Aluminum Cladding Project Submittals: What Should Architects and Contractors Review?

A cladding submittal should make it possible to verify that the product being proposed is the product the project actually requires. For aluminum cladding, that means checking the profile, dimensions, material, finish, attachment method, wall elevations, trim, closures and supporting details, not just approving a photograph or finish sample. A complete submittal package should bring together product data, samples, shop drawings and applicable compliance documentation so architects and contractors can evaluate the proposed system before fabrication or installation begins.

Start With the Exact Product

The first and foremost, confirm that the submitted profile is the one specified in the drawings and schedule. GTO Aluminum offers separate profiles across its Click and Universal ranges, including Click 20, 40, 60, 120 and 180 and Universal 2+2, 3S, 4+4, 120, 140 and 200. Similar-looking profiles can have different dimensions, coverage, joint details and installation requirements. The submittal should therefore identify the exact product instead of using a broad description such as “aluminum siding” or “aluminum cladding.”

Check the Profile Dimensions

The dimensional information should match the architectural detail. Look at the profile width, height, groove or gap, wall thickness and any dimensions that affect adjacent components. This matters particularly when a project has coordinated window, door or corner details. Dimensional data, together with CAD or Revit details where available, can help designers verify how the selected profile fits into the broader assembly. The submitted profile should correspond with the dimensions shown in the approved drawings.

Verify the Material

The submittal should clearly identify the aluminum being supplied. GTO uses 6063-T5 aluminum for its products. The specification should be checked against the project requirements rather than assuming that every aluminum product has the same alloy, temper or mechanical characteristics. Where the project has specific structural or fabrication requirements, those should be confirmed against the applicable technical documentation for the selected profile.

Review the Finish

Finish approval should cover more than color. Look at the coating type, color, texture and sample submitted for the actual profile. We use electrostatic powder coating across the applicable aluminum systems, with performance testing and finish requirements established for those products. A physical sample is particularly useful because a screen image cannot fully show texture, gloss, woodgrain appearance or the relationship between the finish and the profile geometry.

Do Not Approve a Color Without the Profile

The same color can look different when applied to profiles with different widths, grooves or surface textures. Our sample-box program gives you an opportunity to examine actual aluminum profile samples before placing a larger order. For a project, the sample should ideally identify both finish and profile so that the design team is approving the actual combination that will be installed rather than an isolated color swatch.

Review the Installation Method

A submittal should show how the cladding will connect to the supporting structure. Click and Universal systems use different connection methods, so the installation details need to correspond with the selected system. We provide installation guides, CAD details and Revit files that help clarify how the selected profiles fit into the assembly. Check the attachment method, orientation, supporting rails or furring, spacing and other connection information against the project drawings before approval.

Check the Supporting Components

The visible cladding profile is only part of the assembly. Depending on the system and application, supporting and finishing components may include rail, U10, angles and furring strips. Review whether the submitted accessories match the main profile and whether the proposed assembly provides the intended finish at corners, edges and terminations. Omitting a supporting or finishing component from the submittal can leave an important part of the installation unresolved until the work reaches the site.

Review Wall Elevations and Shop Drawings

Shop drawings should make the actual installation understandable. Our submittal requirements call for dimensions, profiles, attachment methods, wall-elevation schedules, trim and closure pieces, soffits, fascia and related work to be shown. That information allows the architect and contractor to review more than the product itself. It shows how the selected system is intended to fit across the building, where the profiles stop, how transitions are handled and whether the proposed assembly follows the design intent. These details are an important part of aluminum cladding project submittals because they show how the proposed system will work across the actual building. 

Pay Attention to Trim and Closure Pieces

A project can have the correct main profile and still have poorly resolved edges. Review the trim and closure pieces included in the submittal, especially around windows, doors, corners, soffits and changes in plane. Available accessory profiles and system components vary according to the selected installation, so the required combination should be confirmed for the specific application. The submittal should make those components visible enough for the design team to verify that the finished edge condition will look and function as intended.

