Factory Fabrication
Having panels fabricated before shipment saves labor on site, insures precision and quality control provides for material that is clean and ready to install. PETRARCH CLADDINGS, INC. offers a comprehensive fabrication service including:

1. Cutting standard sheets to special sizes.
2. Pre-drilling or countersinking fastener holes.
3. Cutting special shapes and cut-outs.
4. Polishing, beveling or mitering edges.
5. Grooving and engraving.
6. Prefabricating inside and outside corners.
7. Preparing 7/16" panels with special inserts for the back fastening system.
8. Bonding insulation materials to panels.

Panels are often delivered already cut to size and pre-drilled, but it is usually necessary to fabricate some panels on the job, for example: corner panels cut to suit a site dimension.

Shop Cutting
Cutting in the shop or on site is usually carried out using an electric circular saw with either an abrasive cutting disc (for minimal cutting) or a dry-cut diamond blade (for more extensive cutting). Operators should always wear eye protection and a respiratory mask. The panels should be face up, held down to a flat saw bed and a guide rail used to ensure true and straight cutting. Dust should be cleaned from all panels immediately after cutting.

Hole Drilling
Normal drilling can be carried out using a portable hand-held pistol drill fitted with a masonry bit suitable for drilling at between speeds of 900 and 1200 rpm. The drill size should be 1/16" larger than the screw shank diameter. Dust should be cleaned from all panels immediately after drilling.

Special drills can be supplied to combine the drill and countersink operation where applicable. These are suitable for various size screws and will provide accurate countersinking for either wood or self-drilling tek point screws. When ordering these tools it is important to specify the type of screw being used. The depth of countersinking is vital to the success of subsequent hole filling and the load carrying capacity of the screws. Refer to the PETRARCH Face Fastening Installation Guide for more details on proper drilling and hole filling.

Edge Polishing
After cutting, the edge will appear to be lighter than the face of the panel (most obvious with dark colors). An exposed edge (for example, at a corner detail) can be polished using a "wet and dry" abrasive pad with water. This will remove saw marks and polish the edge to the main body color of the panel. Polishing can be carried out by PETRARCH CLADDINGS. Specify exact edges when ordering.

Extreme care should be taken when handling PETRARCH and FASSET on site. Panels will normally be delivered to the site on wood pallets, face side up, separated by embossed straw paper and wrapped in plastic sheets. The pallets should be stored flat, clear of the ground and under cover in a ventilated space. Extreme care should be taken to avoid rain or standing water as migration of moisture between the panels can cause staining or bowing. Should wet material be suspected or discovered, it must be uncrated immediately and towel dried.

Panels should always be carried vertically and care taken not to damage the surface, edges or corners. To prevent surface scratches or marks, one sheet must always be lifted completely off the next. The face of one panel must never be slid across another or across a work surface. They should not be temporarily stored outside of the original shipping crate unless completely supported and separated by the protective paper. If mechanical lifting equipment is used, panels should always be properly protected to avoid scuffing from ropes or chains.

If the panels are soiled or scratched, remedial treatment should be administered immediately for best results (as outlined in the following section). It is much easier to clean before the panels are in place rather than after permanently installed when the panels are more difficult to access.