FAQ

Educational offerings vary from area to area. Contact us with your needs, and we will suggest the appropriate course for you.

EQUITONE is most often used as a commercial cladding material. Other commercial building materials are HPL (high pressure laminate) panels, metal panels, stucco, brick, stone, or porcelain. While each building project has its own needs and considerations, EQUITONE performs well in every climate and is easy to use. EQUITONE is made to withstand freeze and thaw cycles, unlike stucco, which can crack when frozen. EQUITONE panels are approximately 14,9/m2 (3.3lbs/ft2) making them more lightweight than brick, stone, and porcelain. EQUITONE’s through-colored properties increase design capabilities when compared with high pressure laminate materials, which are generally not through-colored and expose the core of the material when cutting and drilling. Finally, EQUITONE offers a natural aesthetic when compared to metal facades.

The cost of EQUITONE panels varies depending on several factors unique to each project. These factors may include the size of the project, specific design requirements, installation considerations, and other variables. To provide you with accurate pricing information tailored to your project's needs, we encourage you to contact our team. Our dedicated professionals will work closely with you to understand your project requirements and provide a detailed budget estimate that aligns with your specific needs and budget constraints. Get in touch with us today to discuss your project and receive a personalized cost estimate for EQUITONE panels.

See our section on Sustainability for a complete picture of EQUITONE’s sustainability practices and initiatives.

EQUITONE offers expertise at each step of your project. You can reach out to us with your questions, and a representative will respond to you shortly. 

EQUITONE has many benefits for all involved parties.

• For architects in the design phase, EQUITONE has a beautiful, natural appearance. Many of the materials are through-colored, unlocking possibilities for perforation, routing, and exposed corners and making the panels look consistent from every angle. EQUITONE facades can be used on high rise projects with no building height restrictions, and they can be used for interior applications as well.
• Contractors and installers enjoy working with EQUITONE because the façade panels are available in large sizes which can be cut or drilled at a fabricator or on the construction site.
• Building owners reap the benefits of EQUITONE’s low maintenance and low cost of ownership. In addition to being resistant to fire, EQUITONE facades are also resistant to water, mold, fungi, insects, and vermin. Ventilated rainscreens offer reduced heating and cooling costs, and with through-colored materials no painting touch-ups are required.
• For those who are environmentally focused EQUITONE has a 50+ year lifespan and can be reused or recycled. The lightweight materials help achieve a low carbon footprint and have no harmful emissions. Environmental Product Declarations are available for each texture series to promote transparency. More information about environmental benefits can be found on our Environment Page.

EQUITONE is very versatile and supports a range of designs from unique to classic. By changing the panel orientation, size, and layout, designers can create a custom façade unlike any other. EQUITONE cladding can be perforated, printed, and engraved. Because the edges of the panels are just as beautiful as the face, brise soliel, shutters, and shiplap applications are also possible. The material can even be gently curved. Geometric shapes and mixed colors and textures can be used to create a graphic and eye-catching design. The EQUITONE linea texture series reacts with light and shadow, making changes to panel direction read drastically different throughout the day. Possibilities with EQUITONE are limitless.

EQUITONE is a fiber cement façade panel used in ventilated rainscreen applications. Our mother company, Etex, has been manufacturing fiber cement building materials since 1905. Learn more about the origins of EQUITONE and the manufacturing process here.

Fiber cement or fibre cement is a composite building material consisting of sand, water, cement, and cellulose fibers. EQUITONE fiber cement panels are used primarily as an exterior cladding material.

EQUITONE is a material designed for architects by architects. International panels of architects are consulted at every phase of new development to ensure the facades are functional and appealing to the building industry. 

Services vary country to country, but technical assistance and project support are available universally to ensure the highest level of expertise to guide users through their projects.

EQUITONE offers expertise at each step of your project. You can reach out to us with your questions, and a representative will respond to you shortly.

Normal stains can be removed with water and a sponge. If further cleaning is necessary, it is important to avoid abrasive materials such as steel wool as they may leave scratches on the surface of the material. To find out the best solution for your cleaning issue, contact us.  

EQUITONE facades are very low maintenance, however, they should be routinely cleaned and inspected to avoid long-term exposure to soils that could permanently penetrate the material.

EQUITONE offers BIM Object files for each of our material types. Models are available in Revit, Archicad, and others.

EQUITONE can be attached using visible or concealed fastening methods. For visible or face-fastened panels, rivets are used to attach the panels to metal substructures. Screws are used to attach the cladding to timber framing. Both rivets and screws are color-matched and provide a minimal aesthetic disruption. For invisible or concealed fastening, an anchor is used to attach a clip to the back of the panel.

