Swisspearl Reflex

Swisspearl Reflex is a fiber cement façade board that adds a reflective coating to a through-colored panel. The coating creates a distinctive light reflection. Reflex is in the Swisspearl Largo range, sold in the US as a commercial rainscreen panel, and sits among the fiber cement rainscreen panels that include Avera and Vintago on the same technical sheet.

Reflex carries the AC 90 / ASTM 1185 / EN 12467 designation.

The face is reflective and iridescent. The base panel is through-colored and the surface is smooth and even, with a reflective, opaque optic. The opaque high-resistance surface carries a controlled reflective effect, so the shimmer shifts with daylight and with the viewing position along the façade. A standard high-resistance (HR) coating adds scratch and weather resistance and protection against heavy contamination and graffiti.

The US selection comes in the Anthracite, Granite, Crystal, Amber, Jade, Ivory and Coral groups, twelve colors in all. The range has seven black and gray shades with a slightly green tonality, two warm white tones and three bronze red-brown tones.

• Amber 4071 and Amber 4072
• Anthracite 4021 and Anthracite 4022
• Coral 4031
• Crystal 4111 and Crystal 4112
• Granite 4161 and Granite 4162
• Ivory 4091 and Ivory 4092
• Jade 4051

• Nominal thicknesses: 6, 8 and 12 mm.
• Nominal widths: 46.38 and 49.21 in.
• Nominal lengths: 98.82 and 120.08 in.
• Thickness tolerance (up to 0.79 in): +/- 0.024, +/- 0.032 and +/- 0.047 in.
• Width tolerance of +/- 1.18 in; length tolerance of +/- 2.0 in.
• Weight, average shipping: 2.54, 3.40 and 5.08 lb/ft².
• Dry density: 96.7 lb/ft³ minimum and 112.4 lb/ft³ average (EN 12467).

In the Largo format, Reflex is listed as a rectangle at 2510 × 1250 mm and 3050 × 1250 mm, both 8 mm thick, and it is also available for interior use. In the Modula format it is a single-lapped rectangle at 1494 × 300 mm and 2494 × 300 mm, also 8 mm thick. Widths and lengths of Reflex in Largo can be selected freely up to a maximum usable size of 3050 × 1250 mm.

The fixing methods listed for the Largo format of Reflex are level laying, inverted cover, visible fastening with rivets or screws, and invisible fastening with Sigma 8 Pro or gluing. The Reflex product page links to rear-ventilated façade systems, visible fasteners and invisible fasteners.

Reflex shows 12.0 GPa for the ambient bending modulus of elasticity. Reflex flexural strength is 3669 psi as a wet average, with a floor of 2610 psi. Linear variation with moisture content is 0.03 or less. The mean coefficient of linear thermal expansion is 0.69 x 10-5. For ASTM 1186, Reflex is Type A, class IV.

Impact resistance is tested to EAD 090062-01-0404 for the 8 mm and 12 mm thicknesses. The hard-body result is Category I at both thicknesses, with no rating for 6 mm. Concealed fixation with the Signa 8 Pro system is also rated Category I at 8 mm and 12 mm. Under the ETB-Guideline (1985), hard body and soft body tests are passed, for balconies.

Reaction to fire: A2-s1, d0 (EN 13501-1). Surface burning: ASTM E84 Class A. Passed results are recorded for NFPA 285 and ASTM E136 on Reflex.

Reflex: thermal conductivity 0.5 W/mK; expansion 0.01 mm/m °C; use range -40 to +80 °C. Reflex keeps RL above 0.75 through 100 frost cycles.

Absorption reaches 14.6 percent. Moisture movement (30/90 percent RH, ASTM 1186) is 0.009 in/ft. The vapor figures are Z 5.21 GPa m² s/kg, Sd 1.01 m and μ 651. Production-line color variation is a ΔE below 2.0, and UV color resistance (ASTM G155) is a ΔE below 5.0 at 3000 and 5000 hours. The environmental footprint for stages A1 to C4 is 16.7 kg CO₂-eq total. The board is CE marked and the facility holds ISO 9001 certification.

The fiber cement in Reflex is made from cement, cellulose, water, synthetic fibers and air, with pigments added for color. Each Reflex board is rolled, pressed, cut, cured and colored under continuous quality control. Reflex is produced at one of nine Swisspearl facilities in Europe, which have been asbestos-free for more than two decades. The materials and chemicals in Reflex comply with REACH. The Largo format of Reflex falls under the Cradle to Cradle Certified Full Scope certification at the Bronze level, version 4.1.

For Reflex, perforations, engravings of geometric shapes, patterns, logos or images, and free forms and cutting are offered. Custom colors for Reflex can be made in NCS, RAL or Pantone shades. Special colors are possible within the Carat, Nobilis and Planea lines, not in Reflex.