H B Fuller : Commercial Construction Materials

Commercial building construction is more exciting now than ever before, thanks to the recent introduction of some very important and innovative construction materials. With sustainability, durability, longevity, and hygiene at the top of the priority list for most builders, the search for new materials that can help improve these key metrics of commercial building construction is ever-evolving.

So, in case you're constructing a new commercial building, here are some of the best new materials to incorporate.

1. Airtight Insulation

Insulation is crucial to maintaining a high level of energy efficiency. Proper insulation is known to improve the metal building life expectancy estimate by a great deal because tighter insulation means less opportunity for water to get in and cause rust.

For metal buildings, applying some paint and/or acrylic to the surface of the metal can go a long way towards preventing rust buildup. For regular buildings, products like insulating glass spacers for your windows are great for improving the energy efficiency of your windows.

Another way of drastically improving your energy efficiency is to include to use of any mastics or adhesives for preventing air leaks within your HVAC system. Commercial HVAC ductwork is notorious for how quickly it can develop leaks, so by using the proper mastics and/or adhesives needed to seal leaks effectively, you can prevent the usually inevitable decline in performance common in most HVAC systems.

2. Additional Rain Protection

Most commercial buildings are built with an airtight exterior protective material that is meant to protect against the elements. But, in times of heavy rainfall, this isn't enough to prevent customers, employees, and guests of your building from getting wet as they enter. In order to most effectively manage the runoff and moisture that occurs from wind-driven rain, rainscreen cladding is necessary.

Rainscreen cladding works by acting as an exterior protective barrier against wind-driven rain. It is attached to the exterior of a building at certain points, but the cladding itself is set apart from the exterior of your building.

This allows it to take the brunt of the rain while utilizing a water-protective barrier behind it to keep out all additional water that gets past the exterior cladding. This system of products works together to much more effectively manage moisture on the exterior of your commercial building and prevent people who enter from getting dripped on.

3. Commercial Disinfectant

With Covid-19 and its various different strains continuing to plague us, safety measures to guard against the transmission of viruses have never been more important. That's why commercial disinfectants should be a staple in any commercial building.

For hard non-porous surfaces, we recommend Foster 40-80 First Defense Disinfectant spray. This product has already demonstrated a high level of effectiveness against viruses like Covid-19.

4. Superior Commercial Roofing and Flooring

Roofing is especially important in a commercial building for a number of reasons. Commercial buildings can be prone to bigger safety hazards than the average residential building, so using top-of-the-line products when and where they are needed will help give your building an edge.

These products might include insulation and cover board adhesives, single-ply membrane adhesives, flashing and modified bitumen membrane adhesives, TPO and EPDM restoration tapes, general-purpose sealants and adhesives, adhesive application equipment, roofing repair tapes, and/or roof penetration sealing systems, to name a few.

For commercial flooring, we recommend using new and innovative versions of products such as surface prep, flooring adhesives, mortars, mastics, grouts, and caulk. Using these products will help your commercial floor keep longer and look better, while also proving easy to clean and durable enough to handle a bit of typical abuse.

5. Woodworking

If you're incorporating any woodworking into your building, there are a number of products you'd do well to incorporate. Certain types of wooden panels, for instance, are ideal because of their lightweight, low cost, ability to dampen sound, and ease of installation.

H.B. Fuller is one example of a company that offers high-quality products like these, as well as eco-friendly adhesives to be used with them. They also offer wooden commercial doors and decorative edges and foils for any woodworking elements you may have in your building.

6. Sustainable Products

Using sustainable products has become a vital method of helping combat the climate crisis and clean up the Earth, so much so that sustainability has become a key feature among new construction of all types.

By using eco-friendly adhesives and responsibly storing/disposing of your adhesives when the time comes, you can play a big role in helping us move towards a more sustainable future.

Take Your Commercial Building Above and Beyond with these Innovative New Products

There's never been a better time to innovate in commercial building construction than right now. With a laundry list of new exciting products continuing to grow every day, you can create a higher-quality, more beautiful, durable, and sustainable building with ease.

By incorporating products like commercial woodworking, flooring, roofing, insulation, rainscreen cladding, disinfectant, and sustainable adhesives from reputable companies like H.B. Fuller among others, you can create the commercial building you so desire and reap the rewards of superior style, functionality, eco-friendliness, and energy efficiency.

Max Shafer is a contributor to the Innovative Building Materials blog. He is a content writer for the construction and home improvement industries with an interest in landscaping, outdoor remodeling, and interior design. Max is focused on educating homeowners, contractors, and architects on innovative materials and methods of construction that increase property value, improve sustainability, and create a warm and welcoming ambiance.