Full Metal Jacket: Using Cor-Ten Weathering Steel

April 25, 2022

The award winning Corten House is clad in weathering ‘corten steel’. The cladding uses a bespoke system which was developed by Barefoot Architects in collaboration with the project contractor Space Framing. The steel was unweathered, sourced from Bristol local metal workers https://www.fchammonds.co.uk/. The sheets are 1.5mm COR-TEN A Steel sheets, cut to size, they are fixed to timber battens using dome head stainless steel fixings.

The contractor put exceptional effort into the execution of the cladding. They spent a significant amount of time shimming and packing the battens to ensure a flat backing for the corten sheets. Following this, they site measured each sheet before cutting them to ensure a consistent gap, and meticulous pattern. All the fixings are installed perfectly in line, and this has a significant impact on how the finished house feels and appears. A beautifully tailored, bespoke, full metal jacket.

It was interesting to note that for a cost saving, the sheets were installed unweathered. We were not entirely sure on how long they would take to ‘weather’ to the classic oxidised appearance, and we warned the client this might be months! The contractor carefully washed down the panels to degrease them, and in the end, the corten weathered very quickly - see photos attached. The first photo was taken in August when the corten sheets were being installed. The second photo was taken only two months later in October.

We have recently specified the same cladding system on an extension project which is expected to start on site this summer. Cor-ten steel has an incredible ability to work so well with existing, older buildings, owing to its early aged texture, colour and appearance. Martina Goluchova, RIBA Southwest Project Architect of the Year 2021.