The Art of a Dekton Facade
CKF’s first Dekton facade was completed in 2023, and we’re thrilled to share the details with you! This exterior building facade, applied to the new Access Systems headquarters in Waukee, Iowa, is the perfect example of how versatile and definitive a Dekton facade can be. CKF Professional Sales Representative Jim Fisher and Commercial Project Manager Steven Tyrell worked with Downing Construction to bring this project to life, so let’s get into the details.
The material of choice for this project was Dekton in the color Portum. The strong grey veining and modern look of the Portum color make the building stand out amongst the rest, yet is still subtle enough to complement the adjoining building material.
When thinking about the properties of a trusted facade material, durability may be the first characteristic that comes to mind. With Dekton, durability is just the beginning. Aside from being scratch, impact, and stain resistant, Dekton is also a non-combustible material and is resistant to thaw and freeze cycles. Dekton’s extreme strength translates to the colored design as well, which is UV-resistant and won’t fade over time due to harsh climate. These prominent characteristics of Dekton made it the perfect choice for this facade, which will inevitably have to face the strong Iowa weather.
For a wide variety of design possibilities, Dekton is available in multiple thicknesses and slab sizes to fit each facade. For this project, 8mm thick Dekton was used to allow for a sleek look that blends with the other material.
To fasten the facade to the exterior of the building, a Rainscreen Undercut Anchor System was used. This system provides a discreet way to fix the facade in place without the use of visible clips, which helps create that seamless look. The Undercut Anchor System utilizes hidden clips anchored to the back of each Dekton panel, which then connect to the wall via horizontal clamps, as shown below. In all, CKF fabricated and installed 4,080 square feet of Dekton for this amazing facade project.
The facade makes its way around the building to cover the executive deck as well, which provides a weather-proof and beautiful space for Access Systems executives to relax! Thanks to Dekton’s minimal maintenance requirements, keeping this deck clean is a simple task that allows the space to be enjoyed without a hassle.
We’d say CKF’s first Dekton facade was a strong success! The capabilities and strength of Dekton make it the ideal material for a facade, and its versatility allowed the facade to be integrated into the design smoothly. We couldn’t be happier with the results of this project and want to thank Downing Construction and Access Systems Inc. for giving CKF the opportunity.
View the video below to see the project come to life!
Photography by Emma Morem