Aluminium cladding
The usual pick for pipes and equipment, light and slow to corrode.
- Aluminium plain sheet
- Aluminium stucco embossed sheet
- Aluminium with polykraft or polysurlyn moisture barrier
- Aluminium colour coated sheet
- Aluminium foil
Insulation cladding and finishing for pipes, tanks and equipment
The metal jacket nobody thinks about, right up until the monsoon finds a gap in it.
Why insulation cladding matters
Insulation is only as good as the jacket over it. Wet wool loses most of its insulating value, and once water gets in it rarely finds its way back out. We've seen outdoor lines that were well insulated but badly clad lose a big part of their value in a couple of monsoons, and underneath that wet wool the pipe has started to rust, which is worse.
Good industrial cladding is mostly about details. Laps that face downhill. Circumferential joints that shed water instead of holding it. Sealant at every penetration and bands at the right spacing. None of it's clever. It just has to be done every single time, on every line.
Areas of application
- Outdoor pipe racks and process lines
- Storage tanks and vessel shells
- Boilers, ducts and ESP casings
- Valves, flanges and removable boxes
- Chilled water and cold lines outdoors
- Columns and reactors
- Equipment in washdown areas
- Recladding of old or damaged insulation
Cladding materials we supply and fit
GI and PPGI cladding
Where things get knocked about, or where you want colour.
- GI sheet
- PPGI and PPGL colour coated sheet, plain or corrugated
Stainless steel cladding
Chemical, coastal and washdown areas.
- SS sheet in 2B, matt or mirror finish
- SS foil
Fixing and sealing
Holds the jacket on and keeps the water out.
- Aluminium and SS bands and seals
- Self tapping screws and SDS bolts
- Sealants and mastics
- Tapes and wire
Choosing between aluminium, GI and stainless steel
| Cladding | Strength | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | Light, corrosion resistant, easy to form | Most pipes, tanks and equipment |
| GI or PPGI | Stronger against knocks, lower cost | Low level lines, walkways, coloured finishes |
| Stainless steel | Highest corrosion and chemical resistance | Chemical plants, coastal sites, food and pharma washdown |
On hot lines near the sea with aluminium cladding, we'll often specify a polysurlyn or polykraft moisture barrier on the inside face of the sheet. It stops the aluminium corroding where it touches damp insulation. It's a small cost and it adds years to the finish.
Recladding old insulation
Not every tired-looking system needs new insulation. If the wool under the jacket is still dry and sound, fresh cladding can bring it back. If it's wet or crushed, it has to come out first, and we'll tell you so rather than clad over the problem. We open up a few test points before we quote, so the call is based on what's actually in there.
Specification before price. Density, thickness and finish, then a rate.
How we work, the same four steps on a single line or a plant-wide shutdown.
Site visit and measurement
We look at the lines and equipment, where they sit and what state any existing insulation is in.
Specification and quote
Cladding material, thickness, finish and sealing details are written down with the rate.
Supply and installation
Sheet, bands and fixings come from our stock and our crew cuts, rolls and fits them on site.
Handover and support
Joint measurement, photos and a written warranty.
Why our cladding outlasts the monsoon.
- Laps and joints are detailed to shed water, every time, on every line.
- Aluminium, GI, PPGI and stainless sheet are all in our own stock.
- Moisture barrier backed aluminium for coastal sites and hot duty.
- Removable boxes for valves and flanges.
- We open honest test points before quoting any recladding.
- We'll supply only, or supply and fit, it's up to you.
Insulation cladding & finishing questions, answered.
Still unsure? Send us the duty and a few photos and we will tell you what we would fit.
What is insulation cladding?
The sheet metal cladding over the insulation on pipes, tanks and equipment. Without it the insulation gets rained on, baked, splashed with chemicals and knocked about, and stops working.
Which metal should I use for insulation cladding?
On most pipes and equipment we'd use aluminium. Down low where trolleys and tools hit things, GI or PPGI is tougher. Chemical plants, sites near the coast and washdown areas usually justify stainless. Where the line is tells you most of what you need.
How thick is aluminium cladding sheet?
It goes up with the size of the pipe or vessel, and a bit with how exposed it is. Small bore lines get a thinner sheet than big headers or tank shells. We list the sheet thickness item by item on the quote so there's no guessing.
Can you reclad existing insulation?
Often, yes. If the wool underneath is still dry and in decent shape we can put new cladding over it. If it's wet or squashed we'd recommend replacing it, and we open a few spots to check before quoting.
Do you supply cladding sheet without installation?
We do. Aluminium, GI, PPGI and stainless sheet, along with bands, screws and sealants, are all available as supply only from our stock.
Old jacket failing, or a new line to finish?
Send photos of the lines and where they are. We'll suggest the cladding material, the details and a rate.
2,000+
clients so far, from refineries and power plants to pharma and textile units
