Trespa® Meteon® FR NATURALS 2x1meter

Trespa® Meteon® FR NATURALS - Facade panels instead of natural stone or metal

Various decors in stock ✓ Fire behaviour B-s1, d0 according to EN 13501-1 ✓

The Trespa® Meteon® FR NATURALS panels are HPL panels with decorative surfaces in a wide variety of natural stone reproductions, as well as various metal structures, of which we carry the versions Rusted Brown (NM01) with a trendy rust look, Weathered Basalt (NA14), which resembles weathered, light basalt, as well as Natural Slate (NA18) in a dark slate look in our standard format of 2x1 metres with a thickness of 8 mm. The smooth surfaces, which have the same decor on both sides, have a matt finish. This serves the realistic representation of the different stone or metal structures. Natural stone, just like rusty metal, is not shiny.

The decorative facade panels with surface decor on both sides and a matt finish are available from us in two popular natural stone decors, as well as in an attractive rust look. However, these are only our immediately available delivery programme. On request, we can also supply other decors from the Trespa® Meteon® FR NATURALS series. Larger panel sizes in the manufacturer's standard formats of 3050x1530mm, 3650x1860mm or 4270x2130mm, are also possible on request, as are precise cuts to your desired size. A short e-mail is sufficient and you will promptly receive an individual offer based on your specifications.

Our standard delivery programme for Trespa® Meteon® FR NATURALS

All surface decors of the panels from the Trespa® Meteon® FR NATURALS collection included in our standard delivery programme have the same decor on both sides with a matt surface finish. While the natural stone decors can be used in both portrait and landscape format without any problems and without affecting the appearance, the panels in rust look are a directional decor in which the optical structure runs along the long side.

• NM01 Rusted Brown Directional surface in rust look
• NA14 Weathered Basalt Light surface in weathered basalt stone look
• NA18 Natural Slate Dark surface with natural slate look

Properties of the Trespa® Meteon® FR panels from the NATURALS collection

Trespa® stands for the highest standards of quality. Both in terms of the lasting appearance and in terms of the wide range of applications that go hand in hand with the Trespa® Meteon® FR panels. This is a high-pressure laminate, which has a very high inherent rigidity, so that the robust decorative panels are mainly used for demanding facade cladding and as balcony privacy screens outdoors. Trespa® Meteon® FR panels are classified as B-s1, d0 according to EN 13501-1 and are suitable for use as cladding panels for ventilated facade systems.

However, Trespa® Meteon® is not only used for facade systems, because due to the many appealing decors, the high-quality panels are also very popular outdoors as privacy screens for gardens and terraces. The solid slabs are chemically resistant and are also very easy to clean due to their closed surface. Dust, soot deposits or graffiti are just a few examples of possible soiling, which can usually be removed without leaving any residue using the appropriate cleaning agents.

Application examples for Trespa® Meteon® FR NATURALS

Erect facade cladding with Trespa® Meteon® FR
Facade cladding in single-colour decors is still widespread, but can sometimes appear monotonous and drab, especially on larger facades. With the Trespa® Meteon® FR NATURALS collection, a whole range of decorative panels are available in realistic natural stone looks, as well as in some decors based on rusted, corroded or oxidised metals. These natural-looking decorative panels open up completely new design possibilities in modern facade design. In contrast to large-format clinker panels made of slate, graphite or quartz stone, the costs for the exterior panels are kept within reasonable limits. The installation effort for cladding a facade is also lower in a direct comparison. The same applies to the care and cleaning of Trespa® Meteon® FR panels, as they are easier to clean from dirt than facades made of real natural stone due to their closed surface. The longevity of the facade cladding does not have to be renounced, as the panels have a service life of approximately 50 years.

When fastening facade panels, a distinction is made between two main substructures. On the one hand, mounting with facade screws on a substructure of wooden support battens and, on the other hand, riveting with large-head facade rivets on a substructure of aluminium profiles. In both cases, the fasteners must comply with the type approval for the erection of ventilated facade systems with Trespa® Meteon® FR panels and care must be taken to ensure that the installation is free of constraints so that the panels have sufficient expansion play. This includes, among other things, the necessity of fixing with fixed and sliding points, as well as a sufficient distance between the panels. With Trespa® Meteon® FR, these panel joints must have a panel spacing of at least 10mm. This applies both to panels next to each other and to panels on top of each other. If these are not covered by aluminium profiles, this type of installation is also referred to as installation with an open joint.

If aluminium profiles are used to cover joints, H-profiles with a low profile thickness are usually used. The thickness of the profile must also be included in the panel installation. This means that the panel spacing is no longer at least 10mm, but is increased by the thickness of the profile, which is inserted into the panel gap. The profiles must not be fixed to the panels, however, because this can impair their expansion. In addition to the use of such profiles for purely visual reasons, covering the open joints also prevents dust, dirt or moisture from getting behind the facade construction, thus providing even greater protection for the facade behind it.

TIP: In contrast to the natural stone decors, the panels in rust look are directional. By deliberately rotating the panels by 90 degrees from one panel to the next, a very exciting visual effect can be achieved, which contributes to an eye-catching overall appearance, especially with larger wall coverings.

