| Author |
Message |
Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED AP SCIP Affiliate
Senior Member
Username: lynn_javoroski
Post Number: 518
Registered: 07-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 - 01:44 pm: |    |
I've got a project in New Jersey for which the designers want to use Prodema panels. Does anyone have experience with these wood panels? (The company is located in Spain). Wayne Yancey, you mentioned them on another thread. Have you used them on a project?
Evidently, the Prodema folks recommend Eurofox for fastening and engineering (New Jersey gets hurricanes, but not like Dade County FL).
I'd appreciate any help. |
Anne Whitacre, FCSI CCS
Senior Member
Username: awhitacre
Post Number: 489
Registered: 07-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 - 02:17 pm: | |
NBBJ used Prodema panels on a project in Everett Washington about 4 years ago and they still look just fine. there was a little bit of damage to one panel at ground level (it was probably hit by something) but they have stayed dimensionally stable and non-fading in that northwest climate. My former office looked into them last fall and I did a fair amount of research but there weren't that many existing installations in the northwest at that time.
I've seen inconsistent weathering on the wood veneer type panels -- and there was an earlier version of Prodema that had severe water infiltration problems at the edges. I've also seen photos of fading of the more intense colors. the BAQ panel type seems to have overcome those problems.
Pay attention to the type of fastener that you use; how the edges of the fastener holes and the panel edges are treated; make sure that they don't torque down the fasteners too much -- the panels will crack if that happens.
there was a pretty damning web site up earlier concerning problems with an earlier version (not BAQ type panels) that was just horrifying -- but that lawsuit has been finished and the website taken down. this was a Prodema installation in the Netherlands in which the panels cracked at the fasteners, had severe water infiltration at the edges, quite a bit of fading and streaking of the finish. Make some pointed inquiries about their quality control and their installers. |
Nina Giglio
Advanced Member
Username: ngiglio
Post Number: 5
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2007 - 10:00 am: | |
We are in the DD phase of a project in which the Architect's desire is to use the BAQ panels - given the client - we have a 95% chance of them coming back out during Value Analysis - but at this point all our information supports Anne's assessment, and we are trying to caution the Architect to no wrap corners with the product to try and minimize differential fading. |
Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED AP SCIP Affiliate
Senior Member
Username: lynn_javoroski
Post Number: 520
Registered: 07-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2007 - 10:12 am: | |
Not wrap corners? How will corners be addressed, then? We've had the discussion about corners - Prodema seems to have none - and how mitering would just be a bear, and have not really come to a solid conclusion. We're using the BAQ+ panels, too. |
Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED AP SCIP Affiliate
Senior Member
Username: lynn_javoroski
Post Number: 522
Registered: 07-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2007 - 04:30 pm: | |
Is the specification section 074223 Wood Wall Panels OR 074243 Composite Wall Panels? My master sections already use 074243 for metal composite panels (alucobond-like), but I could use 074243.13 for Prodema. |
Wayne Yancey
Senior Member
Username: wyancey
Post Number: 326
Registered: 05-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2007 - 06:20 pm: | |
Lynn,
We have used aluminum extrusion from Fry Reglet to form internal and external corners and butt joints. The panel product we used is 5/16" thick. The Fry trims had a leg of 3/8". A concealed bed of sealant was applied between the edge of the panel and leg of extrusion. We used the A.1 Channel Screed (PCS-375-50); A.4 "F" Reveal Mold (FDM-375-50).
There is also a new panel product in the market place from Tacoma that goes by the trade name of Richlite. NBBJ used Richlite recently on the exterior of a nearby 5 over 2 apartment building beside their offices (rainscreen assembly).
Wayne |
Anne Whitacre, FCSI CCS
Senior Member
Username: awhitacre
Post Number: 491
Registered: 07-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2007 - 08:32 pm: | |
Wayne- didn't I hear that those Richlite panels have already faded and streaked? (of course, NBBJ said they wanted it that way...). Richlite was developed for an interior countertop material. there are a couple of panels out there (and Richlite is one of them) that strike me as basically being a thick "exterior grade plastic laminate" -- I just don't trust the stuff to hold together well. You know how a lot of resin things look just fine.. and then about 8 years down the line, they get fine cracks, split in half and just fall apart? that's what those panels seem like to me. |
Vivian Volz, RA, CSI, CCS
Senior Member
Username: vivianvolz
Post Number: 89
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Friday, May 04, 2007 - 02:46 pm: | |
Prodema seems to be (from their web site) similar to Trespa. I am using 07 42 26 Wood and Plastic Composite Panels for an open rain screen configuration on a couple of jobs. Prodema has similar concealed-attachment clips to Trespa's system. I wouldn't use either panel in any exterior configuration other than open rainscreen, so that moisture doesn't get trapped behind the panels and warp them.
There's another panel similar to Trespa and Prodema called Parklex, by Finland Color Plywood Company, but they only have exposed-fastener mounting systems.
Oh, and Trespa offers several corner solutions, including a formed corner panel and mitered panels with metal backing flanges.
By the way, while researching this section, I found a nifty article on the Rainscreen Principle. It's offered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, here:
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/bude/himu/coedar/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=70139 |
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