The cavity of open space behind the cladding in a rainscreen system allows air to circulate and escape at the top and bottom of the assembly. As such, hot and cold air can travel without penetrating the building. Installation of rainscreens also allows for continuous insulation reducing thermal bridges.

EQUITONE façade panels are considered non-combustible in the USA with ASTM E136 and are classified as A2-s1, d0 according to DIN EN 13501-1 in Europe, meaning they can be used for all building classes.

EQUITONE is suitable for all climates. Our materials have been used in each type of weather from the deserts of Dubai to the Arctic Circle in Alaska. Coastal and rainy areas benefit greatly from ventilated rainscreens, and our through-colored panels can withstand extreme heat and cold.  

EQUITONE is designed to be installed as a drained and ventilated façade otherwise known as a ventilated rainscreen system. These terms mean that cladding is installed with a cavity behind the panel to allow for air to pass through. The gap between the panels and the exterior wall and the insulation gives the building benefits such as improved energy efficiency, sound insulation, and the prevention of mold and mildew.

Ventilated rainscreen systems start with the anchoring base, which is typically an exterior building board in new construction, or brick or reinforced concrete in a recladding of a current building. The next layer is a weather barrier, followed by the substructure made of either metal or timber. Insulation is added before attaching the façade to the substructure.

EQUITONE offers a 10 year warranty with a life expectancy of 50+ years. 

EQUITONE is 100% recyclable and all waste from factories (e.g. cutting residues and productions that do not pass quality control) is currently recycled. Once the material leaves the factory, it remains reusable. Very often practical challenges such as logistics, material handling, and optimization expertise arise, and job-site waste ends up in a landfill. We have dedicated ourselves to provide step-by-step solutions to these challenges, and we report every six months on progress in this field. Click here to stay up to date with our progress. 

Sustainability is multi-faceted, and we invite you to explore the Sustainability page for a complete picture on our current and future sustainability stance.

When it comes to sustainability and environmental management, less is more. Despite being a very thin material, EQUITONE panels are exceptionally strong and durable, thus providing a high-quality building skin. Even though cement is a carbon intensive raw material, there is so little of it in EQUITONE’s 8mm board that the net footprint per m² installed façade is very favorable when compared to other construction materials. Click here to check out a Material Sustainability Datasheet, where such comparisons are shown.

This, however, does not mean that we are complacent. We use our supplier relations, material know-how, and production skills to relentlessly seek for options to further reduce our material footprint, in terms of carbon, water consumption, virgin raw materials, and beyond.

We pay close attention to process and quality control, so production flows are streamlined and very energy efficient. EQUITONE factories produce more than half of the required operational energy locally through solar panels and CHP systems. The remaining energy is supplied with green certificates of origin. Our goal is to produce the most sustainable panels possible.

EQUITONE offers help to architects in the planning and design phase to obtain the best possible material efficiency and consequently avoid waste. EQUITONE is also challenging ourselves to see how the remaining residues can be valorised. Check back regularly for updates on this and other waste-reducing strategies or sign up for our sustainabiliy communications at this link.

ISO is also known as International Organization for Standardization, and ISO 14001 is an international standard for designing and implementing an environmental management system. Businesses that follow the ISO 14001 guidelines are committed to evaluate their processes, policies, and plans to ultimately reduce their environmental footprint. Both factories that produce EQUITONE panels have ISO 14001 accreditation.  

EPD stands for Environmental Product Declaration. EPDs are used to gather data on the life cycle environmental impact of products and communicate it in a way that allows customers to make buying decisions based on these impacts. Environmental Product Declarations are verified and registered by third parties, and they can be used to achieve LEED, BREEAM, WELL, and other sustainable building certificates. All EQUITONE materials have EPDs, and you can request the document associated with your preferred texture here.

The EQUITONE lifetime is estimated to be 50 years, and this is declared in the MSD and EPD.

Most of the common green building certificates such as LEED and BREEAM are awarded for the overall project rather than individual components or materials. To assist those seeking to obtain these certifications and to further promote sustainable construction, we have Environmental Product Declarations. In line with our ambition for transparency we have developed MSDs – Material Sustainability Datasheets and specific information for LEED & BREEAM credits is provided. Access MSDs for each of our textures:

• tectiva
• natura
• lunara
• linea

EQUITONE [natura] PRO and [pictura] come with a UV hardened polyurethan top coat which had graffiti resistant properties.

Our materials come prefinished with a variety of coatings and surface treatments which may make adhesion of third-party coatings difficult. Although EQUITONE does not recommend painting our materials with graffiti resistant coatings, it is possible. It is important to check with the manufacturer of the coating to ensure the coating is suitable for our fiber cement panels and their perspective surface finishes and is vapor permeable. As these products have not been tested by EQUITONE to ensure compatibility, any defects that arise, which can be attributed to the application of said coating on our panels, cannot be claimed as a product defect under our warranty. It is also important to note that adding a coating to the surface will slightly change the color of the panel and, depending on the application method, glossy spots may occur.

