What is a Curtain Wall?

A curtain wall is an outer wall cladding system that carries no structural loads — it does not support floors, roofs, or other structural elements. Instead, it hangs in front of the building’s structural frame like a “curtain,” protecting the building from weather, improving thermal performance, and giving the building a desired appearance.

Curtain walls are used in both new construction and renovation projects. In renovation, they are frequently installed in front of an existing (aging) facade to improve the building’s thermal envelope without demolishing the entire exterior wall. This saves time and money. In new construction, curtain walls give architects freedom in material choice, independent of the structural system behind.

Materials for curtain walls are varied: timber (cladding boards, panels), fibre cement, metal (aluminium, corten steel, zinc), and ceramic tiles. The choice determines the building’s appearance, the system’s lifespan, and maintenance requirements.

Applications

Curtain walls are widely used in commercial construction (offices, schools, apartment blocks) and in residential building. They are fixed to a sub-frame of timber or metal profiles mounted on the existing facade. A ventilation cavity between the curtain wall and the existing facade provides airflow and moisture drainage.

For DIY enthusiasts, the timber curtain wall is a popular project: cladding boards of pine, larch, or Siberian larch are screwed horizontally or vertically onto a batten framework. This is a relatively straightforward task that can give a home a completely new appearance.

Related Terms

• Facade cladding
• Ventilation cavity
• Rainscreen
• Cladding board
• Sub-frame

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