EmpireBlock

EmpireBlock is a Nichiha architectural wall panel in the Concrete Series with a concrete finish and the appearance of form tie holes. The face carries a dimple that gives it an industrial look. It is made for interior and exterior designs and is engineered with an integrated rainscreen. It sits in the Nichiha range for commercial rainscreen cladding.

EmpireBlock is made in the AWP 3030 format, the same format as IndustrialBlock. Published panel data:

• Actual height: 17-7/8 inches (455 mm)
• Actual length: 119-5/16 inches (3030 mm)
• Thickness: 5/8 inch (16 mm)
• Weight on the product page: 57.3 pounds per panel, or 3.8 pounds per square foot
• Exposed coverage: 14.81 square feet per panel
• Packaging: 2 pieces per pack, covering 29.62 square feet
• Orientation: horizontal or vertical

A different weight of 66.18 pounds per panel and 4.47 pounds per square foot appears on the Concrete Series data sheet.

The simulated form-tie marks are the defining feature of the face. The color is Gray. The product page describes the panel as having no cracking or color concerns.

EmpireBlock can be installed both vertically and horizontally, and the manufacturer publishes an installation guide for each orientation.

EmpireBlock uses the Ultimate Clip System with hidden fasteners in either orientation. Since the clip is common to all AWP products, EmpireBlock can be combined with other AWP textures and colors. The integrated rainscreen behind EmpireBlock panels provides ventilation and drainage. The clip system has a high wind load rating and Miami-Dade County approval, with no numeric rating published.

In the Concrete Series, EmpireBlock shares AWP 3030 specifications with IndustrialBlock. Corbosa and ConcreteBoard use the shorter AWP 1818 format and install horizontally only. The product page cross-references Corbosa, IndustrialBlock, RoughSawn and VintageWood as related panels.