The Metal Construction Association (MCA) has published a new white paper available for download on its website, metalconstruction.org. The paper, “Material Properties that Affect Steel Cladding Performance”, details important material parameters that affect the performance and qualities of steel cladding and the ability to fabricate the steel, paying particular attention to the often-misunderstood concept of gauge.

Steel cladding is often a key element in the overall building design. But not all steel cladding systems are made or perform the same. Steel used in roof and wall applications is the product of a highly engineered process. A variety of factors, including the metal thickness, yield strength, metal coatings and finish systems determine the performance of a cladding system. This paper provides recommendations on what cladding would perform best based on building specifications including location and purpose.

Sections include Carbon Content, Yield and Tensile Strength, Steel Designations, Coating Systems, and Steel Thickness/Gauge. Gauge is a particularly important discussion because thickness is a critical parameter in the performance of steel sheet and coil. Charts, examples, and tables provide results of rigorous testing to meet performance requirements for the thickness used.

The white paper is free for download on the MCA website in MCA Metal University: https://www.metalconstruction.org/material-properties