Quang Ninh Province
Luxury Apartment Project

Metal facades are exterior building skins made from metal materials. Perforated sheets have become the go-to choice because they provide ventilation, control sunlight, look great, and save energy. Let's explore what makes them ideal for modern buildings.

What Are Metal Facades and Perforated Sheets?

Understanding the basics helps you make informed decisions about facade materials and manufacturing processes.

Metal Facade Definition and Components

A metal facade is the outer shell of a building made from metal panels. It sits outside the structural walls, creating a protective layer that handles weather, temperature, and aesthetics. The system includes the metal panels, supporting frame structure, insulation layers, and attachment hardware.

How Perforated Sheets Are Made

Perforated sheet manufacturing is precise. Manufacturers take flat metal sheets—usually aluminum, steel, or stainless steel—and punch holes through them using CNC machinery. The machines create almost any hole pattern: round, square, hexagonal, or decorative designs. Perforation percentage commonly falls around 15–70% in standard architectural patterns (with ventilation tiers such as 15–30%, 30–50%, 50–70%). The process is fast and waste-efficient since punched material can be recycled.

Expanded Sheet vs Perforated Sheet Differences

Why Should Metal Facades Use Perforated Sheets?

Perforated sheets solve real functional problems that solid panels can't handle. Here's why architects specify them.

Ventilation and Air Circulation Benefits

Buildings need to breathe. Trapped hot air damages insulation, promotes mold, and increases cooling costs. Perforated sheets create natural ventilation by allowing air flow through the facade cavity. This passive airflow removes heat without mechanical systems.

Based on measured projects from Ansus, ventilated/perforated façade systems have cut HVAC energy costs by roughly 15–30%. In parking garages, perforated panels let exhaust vent naturally, reducing—or even avoiding—the need for costly mechanical ventilation.

Natural Light Management Capabilities

Perforated sheets filter sunlight, creating interesting shadow patterns while preventing harsh direct light. For ~40–55% open area, typical light transmission is ~65–75% (actual reduction varies with hole size, pitch, panel standoff, and sun angle). This reduces artificial lighting needs, cutting energy costs. The filtered light also protects interior furnishings from UV damage.

Design Flexibility and Visual Appeal

Custom perforated metal panels shine here. Modern CNC equipment creates company logos, geometric designs, nature-inspired patterns, and even photographic images (such as Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Chan) through varying hole sizes. Perforated sheets create dynamic appearances that change throughout the day. Morning light creates different shadow patterns than afternoon sun. At night with interior lighting, buildings glow interestingly. This visual interest makes buildings stand out without expensive materials.

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Advantages

Perforated metal facades contribute to LEED certifications. Ventilation reduces mechanical cooling needs. Light filtering reduces artificial lighting loads. Metal is highly recyclable—aluminum facades can be recycled indefinitely. Aluminum panels are recyclable, and many suppliers offer recycled-content options; re-melting typically requires only a small fraction of the energy of primary production. Aluminum ~15-20 years (with coating) and stainless steel (SS316) ~20–30+ years are common service-life ranges in architectural use.

How to Choose the Right Perforated Sheet Manufacturer and Custom Products?

The manufacturer you pick and customization options make or break the project.

Manufacturer Qualification Standards

Look for ISO 9001 certification, ensuring consistent quality control. Check if they have building facade experience. Ask about CNC equipment capabilities—modern multi-axis machines produce cleaner holes. Request samples before large orders. Inspect hole edges for smoothness without burrs. Check panel flatness. Verify powder coating capabilities if you need colored panels. For a quick capability check on custom perforated and expanded metal facade options, check if they have technicians who can design and make drawings, see Ansus Metal.

Custom Perforated Metal Panel Options

Aluminum is lightweight and corrosion-resistant. Steel is stronger and cheaper, but needs protective coating and weighs higher. Stainless steel offers ultimate durability but costs more. Round holes are cheapest, but you can specify squares, slots, hexagons, or custom designs. Standard round holes range Ø2–50 mm; square holes ~2×2–50×50 mm (with other shapes by request).

Smaller holes provide more privacy and have a higher noise reduction ability. Larger holes maximize airflow. Architectural panels commonly use ~2–3 mm metal (e.g., aluminum ~3 mm; stainless ~2 mm; steel ~3 mm), with thicker sections engineered for larger spans. Finishing options include mill finish, anodized, powder-coated, PVDF, or specialty finishes.

The Real-World Applications of Perforated Sheet Metal Facades

Let's look at where these facades actually get used.

Commercial Building

Office buildings use perforated facades for parking garage wraps, creating attractive screens that hide cars while ventilating exhaust. Shopping centers use decorative perforated panels as feature walls, doubling as signage. Corporate headquarters wrap entire buildings in perforated metal for distinctive identities. Hotels use perforated balcony screens for privacy without blocking views.

Residential Building

Multi-family housing uses perforated metal for balcony privacy screens. High-end homes incorporate perforated panels as decorative exterior features, adding texture and shadow play. Perforated metal fencing provides security with style. Some projects use perforated panels as second-skin facades over glass windows, reducing solar heat gain while maintaining natural light.

Installation

Panels need adequate structural support to handling wind loads such as light steel keel, we commonly would design the place, distance, and size of the connection plates of each panel to guarantee them installed properly on the structural support.

There should be thermal expansion gaps between two panels because metal expands and contracts with temperature.

Use compatible fasteners to avoid galvanic corrosion. Be careful of the fastener material since this is the part people easily pay less attention to.

Maintenance

Remember to leave drainage paths for water. Annual washing with mild soap keeps panels fresh. Inspect fasteners every few years. Touch up scratches promptly to prevent corrosion.

FAQ

Q1. Can Perforated Facades Handle Hurricanes And Snow?

Yes, when properly engineered. Perforated panels actually have advantages in extreme weather—holes allow wind to pass through rather than creating solid surfaces catching maximum wind force. For snow, perforations let some fall through rather than accumulating entirely. Select engineered thickness and support based on wind-load calculations (e.g., designs rated up to ~3.5 kPa on Ansus specs), and use marine-grade stainless stain, such as 316L in coastal environments.

Q2. Do Perforated Facades Reduce Noise?

Perforated facades can improve acoustics when designed properly, but don't block sound like solid walls. When used as a rainscreen over insulation, perforated facades absorb some sound frequencies. Holes allow sound waves to enter the cavity, behind where they dissipate rather than reflect back. We list NRC performance roughly 0.35–0.95 (depending on open area and acoustic backing), indicating meaningful absorption rather than simple reflection. However, traffic noise still passes through. For serious noise reduction, add acoustic insulation behind perforated facades.

Q3. What Fire And Code Rules Apply To Perforated Facades?

Metal facades are excellent for fire safety since we specify “Class A / Non-combustible (metal)” per ASTM E84. Perforations actually help by allowing smoke and heat to vent. However, codes require maintaining fire-resistance ratings, proper fire barriers for combustible backing materials, and fire-stopping at each floor level. High-rises face stricter requirements. Some codes limit perforation sizes near property lines. Always work with architects familiar with local requirements.

Conclusion

Perforated sheets dominate quality architectural projects for good reasons—superior aesthetics, precise functionality, and lasting performance. Working with experienced perforated sheet manufacturers ensures panels meet your specific needs. Contact a qualified manufacturer—such as Ansus Metal—to discuss custom perforated or expanded metal panels for your facade project today.