Rainscreen cladding is the attachment of an outer skin of rear-ventilated natural stone ashlar cladding to a new or existing building.

Natural Stone Rainscreen cladding is a construction façade system which consists of a subframe or panellized rail system clad with natural stone ashlar panels giving the appearance of a solid walled structure.

Rainscreen systems form a double-wall construction that uses an outer layer of natural stone panels to keep out the rain and an inner layer to provide thermal insulation, prevent excessive air leakage and carry wind loading.

The outer layer of natural stone ashlar panels breathes like a skin while the inner layer reduces energy losses. The structural panellized rail system is kept absolutely dry, as water never reaches it or the thermal insulation.

Advantages of installing Natural Stone Rainscreens achieve the following benefits:

• Thermal bridge is eliminated because there are no interruptions caused at ground level.
• Temperature fluctuations are minimised due to insulation of natural stone ashlar panels on the outside façade.
• Condensation is reduced as the wall temperature restricts condensation to the ventilated cavity.
• Varying temperature from outside weather conditions dissipate so that the temperature is dispersed in the cavity and ventilated through openings.

Whilst a more expensive fixing option than handset in terms of materials and fixing, rainscreen natural stone ashlar cladding systems can offer other benefits resulting in cost and time savings across the project:

• Speed of build
• No wet trades
• Reduced manual handling
• Ability to work in a limited space eliminating the need for scaffolding
• Flexibility – the outer skin is off the critical path allowing internal services to proceed unhindered
• Appearance of a solid walled structure
• Design opportunity using natural stone

Bring the beauty of natural stone to modern rainscreen systems by working with Stancliffe Stone. We have produced natural stone panels from our portfolio of beautiful British sandstones to work with a number of established rainscreen systems. The most popular systems are:

• Undercut anchor system
• Integrated panellized rail system

For more details on Stancliffe natural stone ashlar panels for rainscreen systems, talk to us on 01629 653000.

More details on these systems are also included in our RIBA approved CPD, Modern Methods of Construction. Click here to book a CPD now.