Seam

Characteristics Crimping Process Documents

Request for information

Workshop Building in Calle Trole, Vallecas, Madrid. Pre-patinated zinc facade with vertical seam (caption)

Characteristics

The seam system used on facades is very similar to the seam that Quinta Metálica uses on roofs. It is therefore a very versatile system that has demonstrated its worth for centuries in countries where this type of panelling is traditional.

This is a system that covers the facade by crimping the sheets of metal together lengthways on site to form a sealed joint with hidden fastenings. It is fitted from the bottom up.

The direction of the seam is normally horizontal or vertical. It can also be at a specific angle if required by the project.

The lengthways joints impress fine lines on the facade. Due to shading, this effect is more pronounced on horizontal than vertical facades. These joints appear every half metre, more or less, over the whole facade. This gives lightness and above all direction to the facade as the lengthways seams are much stronger than crossways joints.

To order the facade correctly, it is very important for the joints to coincide with the woodwork location or with other openings in the facade. Please ask Quinta Metálica for more advice on facade modulation.

It is possible to combine different heights of plates to create more interest on the facade. Please contact Quinta Metálica to see the options available for each material.

According to Quinta Metálica, seam facades are more attractive when the metal sheets are flatter - the fewer 'dips' in the metal sheets the better. Consequently we always recommend folding the metal sheets for facades, never profiling them. In this way the plates are much flatter and the facade is much more attractive. Customers can see that the cost is higher but the result is better.

As far as any technicalities are concerned, maximum care ensures a perfect facade. These technicalities let the metal dilate in response to their every day thermal changes. Even on the facade, this continues to be essential to make sure the panelling lasts a long time. Quinta Metálica uses the same technical details developed and tested in countries such as Germany, Belgium, France and England to guarantee that facades can dilate without any problems.

Crimping process

The 'female' side of the last plate is fixed with a side piece screwed to the direct support.
A new plate is fitted on to the last one.
The 'male' side is folded around the fold of the 'female' side, crimping the two sheets of metal together. The result of this is called "angle seam" and it is the variety most used to cover facades. When the joint is vertical, it is possible to fold the joint once more to get a double seam.

standing seam joint curtain wall systems

Diagram for horizontal seam on ventilated facade and vertical seam on ventilated facade:

curtain wall systems, building envelopes

The diagrams above are drawn with the panelling 'not to scale' to give a more comprehensive view of the system.

System summary
Characteristics		Comments
Possible metals	Copper, zinc, stainless steel, titanium
Aesthetics	Provides direction to the facade. Craftsmanship finish	Joints are normally horizontal or vertical but they can also be diagonal
Shapes covered	Flat and curved facades
Sealing	Total all over the facade
Fastening method	Indirect, with fixed side pieces on the joints held to the support with screws or rivets	Normally every 300 to 400mm. Mobile side pieces that let the metal dilate lengthways along the trays
Joint size	A rib 25 mm high x 10 wide	These dimensions correspond to the angle seam
Plate size (between joint axles)	From 430 to 600mm wide x (nominally) 3m long maximum	Depends on the wind load and the metal and its thickness to be used
Support required	Over the whole surface and reasonably smooth. Normally ventilated	Board, rigid insulator, sandwich panels, corrugated metal
Cost	Economical
Variations	Double seam	Optional for vertical seamed facades. Takes the spotlight off the joints but it is more delicate and leaves the work perfectly straight
Auxiliary equipment on site	European scaffolding or lifting platforms giving access to the whole surface to be panelled