Installing sandwich panels: from the first survey to handover

Check access to fixings and space for equipment. Walk the route from the pack to the installed position. A narrow passage, uneven standing area or lack of turning room can stop a lift. The lifting plan must match the instructions for both panel and equipment.

Match pack labels to the schedule. Check lengths, facing orientation and joints. Report defects before installation while individual pieces are traceable to a batch. Arrange the panels so they can be picked up in order without dragging them across coated surfaces.

At the foot of a wall, agree the sequence of plinth parts, tapes and seals. Some must go in before the first panel. Record the checks with a photo and measurement; access later may mean dismantling a substantial section of finished wall.

Work out where the last panel, corner and opening trims will fall. Moving the setting-out line slightly can change the final strip width. Decide this before fixing the first panels rather than allowing the layout to drift as each piece is fitted.

Align the first panel in both planes. Fit the following panels within the system tolerances. Maximum joint pressure is not always correct: the core and interlock design may require a defined gap. Follow the actual product detail.

Select fasteners for the substrate, fixing thickness and exposure. The design sets quantities and positions. A guided driver with seating control helps keep screws aligned. Inspect seating pressure and the surrounding facing after installation.

Plan the cutting and drilling sequence. Protect surfaces from sparks and hot swarf; use tools approved for the material and remove swarf from both accessible sides. Establish the correct coating repair method before applying touch-up material.

Window, door and vehicle-door junctions must maintain the specified sealing and insulation continuity. Fix frames independently as designed, not into incidental offcuts of the facing. Coordinate service penetrations with the envelope design too.

Install flashings in layer order to protect edges, shed water or close a joint. A neat trim does not prove the concealed detail is correct. Inspect before final closure, while tapes can still be repositioned or missing seals fitted.

Inspect surfaces, edges, fixings, flashings, openings and areas exposed to water. Make sure protective film has been removed. Distinguish light soiling from coating damage and agree how to address it. Use the contract and technical documents to define acceptance.

Hand over panel identification and maintenance instructions, photographs of hidden details and a record of changes. Plan future inspection access. Tell later trades that new holes or suspended loads require assessment even where the finished surface looks uniform.