Trespa® Meteon® FR as balcony privacy screen
The Trespa® Meteon® FR exterior panels, regardless of the decor, are tested in accordance with the ETB guideline "Components that protect against falls" and are therefore suitable as cladding material for balcony surrounds and railings. The NATURALS collection of Trespa® Meteon® provides decors that, due to their unique design in realistic reproduction of natural stone surfaces or rusted, corroded or oxidised metals, achieve an extremely special effect that is particularly effective in modern architecture. Especially on light, monochrome facades, the rust decor panels, as well as those in slate look, provide an appealing contrast. Depending on the load-bearing structure, balcony screws with cap nuts, balcony screws with threaded sleeves or facade rivets are used for fastening. As with facade cladding, installation is carried out with fixed point and sliding point fasteners to ensure unhindered panel expansion without the panels bulging or bending.

If a building has several balconies, a combination of rust-look decors and basalt or slate can contribute to more variety while at the same time giving the property an appealing look. A material mix of HPL and glass is also popular in modern architecture and creates an eye-catching, high-quality overall impression.

Processing of HPL sheets

HPL panels are generally very robust, bending-resistant panels that are characterised by a long service life. The facade panels from Trespa® Meteon® are also made of high-pressure laminate, which can be used outdoors without hesitation. If necessary, the panels can be cut to the required size or drilled with holes for fastening.

Sawing HPL sheets
HPL is a fairly hard material. For most applications, this is an advantage, but when cutting the panels, this places certain demands on the tool. Although sawing can be done with any commercially available circular saw or jigsaw, a suitable saw blade must be used to ensure a clean and precise cut. For hand-held circular saws or table saws, we recommend a circular saw blade with alternating teeth or with trapezoidal flat teeth. In addition, the saw should be adjusted so that the saw blade projection is about 10% of the saw blade diameter. With such saws, which are suitable for straight-line saw cuts, the saw is set on the back of the panel, not on the visible side. This significantly reduces the risk of edge chipping on the visible decor side. The same applies to sawing with a jigsaw. These are most suitable for short cuts, radii or cut-outs. For this, we recommend a saw blade made of carbide for precision cuts, as offered by almost every manufacturer. Simple saw blades for wood are too coarse and tear out the edges. In addition, the service life of carbide saw blades is significantly longer, so that they do not anneal or dull as quickly when sawing the hard HPL panels.

Drilling HPL panels
As with sawing, the choice of the right drill bit is also a relevant aspect for drilling if the holes are to be drilled precisely and without chipping the edges. In a pinch, HPL can be drilled with an HSS drill, but the speed must be reduced considerably so that the drill does not get too hot and burn out. In addition, the panel must always rest firmly on a drill pad so that the drill does not pierce through to nothing when it exits and the surface on the back flakes off. It is better to use a special facade panel drill made of solid carbide. These solid carbide drills have a very special drill head geometry that ensures very precise drill holes. The diameters of the drill holes depend on the fasteners. In addition, when used as a facade panel, a constraint-free assembly must be observed, where a fixed point, which is drilled in the diameter of the screw or rivet, and sliding points with a higher diameter are drilled. For facade rivets, a diameter of 10mm is provided for sliding point drilling. For facade screws, on the other hand, 8mm is drilled. However, these specifications refer exclusively to panel holes. Wooden substructures for fastening with facade screws are not pre-drilled at all. For substructures made of aluminium where the panels are fastened with facade rivets, drilling must be carried out with a 5.1mm drill bit, regardless of whether the drill hole position is for the fixed point or for the sliding points.

TIP: To prevent the drill bit from piercing through into the void when it exits, thus causing chipping at the edge of the drill hole, it is advisable to place the panel on a wooden drill pad when drilling.

Cleaning HPL sheets
Cleaning Trespa® Meteon® FR panels is very effortless in most cases, because due to the closed, almost pore-free surface, dirt, dust and grime do not penetrate the surface and hardly adhere to it, so that cleaning with clear water is sufficient. In the case of stubborn dirt, for example shoe polish, wax crayons or graffiti smears, an additional cleaning agent may be necessary. However, due to the chemical resistance of the outer panels, there is no need to fear that the attractive decorative surface will be attacked by the cleaners. Scouring agents or polishing pastes, as well as hard sponges and brushes, should not be used for cleaning, however, as these can cause scratches on the fine surface. A soft cloth, a sponge or a soft cleaning brush are well suited for cleaning HPL panels.

NOTE: On the manufacturer's website www.trespa.info Trespa® has made a whole series of PDF documents available for download, which, in addition to the approvals and technical data, also contain installation instructions, instructions for processing, as well as for the care and cleaning of the Trespa® Meteon® panels.

Material properties of Trespa® Meteon® FR

• Colour: on both sides, surface finish according to selection
• Finish: matt on both sides
• Strength: 8mm
• Strength tolerance: +/- 0,50mm according to EN 438-2.5
• Physical density: 1,35 g/cm³
• Bending module: min. 9.000 MPa according to EN ISO 178
• Flexural strength: min. 120 MPa according to EN ISO 178
• Linear expansion: max. 0,25 % according to EN 438-2.17
• Latitudinal extent: max. 0,25 % according to EN 438-2.17
• Thermal conductivity: 0,3 W/mK according to EN 12524
• Water absorption: 0,5 % according to ASTM D2842-06
• Mass increase: max. 3 % according to EN 438-2.15
• Fire behaviour: B-s1, d0 according to EN 13501-1

NOTE: The properties listed are only an excerpt from the material data sheet of the decor panels, which contains full data on the physical, thermal and mechanical properties. The latest version of this data sheet can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website www.trespa.info can be viewed and downloaded if required.