At Tensile, we use the Jakob range of materials for all the facade installations we undertake. This includes wire cables and rope in various configurations, pre-formed webnet mesh screens and specialist anchoring systems for green facades.
Jakob products are made from 316-grade stainless steel – which provides superior strength, weather-resistance and longevity compared to other materials such as wood or plastic.
Ensuring a secure attachment
Green facades are often subject to a range of natural forces such as wind and weather, as well as to the weight of the plants and substrate. So, it goes with saying that as well as being super robust, the structure also needs to be securely attached to the wall it’s installed on.
Anchoring the structure is done with various components, also made from marine grade stainless steel. These include spacer baskets, spacers, support washers, clevises, eye-ends, eye bolts, deflectors, ring nuts and clevis holders, as well as rod systems such as rod joiners and rod rope holders.
Various other components can go into a facade support structure as well. These are used to prevent fraying of wire rope, to allow the joining of ends to each other or to other components, and to enable tensioning of wire rope. They include end caps, sleeves, swaged head-end stops, turnbuckles, cross-clamps, frames and more.
Like the main facade materials, all the components used in anchoring systems for green facades need to have high breaking strength – determined by testing a cable under tension. Jakob stainless-steel products typically have a very high breaking strength of 90%.
Engineering and materials – getting it right
Every project is unique, which means it needs to be professionally engineered not only in terms of facade loads, but also with regards to anchoring the structure to the building.
If a project is under-engineered, it could fail. If it’s over-engineered, it could cost more than is necessary. This means the engineering process needs to be very precise and tailored to the specific installation.
At Tensile we specialise in precision engineering for green facades. This helps to ensure not only longevity of the facade but also that it is securely attached to the building. Get in touch if you would like to know more about anchoring systems for green facades.
