Installation problems on a stainless steel cladding job are rarely caused by the metal itself. They come from a substrate that moved, a fixing line that was never drawn, or a panel set that arrived in an order the site could not follow. Each of those can be prevented in the drawings, long before the first sheet is cut.
Start with the substrate, not the panel
A panel is only as flat as the wall behind it. Record the substrate type, its condition, the build-up of finishes and the tolerance it can hold, and state who is responsible for making it true. A drawing that shows only the panel leaves the most important variable undefined, and a metalwork supplier will then either price for a flat wall that does not exist, or refuse the job. IMOA notes on specifying flat panels make the same point from the design side. [1]
Draw the fixing line, not just the panel
State where the vertical and horizontal support lines sit, how they are fixed to the substrate, and which components belong to the metalwork order and which to the installer. Mark any zone where a bracket, a stiffener or a movement joint interrupts the panel grid, because those are the places where a panel that was drawn as a simple rectangle will not fit. Fixing zones are also where the visible face quality is decided, so the plan should show what is behind the visible panel.
Agree the setting-out and the tolerance
Set out the layout on site from the agreed reference lines, and agree how much variation is acceptable at corners, around openings and against adjacent materials. A shadow gap that looks generous on the drawing can disappear against a wall that is out of plumb, and a panel edge that meets a ceiling line will show every deviation. The practical method is to agree the joint width, the setting-out reference and the order of installation before production, and to keep one drawing revision on site and in the workshop.
Sequence the panels with the other trades
Cladding is installed between several other packages: ceilings, lighting, doors, signage, services and sometimes glazing. Agree which of them sets the final line, and hold back the panels around openings that are not yet dimensioned. A simple sequence note prevents the most common site conflict, where a perfectly correct panel cannot be fixed because the ceiling grid was never confirmed. Ask for the panel delivery in an order that matches the installation sequence rather than in part-mark order.
Plan the service penetrations early
Cut-outs for sockets, switches, sprinklers and access panels are part of the panel, not part of the site. Mark them on the panel drawing with their positions, sizes and the finish of the returned edges, so they are produced rather than improvised. Where a service is still being designed, keep the panel zones around it open until the positions are confirmed, and issue the change against a single drawing revision.
Agree the handover checks
Before the panels are finally fixed, agree who inspects what and when: flatness across the finished surface, the joint widths, the alignment of the visible edges, the absence of handling marks and the count of delivered pieces against the packing list. A short agreed check on site, carried out with the same finish sample used for approval, prevents the argument about appearance that is otherwise settled at the wrong moment. [1]
Before you request a quotation
- Substrate type, condition, build-up and the responsible party
- Vertical and horizontal fixing lines, and the components in each trade
- Joint width, setting-out reference and the agreed tolerance
- Installation sequence and the delivery order that matches it
- Cut-out positions for services, and the handover inspection
Discuss your project
Share your drawing reference, quantity, finish and delivery destination. Contact us about stainless steel wall cladding installation, or prepare a structured brief.
Technical references
The purchasing checklists are MetalPro editorial guidance. Linked sources support the specific material and process notes marked above.