Our materials come prefinished with a variety of coatings and surface treatments which may make adhesion of third-party coatings difficult. Although EQUITONE does not recommend painting our materials, it is possible. It is important to
check with the manufacturer of the coating to ensure the coating is suitable for our fiber cement panels and their perspective surface finishes and is vapor
permeable. As these products have not been tested by EQUITONE to ensure compatibility, any defects that arise, which can be attributed to the application of said coating on our panels, cannot be claimed as a product defect under our
warranty.

Yes, we can offer custom colors in our air-cured materials (i.e. [natura], [natura] PRO, and [pictura]). We can either color match to a sample or use the appropriate RAL code. EQUITONE is also willing to extend the same 10-year limited warranty on custom painted material as for our standard products.

EQUITONE recommends material start at least 6" from high trafficked walkable surfaces (i.e. sidewalks, roofs, patios, landscaping beds). Although this is best practice, it is not a requirement of the EQUITONE warranty. The offset of the panel edge from grade, however, must follow EQUITONE’s ventilation guidelines. Please reach out to an EQUITONE representative to discuss other considerations when bringing facade materials close to grade.

EQUITONE only recommends direct attachment when our materials are being installed in interior applications where moisture is not present. EQUITONE, however, does not recommend installing straight onto CMU, brick, or other masonry. Please see EQUITONE's interior application guide for additional

Yes, EQUITONE material can be Depending on the material, edge sealant may be required. Please see EQUITONE's planning and application guide for more information.

Yes, EQUITONE material can be perforated. Depending on the material and application, edge sealant may be In general, we recommend keeping perforation patterns to no more than 20% to retain the materials strength. Please see EQUITONE planning and application guide for more information.

Yes, EQUITONE [natura] PRO and [pictura] can be used in roof In general, roofs should be pitched at least 25 degrees. Please see EQUITONE's planning and application guide for further information.

No, EQUITONE should not be used for shower surrounds or other applications where direct moisture is present and ventilation behind the material is not

No, EQUITONE does not recommend using our materials  as flooring.

Yes, EQUITONE material can be used in lap-siding Please see EQUITONE's planning and application guide for further information.

Yes, EQUITONE [natura] PRO and [pictura] can be used in sunshade In general, these systems should be designed to a minimum slope of 15 degrees. In designs where the back of panel being seen is a concern, please contact and EQUITONE representative for further assistance. Additional information can be found in EQUITONE's planning and application guide.

5/16" (8mm) material can bend to a minimum radius of 40 feet while 1/2" (12mm) material can bend to a minimum radius of 50 EQUITONE [linea] and [lunara] cannot be bent.

EQUITONE does not recommend that joints between our materials or other transitions be sealed, especially using caulks or adhesives. For certain design considerations it may be required to close off the joints between panels. In these cases, we would recommend using metal flashings. Keep in mind that the ventilation cavity and facade openings will have to increase to ensure adequate airflow and drying of the material. Please see EQUITONE's planning and application guide for more information.

EQUITONE only recommends adhesive attachment when our materials are being installed in interior applications. EQUITONE does not recommend adhering straight to drywall, CMU, brick, or other masonry. Adhering directly onto a substrate should only be done when moisture is not present. See EQUITONE's interior application guide for additional information.

EQUITONE can be installed using either color matched fasteners or rivets installed through the face of the material (i.e. face fastened) or anchors machined into the back of the material which holds hangers (i.e. Conceal fastened).

EQUITONE panels are designed to be used in sophisticated, open-joint ventilated rainscreen systems.

EQUITONE is not certified for use in hurricane zones per a Florida Product Approval (FBA) or Miami-Dade Approval. EQUITONE does have an FBA listing (#39137) for use outside of such areas.

EQUITONE has been tested with both face fastened and concealed fastened systems which have passed the requirements of NFPA 285.

Yes, span tables for our materials and fastening methods can be found on the EQUITONE website.

Our coatings and finished have been tested to 2000-hour UV exposure with minimal change.

EQUITONE has been used around the world in many different environments. Please contact your local EQUITONE representative to discuss the specifics of your application.

EQUITONE has been tested to a multitude of standards throughout the world, such as EN 13501, ULC S114, and ASTM E136 which shows our materials non- combustible qualities. Furthermore, EQUITONE’s tested coatings have shown low flame spread and smoke development index values per EN13501, ULC S102 and ASTM E84.