Cladding Vs. Curtain Wall

The construction industry is full of highly specific materials, techniques, and terminology, especially as you venture into more specialized trades. As glazing subcontractors, our team at Giroux Glass must effectively communicate with general contractors, architects, and developers to convey the type of work a building requires. In this blog post, we review two related concepts – cladding and curtain wall – and specify the distinctions between them.

What is Cladding?

In construction, cladding is simply the application of one type of material over another. Cladding can be made from virtually any construction material and can serve a huge array of functions. These may include providing protection and/or insulation from external elements like wind, rain, intense sunlight, heat, or cold; dampening sound; providing security, and/or privacy; protecting against the spread of fire within a building; or serving as an exterior façade.

Example of cladding and curtain wall seen here at Kaiser Permanente Hospital, Hesperia
Example of cladding seen here at The Grand Downtown Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
Example of cladding seen here at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Example of cladding seen here at UNLV Hospitality Hall, Las Vegas, NV

Common types of cladding include brick, stone, wood, metal, concrete, or ceramic exterior siding; glass curtain wall; interior wall treatments like wainscoting or tilework; specialized interior cladding like acoustic panels or thermal insulation; or preventative features like fire-proof paneling or rain screens.

What is Curtain Wall?

As previously mentioned, curtain wall is one type of cladding, which generally envelops the full extent of a building’s exterior. In glazing, the term “curtain wall” typically refers to aluminum framed systems set with recurring units of glass, panels, or other building materials. When a building is covered in glass curtain wall, it often appears to be made out of floor-to-ceiling windows, at multiple stories high.

Example of curtain wall seen here at Pechanga Resort Casino, Temecula, CA
Example of curtain wall seen here at Sansone Rainbow, Las Vegas, NV
Example of curtain wall seen here at UCLA’s Marion Anderson Hall, Los Angeles, CA

Curtain wall systems receive their name due to the fact that their components hang (like a curtain) from the face of a floor slab. While our team usually installs glass and aluminum systems, curtain wall can be constructed from any type of frame, cladding, or covering material

Curtain wall is perhaps most frequently seen on office buildings, but it makes appearances in nearly every type of commercial construction, from shopping centers to hospitals, sports arenas, and hotels. It’s also found in certain residential properties, like condominiums or luxury homes.

If you’re seeking reliable installation of curtain wall, metal paneling, or other glazing-related cladding, our team at Giroux Glass has over seventy-five years of experience installing it all. We have in-depth knowledge of every system and supporting technology on the market, and have developed strict protocol to minimize risks and/or variables that can compromise the quality of your cladding system. Contact us to request more information.