Subtracting the area of windows and doors from a wall gives its net façade area. To place an order you also need panel quantities and lengths. An opening of a few square metres may cut through several panels or align with panel joints. Its area is the same in either case, but the delivery list can differ. Here is how to turn an elevation sketch into a schedule of panels, cuts and trims that you can compare with the manufacturer's quotation.

Ordering sandwich panels requires a description of the conditions on both sides of the enclosure. An external façade faces different exposure from a hall interior, and rooms within the same building may be used differently. Choosing colour and thickness therefore does not settle questions about facings, coatings, details and upkeep. This guide helps prepare a description for the designer and supplier: temperature and humidity, cleaning methods, local contamination, possible damage and planned changes of use. It does not assign one coating to every workshop or warehouse. The aim is to identify the information needed to assess a particular solution and record its limitations before ordering material.

Before ordering sandwich panels for a house, coordinate the envelope geometry with the frame, windows, doors and intended finishes. A room plan is not a panel cutting schedule, and a structural opening may differ from the size used to order a window. This guide explains how to assemble consistent information for the designer, installer and supplier: elevation references, measurement points, revision records and approval of element lengths. It does not replace calculations or construction drawings. Its purpose is to avoid correctly manufactured panels arriving for an outdated sketch. Dimensions should come from agreed documents and, at the appropriate stage, measurements of the actual frame. Establish who checks them before releasing the order.

A cold room is a large insulated chamber, but its performance depends on the details. The walls, ceiling, floor and doors must limit heat and moisture ingress. PIR sandwich panels make it easier to build the envelope; they do not replace refrigeration equipment or a properly designed floor. In a freezer room, sealed joints and protection for components exposed to sustained low temperatures are particularly important. Chilled and frozen storage do not call for identical enclosures: operating temperatures differ, as do the consequences of moisture ingress. Before selecting panel thickness, tell the designer what goods will be stored, their temperature on arrival and how often the doors will open.

Sandwich panels can form the walls and, in some designs, the roof of an indoor ice rink. They limit heat transfer and make it possible to enclose a large structure quickly. An ice rink poses different challenges from a warehouse: humidity, the risk of condensation and spectator comfort all matter. The envelope therefore needs to be designed together with the structure, refrigeration, ventilation and fire protection. The primary structure must span the rink and keep the space above the ice clear. Sandwich panels enclose the building and transfer loads to their supports; they do not replace the main girders. Coordinating the panel layout with the frame and façade divisions allows large panels to be installed without unplanned cutting on site.

The fixings for a photovoltaic array must suit the specific roof and the loads it will carry. Metal tile roofing, trapezoidal sheets and sandwich panels each require different details. Trace the load path from the modules to the building structure. Watertightness and protection of the coating matter just as much as load capacity. You cannot choose a suitable mounting kit by looking at the covering alone. Identify the roof type, condition, thickness, support spacing and substrate. Include structural drawings and details of past alterations. On older roofs, also check the existing fixings and look for corrosion. Room for modules does not necessarily mean the roof has spare load capacity.