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Why Choose CUPACLAD®

01

Non-combustible natural slate

CUPACLAD® is tested to AS/NZS 1530.1 and deemed non-combustible. The slates, profiles, rails, wall brackets, and fixings are A1 Fire Classified to EN 13501-1:2018.

02

Lightweight and dimensionally stable

CUPACLAD® provides a lightweight façade solution with excellent resistance to weathering, UV exposure, and freeze-thaw conditions, with extremely low water absorption.

03

Sustainability and lifecycle performance

Natural slate has one of the lowest embodied carbon footprints of any cladding material. CUPACLAD® systems enable efficient, sustainable rainscreen cladding with a proven lifespan exceeding 100 years.

CUPACLAD® Overview

CUPACLAD® – Natural Slate Rainscreen Cladding Systems

CUPACLAD® is a natural slate rainscreen cladding system designed for contemporary architectural façades. The CUPACLAD® system is an innovative solution offering a durable, sustainable alternative that has reshaped how natural slate is used in modern cladding applications. Lightweight, low-maintenance, and highly durable, the system offers architects a refined natural façade material suited to both contemporary and traditional architectural forms.

Manufactured in Spain by CUPA PIZARRAS, the world's leading producer of natural slate, CUPACLAD® combines the time-tested durability of tectonic slate with the performance of an engineered ventilated façade system. Lightweight, non-combustible, and dimensionally stable, CUPACLAD® is engineered for long-term façade performance in New Zealand's climate conditions, including coastal and high-wind environments.

Key features

  • Non-combustible natural slate: Tested to AS/NZS 1530.1 and deemed non-combustible. The slates, profiles, rails, wall brackets, and fixings are A1 Fire Classified in accordance with EN 13501-1:2018.
  • Lightweight and dimensionally stable: Excellent resistance to weathering, UV exposure, and freeze-thaw conditions. Natural slate also offers extremely low water absorption, contributing to long service life and minimal maintenance.
  • Modern design options: Available in a range of slate sizes, layouts, and installation patterns, enabling architects to achieve both contemporary and traditional façade expressions.
  • Sustainability and lifecycle performance: Natural slate has one of the lowest embodied carbon footprints of any cladding material. CUPACLAD® systems enable the construction of efficient, sustainable rainscreen cladding.

Technical highlights

  • Material: Tectonic natural slate
  • Fire classification: A1 (EN 13501-1)
  • Water absorption: 0.16 and 0.17% to BS EN 12326.2
  • Panel thickness: Typically 7.65 mm
  • Panel sizes: e.g., 400 x 200 mm
  • Fixings: Concealed stainless-steel screws
  • Suitable for ventilated façade construction
  • UV-stable, colourfast, unaffected by extreme temperatures

Why architects specify CUPACLAD®

  • A1 non-combustible performance
  • Long-term durability in harsh climates
  • Lightweight, seismically efficient construction
  • A refined, modern, natural aesthetic
  • Low embodied carbon and recyclable materials
  • Reliable technical support and engineered façade systems

Project Gallery

Built examples using CupaClad

The gallery below uses CupaClad imagery from the current product site and applies the same zoom-gallery treatment used across the new systems pages.

CupaClad natural slate facade detail

Selected Project

Natural Slate Facade Detail

CupaClad Technical Resources

Compliance, downloads, and installation support

Browse product technical statements, BPIR documentation, brochures, CupaClad system download sets, and installation resources in the embedded library below.

Resources

Document library

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BPIR

CupaClad BPIR Class 1 v1

Download PDF

Building product information requirements document for CUPACLAD®.

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Need Help Specifying?

Our technical team can assist with product selection, CAD details, and sample requests for your next project.

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