Confirm the Structural Information

Where the project requires structural review, the submittal should include the applicable design information and anchor requirements for the selected system. GTO’s product evaluation information and anchor-capacity calculations address different substrates and anchor types, depending on the profile. Those figures should not simply be copied from one profile to another. The project team should verify that the calculations and installation instructions correspond to the actual profile, substrate and design conditions being used.

Look at the Testing, Not Just the Logos

Certification logos are useful, but the underlying test information is more useful during technical review. For applicable Click systems, we have testing covering humid atmospheres, salt spray, accelerated weathering, Florida exposure and filiform corrosion, along with AAMA 2605 requirements for powder-coated aluminum. Miami-Dade testing and ICC ASTM E84 Class A fire testing also apply to specified products. The relevant result should be checked against the requirement in the specification instead of treating every certificate as applicable to every product.

Check Fire Documentation Carefully

Fire performance should be reviewed for the exact product and assembly being specified. Applicable Universal and Click products meet ICC ASTM E84 Class A testing requirements. That is useful information, but the project team should still check the specific submittal and applicable test documentation for the product being proposed. Fire requirements can differ by building type, location and assembly, so a general claim about aluminum should never replace project-specific documentation.

Confirm the Required Samples

Submittal requirements may call for duplicate samples of the specified cladding material, color and profile. That requirement serves a useful purpose: the design team can compare the physical sample against the architectural intent before approving production. A sample also gives the contractor a reference during installation. For a finish with visible texture or woodgrain, keeping an approved physical sample is particularly useful because photography and digital renderings do not reproduce every surface characteristic accurately.

Use the Manufacturer’s Digital Files

Revit and DWG files can simplify coordination when the selected cladding profile needs to be incorporated into elevations, sections and detail drawings. GTO provides Revit and DWG resources for many profiles across the Click and Universal ranges. They are particularly useful when a project has several cladding conditions and the same profile needs to be represented consistently across elevations and details. The digital model should still be checked against the current product documentation before final approval so the drawing reflects the actual product being supplied.

Check the Warranty Separately

Warranty language belongs in the technical review, but it should not be treated as proof that the product meets every project requirement. For example, the Click 20 warranty provides 20-year limited coverage for specified manufacturing defects including warping, corrosion, cracking, chalk resistance and color retention, subject to its stated conditions. The warranty should be reviewed for the exact product and project conditions, including any limitations related to exposure or installation.

Make Sure the Specification and Submittal Agree

One of the most important checks when reviewing aluminum cladding project submittals is comparing the submittal directly with the project specification. Verify the profile, finish, color, material, attachment method, accessories, dimensions, testing and warranty against what was actually specified. We bring together submittal guides, specifications, technical drawings and installation resources, with each document addressing a different part of the system. Approval should therefore be based on the complete package, not one document viewed in isolation.

Connecting the Technical Information

A complete aluminum cladding review requires more than looking at the visible profile. The installation system, accessories and supporting documentation all need to be considered together. For architects and contractors, this means connecting the profile, installation method, supporting components and performance information when reviewing the proposed system. GTO’s submittal guides, three-part specifications, Revit and DWG files, installation guides, product specifications and certification information cover these different parts of the review.

A Practical Submittal Review Sequence

A useful review order is: identify the exact profile, verify material and dimensions, approve the physical finish sample, review installation and attachment details, check trims and closures, review structural and testing information, compare drawings with the specification, and confirm the warranty and project conditions. This sequence catches both product-level and installation-level discrepancies. It also gives the architect and contractor a clearer record of what was actually approved before fabrication and installation begin.

FAQs

What should be included in an aluminum cladding submittal?

At minimum, review product data, the specified profile and finish, samples, shop drawings, dimensions, attachment methods, trims and closures, wall elevations and applicable certifications. These are all part of the submittal requirements for the relevant GTO cladding systems.

Are GTO’s technical documents available for architects?

Yes. We provide submittal guides, three-part specifications, Revit files, DWG files, product specifications and installation resources across portions of the Click and Universal ranges. Availability depends on the specific product.

Should a submittal be approved based only on the manufacturer’s certification?

No. Certification addresses particular tests or requirements. The product still needs to match the specified profile, finish, dimensions, installation method and project conditions. Testing, drawings and product data should be reviewed together before approval.