Terracotta facade panel technical data becomes useful only when every value is tied to an identified product, a suitable test method and a project decision. A table without profile, specimen, date or report cannot establish compliance. The specification team needs an evidence trail from the proposed panel and finish through its attachment and complete wall application.
Begin with product identity, not a list of numbers
Record the manufacturer, factory, product family, profile drawing, body composition, finish, nominal dimensions, hollow-chamber geometry, mass and intended use. Add a unique document revision and issue date. If one report applies to several sizes or colours, require a written technical basis showing why the tested specimen represents each proposed variant.
Distinguish declared typical data from acceptance criteria. A typical value describes a result; a limit states what production must meet. The project should also define sampling frequency, lot identity and the party reviewing results. Without those details, an apparently precise number may offer little procurement control.
Separate panel properties from facade-system performance
Panel evidence
Dimensions, mass, water absorption, strength, frost behaviour, finish response and other properties of the fired-clay unit.
Attachment evidence
Panel engagement, clip or pin resistance, rail and bracket capacity, anchor behaviour, tolerances and movement.
Wall evidence
Wind, seismic, impact, drainage, air and water control, cavity fire strategy and interfaces with the backing wall.
Project verification
Calculations, mock-ups, tests, production checks, site inspections and records matched to actual zones.
A material classification does not certify the complete exterior wall. Likewise, an assembly test does not establish every clay property. Keep the evidence categories separate, then map their interfaces so no result is stretched beyond its stated scope.
Read dimensions and tolerances as installation inputs
Length, height, thickness, edge straightness, squareness, bow, twist and profile registration affect joints, clip engagement and rail adjustment. State the measurement method, reference points, conditioning, sample quantity and accepted range. Review both individual-unit limits and the pattern that can accumulate across several panels.
The current ISO 10545-2 page identifies methods for dimensional characteristics and surface quality of ceramic tiles. That source helps teams understand the type of measurement information a report should contain, but its scope must be checked before it is specified for a particular rainscreen panel. Project-specific profile geometry may need additional agreed checks.
Connect each property to a design decision
| Data group | Decision it informs | Questions for the evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Water absorption and porosity | Product classification, exposure review and related durability assessment | What method, conditioning, specimen count and product identity were used? |
| Strength and attachment resistance | Panel span, supports, safety factors and project design zones | Does the failure mode and tested geometry match the proposed profile and fixing? |
| Frost or thermal cycling | Suitability for the actual climate and surface finish | Were the required cycles, acceptance rules and representative specimens documented? |
| Finish and chemical response | Appearance, cleaning method, exposure and maintenance limits | Was the exact body and finish tested with relevant agents and inspection criteria? |
| Fire, acoustic or thermal claims | Regulatory and whole-wall performance routes | Is this a material result, a component result or evidence for the complete assembly? |
ISO 10545-3 currently describes a method for water absorption, apparent porosity and related density measures for ceramic tiles. Do not transfer its result—or any old test value—to another product category without confirming classification, current edition and jurisdiction.
Audit the report, laboratory and specimen chain
Request the complete report rather than a cropped certificate. Check issuer, laboratory accreditation where required, client, test date, method and edition, specimen description, sampling route, preparation, conditioning, apparatus, number of results, calculations, deviations, photographs and failure observations. Confirm that the report is legible and that referenced annexes are present.
Then compare the specimen with the current proposal. Changes in body, profile, thickness, firing, finish, support point or manufacturing site may affect relevance. Ask the responsible engineer or authority to decide whether existing evidence remains applicable, needs a reasoned extension or must be supplemented by new testing.
Build a project evidence matrix before tender
List every requirement with its acceptance criterion, responsible party, evidence type, due date and approval status. Separate design-stage feasibility, tender submissions, preproduction samples, calculations, laboratory tests, mock-ups, lot inspections and site verification. Link each item to panel codes and elevation zones so a bidder cannot answer a project requirement with unrelated generic literature.
For bid comparison, identify missing reports, qualifications, proposed substitutions and tests not included in the price. Before production release, close comments and retain the approved drawings, range samples and evidence index. At handover, add lot records, as-built panel codes, inspection results, maintenance guidance and spares.
Treat the 2014 table as an archive, then request current data
The original page dated 21 October 2014 listed dimensional, physical, structural, fire, acoustic, thermal and chemical results against several older GB/T, JC/T and ISO references, along with historical company statements. Those entries are archive claims, not current specifications or proof for an unnamed panel. Every applicable value and standard must be reconfirmed in current documents for the exact project product.
Review the role of the panel within a terracotta rainscreen and compare built contexts in the project gallery. Use those pages for orientation, while project acceptance remains tied to the submitted evidence.