Your role in selling metal wall panels
Not many people can hear Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band’s song “Like a Rock” without thinking about a Chevrolet Truck. If someone says cotton, there is a chance you know it’s the fabric of our lives. These lucrative ad campaigns sell a brand while simply speaking to the benefits of their products.
The ad campaigns of metal are manufacturerspecific, but contractors have a vital role in selling the metal brand to customers and architects. When given the chance, what can be said about metal wall panels and what story do you want to pass onto customers?
Benefits to You
When recommending anything, you logically are going to pick a product and company that you like. Metal is a preferred exterior cladding material for contractors because of its superior longevity with some systems, which may also install quickly with minimal steps.
The exact process depends on the type of panel and the manufacturers’ recommendations. Advanced systems can be installed over nearly any substrate, including continuous insulation, without the need for a lot of added pieces and parts. For a weather barrier, your specific design and details will determine the type of barrier needed; a manufacturer can help you determine this. Some wall panels can even be designed as sophisticated pressure-equalized rainscreens.
Some systems may require additional materials like caulks, sealants and tapes. Keep in mind that while these materials are needed for the integrity of some systems, additional materials will increase costs and installation times. They also can affect the long-term performance and maintenance of the panels. Selecting the right fasteners and washers also makes a difference. Your type of substrate and the system manufacturer’s specifications will help determine the proper choice.
Customer Concerns
The metal characteristics that your design team and customers want to learn about probably starts with budget, which will set the tone for a project. Within a given price range, many different panel choices are available and each panel has options. The details you need to discuss with a client and the design team are what they want in terms of substrate, size, architectural features, finish and- perhaps most important-performance.
While materials and finish can be limited, some panels are available in aluminum or aluminum alloy, zinc, copper, stainless steel, titanium, or virtually any flat or slightly embossed metal. Finishes can show off metal’s natural appeal or a diverse palette. Investigate what type of paints a manufacturer uses to ensure it will last. Some manufacturers offer warranties as added backing for the longevity of panels.
Styles are as diverse as the structures on which you are going to install them. If your client is looking for something basic for an industrial building, standard flat profiles will get the job done. If a statement piece is the desired result there are panels that have perforations, shadows, tapers, textures, embossments and even images. The environmental footprint of products matters to clients trying to reach a green certification, like LEED, or to people who know sustainability is the right choice for all projects. Breaking down the contents of a product is the best way to determine how green it is. Some ideas to consider are whether:
• the panel has a plastic core or is single skin
• the entire system can be recycled at the end of its useful life
• sealants or gaskets are used
• the panels are made locally with materials from local mills
The Voice
Your voice as a contractor matters because quite often it is a contractor who tells an architect about a specific wall panel that meets specification requirements. You can influence the materials you are working with-and you can pick something that you like to install-if you speak up. Flip through these pages and you will see many ad campaigns touting the benefits of a specific panel. Chances are you aren’t going to find many catchy ones like “Like a Rock” that will stick with you all day. So take what a manufacturer offers to you and think about how your influence changes a marketing campaign. Do you have power in the construction industry with the ability to influence architects and customers and get the product you want to install? You bet you do.
Jason Zeeff is vice president of sales for Holland, Mich.-based Dri-Design. To learn more, visit www.dri-design.com.
