A new surf lifesaving club at Copacabana Beach on the NSW Central Coast is the latest to benefit from a growing preference for Permalite® cladding.
The club was the third built by McKenzie Building & Construction, a Central Coast company which focuses on government, commercial, large residential and difficult projects usually requiring detailed, dedicated attention.
“We were given a general concept of what the various surf clubs wanted,” Bruce McKenzie said.
“We worked through that to identify materials and components which would be suitable for the very corrosive salt air and salt spray environment at the waterfront.
“There was guidance from an architectural point of view about creating attractive buildings, but there was also a need to create particularly robust buildings which would be suitable for their intended sites and uses.
“Permalite® cladding had been loosely specified for the roof, so we investigated and satisfied ourselves that it would be suitable.”
All Permalite® cladding profiles and flashings are produced entirely from marine grade aluminium, an alloy specifically developed for exceptional resistance to corrosion in marine or industrial environments.
The material is rollformed to produce high performance cladding with an engineered combination of strength and light weight.
“We were given a general concept of what the various surf clubs wanted,” Bruce McKenzie said.
“We worked through that to identify materials and components which would be suitable for the very corrosive salt air and salt spray environment at the waterfront.
“There was guidance from an architectural point of view about creating attractive buildings, but there was also a need to create particularly robust buildings which would be suitable for their intended sites and uses.
“Permalite® cladding had been loosely specified for the roof, so we investigated and satisfied ourselves that it would be suitable.”
All Permalite® cladding profiles and flashings are produced entirely from marine grade aluminium, an alloy specifically developed for exceptional resistance to corrosion in marine or industrial environments.
The material is rollformed to produce high performance cladding with an engineered combination of strength and light weight.
McKenzie Building & Construction had previously used Permalite® to roof a building on the Newcastle University’s Ourimbah campus.
“That was in a situation where litter from overhanging trees had triggered corrosion and destroyed the previous roof,” Bruce McKenzie said.
Experienced Central Coast roofing contractor, Haggerty Metal Roofing Pty Ltd, has been involved with a number of projects featuring Permalite® cladding over more than 30 years.
The company had fixed the Permalite® roof cladding to the university building and was called on to fix it to the surf clubs, including Copacabana.
“There is more work involved when you are fixing Permalite® cladding than you would have with alternatives,” company principal, Steve Haggerty said.
“On the other hand, you know it is going to be there for a long while, whereas you might have to replace other cladding types after only a very few years.”
“We have about 20 roof fixers and they have all been involved with the installation of Permalite® cladding at one stage or another.”
Permalite® cladding in LT7® profile was chosen for the roof of the beachfront club house. LT7® combines versatility with strength, water carrying capacity, fixing economy and eave closing features.
It is available in 0.70mm, 0.90mm and 1.2mm thicknesses and can be reversed to provide a bold wall effect. Permalite® products typically weigh just one third as much as their steel equivalents.
“The gauge of the material is light enough to make handling it very easy for our installers, but it is still sufficient to protect it from damage,” Steve Haggerty said.
“Architects seem to like it because of its versatility, but the availability of a strong warranty for a product which can be used right at the water’s edge is also very attractive.”
BlueScope Buildings can assist with design advice, custom colours or even on site assistance for projects where Permalite® cladding is specified.
The BlueScope Building Design and Construction business can also offer a tailored package of design skills, expertise, planning, project management, financial strength and innovation.