6 min read
Rosendals Trädgårdar on Djurgården in Stockholm had good reasons to choose SSAB Form PLX sheet metal with Galfan coating. It was an aesthetically pleasing, cost-effective and long-lasting option in this historically important setting.
SSAB Form PLX, which is used for the buildings in Rosendals Trädgårdar, is hot-dip galvanized with Galfan (ZA). The product was specially developed by SSAB to provide optimal corrosion properties without needing to be painted. The material caught the interest of the customers at Rosendals Trädgårdar. In this historically protected environment, they wanted the new buildings to blend in well with the other buildings. For the combination of new offices and existing greenhouses, unpainted Galfan-coated sheet metal was excellent.
"At Jordens Arkitekter, we work based on a vision of a modest functional architecture. Zinc sheet on the roof and walls is a solution that both connects to the existing greenhouses and to a centuries-old building tradition in Europe"
Johnny Andersson, architect at Jordens Arkitekter
Galfan coating is normally used for structural steel in silos, for example. The combination with PLX steel has created a new product for sheet metal coating. SSAB Form PLX is a result of development work by SSAB and Dala-Profil, using PLX steel from SSAB’s GreenCoat range as substrate.
“SSAB Form PLX with Galfan gives our customers new opportunities to create buildings with an exciting architectural expression. It’s also a very sustainable material since it doesn’t need any painting or maintenance for a foreseeable future.”
Michael Olofsson, SSAB Technical Development Manager
“We are really happy with the look of this material. I understand it’s new and it came up as an interesting alternative during our discussions with the architects and the building company. The longevity of the material is of course an extra bonus for Rosendals Trädgårdar.”
Tin-Tin Jersild, Operations Manager at the Rosendals Trädgårdar foundation
Galfan is a zinc-aluminum alloy with a mixture of about 95% Zn and 5% Al. Galfan is characterized by its bright metallic surface with a discrete cellular pattern. The coating has better rust protection and shaping properties than ordinary zinc coatings. The Galfan is as elastic as the PLX steel, which provides excellent adhesion even in sharp bends.
“It's an exciting material that resembles galvanized steel. It is requested by our customers who often want us to prescribe unpainted materials. It feels safe that it is a 'new old' material that SSAB has experience with in other applications. As a consultant and advisor to the property owner, you want to know that the material has a long life.”
Stefan Lardner, CEO Roslagens Plåtkonsult AB
Building sheet metal with the designation PLX is specially adapted for seam roofing. To make it easy to work with, the steel has been developed together with sheet metal workers. It can be formed by hand and processed at temperatures down to -15°C, meaning it can be installed virtually all year round. The PLX steel has virtually no spring back, resulting in a very tight seam.
SSAB Form PLX is delivered from SSAB to the distributor Dala-Profil as 1350-mm wide coils. There they are slit into 670-mm wide baby coils 80-m long and sent to the construction company Plåtkompaniet Norling AB, where the rolls are cut and pre-folded into sheets and sent to the construction site.
“It's a great material to work with. We lay all roof sheets with a double seam to make it really tight. There are no problems bending and creating nice joints or making sweeps and other special features with this plate.”
Anton Lindwall, sheet metal worker at Plåtkompaniet Norling AB
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