated.
10. Terracotta grabs attention and applause from various prominent fields because it is a construction material that is recyclable and reusable.

Disadvantages of Terracotta Cladding System

There are also some disadvantages of Terracotta cladding panels that are as follows

1. Terracotta is a porous material and needs to be glazed to make it waterproof.
2. The process of glazing, if not done with accuracy, can lead to water leaks and other such problems.
3. The glazing process of Terracotta needs to be done by professionals otherwise unprofessionally made terracotta material can lower the quality of the whole construction project.
4. Terracotta has a tendency to get oxidized in the open air and this makes it vulnerable to absorbing stains or changing its color from the originally intended hue to another.

Terracotta Cladding to Play an Important Role in New Building and Construction Projects

The fireproof and waterproof qualities of buildings that are built using Terracotta make it an ideal construction material for building structures that require special circumstantial preparations to be ready for use, like schools and hospitals. The property of Terracotta of being difficult to get infected gives it a boost in this age too.

Lately, advancements in the field of architecture have given a rise to the implementation of even more hues and tones of colors that Terracotta can be used in. With a color trending every month, it is only admitted that the color range of Terracotta has gained the views and affection of many who want to use Terracotta in their buildings or structures.

Nowadays, terracotta is being opted for buildings and structures as a sign of continuing legacy of the olden times. This is another role that boosts the use of Terracotta.

Terracotta cladding systems can be designed in a variety of ways and there are three types of terracotta cladding, namely the Terracotta Rain Screen Cladding, the Terracotta Precast Solution, and the Terracotta Sunshade Cladding. These types, when designed and given form and unique patterns, grant the buildings and structures with beautiful outward fronts.

Conclusion

Terracotta is a very functional material with resistance to a variety of constructional challenges. It not only is efficient but also gives wide options of quality and range of results. The utilization of Terracotta even now is proof of the fact that Terracotta is far from being old-fashioned or out of style.