ACM Cladding, Routed and Folded in Forney
Aluminum Composite Panels (ACM) for Dallas-Fort Worth Buildings
Architectural Metal Panels fabricates and installs aluminum composite panels in Dallas-Fort Worth: flat, modern ACM cladding routed and folded in our Forney shop for storefront fascias, canopies, column covers, entries and signage bands, and for homeowners who want a crisp panelized look on a new build.
- 26+ years in business
- Lifetime warranty
- Free written estimates
What Is an Aluminum Composite Panel?
An aluminum composite panel is two thin aluminum skins bonded to a solid core, usually 3 mm or 4 mm thick overall. The sandwich is flatter and stiffer than solid aluminum of the same weight, which is why it stays dead flat across a wide fascia where a plain metal sheet would oil-can.
The skins are coil-coated before bonding, so the finish is factory-applied and consistent from panel to panel. We fabricate Alpolic metal composite material and comparable products. 4 mm is the usual exterior thickness; 3 mm shows up on interiors, soffits and signage.
Polyethylene Core or Fire-Rated Mineral Core?
Standard ACM uses a polyethylene (PE) core. Fire-rated (FR) panels replace most of that plastic with a mineral-filled core that resists flame spread and limits smoke. Building codes generally restrict where PE-core composites may be used on exterior walls, and the rules tighten with building height, distance to a property line and occupancy. Rather than guess, we check the adopted code and local amendments for your jurisdiction, and we price FR core as the default on most commercial projects in Dallas, Fort Worth and the suburbs. Ask before you assume PE core is acceptable.
Which ACM System Fits Your Building?
Three attachment systems cover almost every DFW project. All three start with the same routed-and-folded panel; they differ in how the joints are handled and how water gets out.
| System | How the joint works | Best for | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rout-and-return, wet seal | Edges are routed, folded back and riveted to stiffeners; joints are backer rod and sealant | Fascias, canopies, column covers, storefront retrofits | Lowest cost; sealant joints need a look every few years in Texas sun |
| Dry joint / rainscreen | Panels hang on extrusions with open or gasketed joints over a drained, ventilated cavity | Full elevations on schools, offices, medical and multifamily | No sealant to maintain and the cavity dries; higher system cost |
| Cassette | Panels fold into trays that clip to a track or sub-girt system with factory-controlled reveals | High-visibility entries, signage bands, tight reveal tolerances | Cleanest look; needs accurate shop drawings and a flat substrate |
On a storefront remodel with an existing stucco or EIFS fascia, rout-and-return over hat-channel is usually the practical answer. On new construction the architect typically specifies a rainscreen, and we build to the manufacturer’s tested details.
Where Is ACM Used Around Dallas-Fort Worth?
Anywhere a building needs a flat, painted metal surface that stays flat. Most of our ACM work falls into five places.
- Storefront fascias and signage bands: the painted band above the glass on retail centers, restaurants and auto dealerships.
- Canopies and entry features: soffits, fascias and column wraps at drive-throughs, hotel porte-cocheres and school entries.
- Column covers and bulkheads: wrapped steel columns and beams that need a clean, matching skin.
- Parapet caps and accent walls: on offices, medical buildings and multifamily, often paired with coping from our sheet metal shop.
- Modern homes: entry surrounds, garage accents and cantilevered boxes on new builds in Frisco, Prosper, Rockwall and Heath.
What Colors and Finishes Are Available?
Most ACM is coil-coated with a fluoropolymer finish, either Kynar 500 PVDF or Lumiflon FEVE resin, and manufacturers typically back those finishes with warranties of up to 30 years against chalk and fade. In a market where the summer UV index routinely hits 9 to 10, that matters more than it would in a milder climate.
- Solid colors: hundreds of stock shades plus custom matching to a brand standard or an existing roof.
- Metallics and micas: silver, champagne, bronze and copper tones that shift as the light moves across the wall.
- Anodized-look and brushed: a natural aluminum appearance without the batch variation of true anodizing.
- Mirror and high-gloss: reflective panels for signage and interior features.
We send physical chips, not screen colors, before you approve a submittal. Dark colors on a west-facing fascia get hot, so we also talk through thermal movement before locking in a charcoal or black.
How Do We Fabricate ACM in Forney?
Every panel is cut, routed and folded in our shop before it reaches the site. Shop fabrication is what makes composite panels look machine-made rather than field-fitted.
- Shop drawings. We draw each panel from field measurements, with reveal widths, returns and fastener locations shown for approval.
- CNC routing. A V-groove is cut through the back skin and most of the core, leaving the face skin to fold cleanly at the corner.
- Folding and returns. Edges fold back to form the return that stiffens the panel and hides the attachment.
- Stiffeners. Aluminum extrusions bond or rivet to the back of larger panels so a 4-foot by 8-foot face stays flat through a 100-degree afternoon.
- Trim and brake metal. Matching aluminum brake metal for closures, drip edges and flashings comes off our own brakes in the same color.
Protective film stays on until the last panel is set, which keeps scratches off the finish during handling and installation.
What Installation Details Keep an ACM Wall Dry?
Composite panels are a cladding, not a waterproofing layer. The weather barrier, the furring and the way the cavity drains do the real work, and they are where a cheap installation fails first.
- Sub-girts and furring: hat-channel or Z-girts set to a flat plane over the structure; we shim as needed so reveals stay straight.
- Weather-resistive barrier: self-adhered or fluid-applied, lapped and sealed at every girt fastener and opening.
- Drainage: weeps at the base and at horizontal joints so water that passes the face can get out; rainscreen cavities also ventilate.
- Thermal movement: aluminum grows and shrinks more than steel, so joints and slotted attachments are sized for the swing between a January freeze and an August afternoon.
- Flashings: head, sill and jamb flashings at openings come from our sheet metal shop; see metal flashing for openings and metal coping for parapet terminations.
If the ACM meets a standing seam roof or a parapet cap, we detail the transition on the shop drawings, not on the scaffold.
Lead Times, Maintenance and Warranty
As of 2026, stock-color ACM typically runs four to six weeks from submittal approval to delivery, and custom colors six to ten. Fabrication adds about a week, and installing a typical storefront fascia takes a few days once the furring is set. We confirm dates in writing on your quote.
Maintenance is light: a yearly rinse, a check of sealant joints on wet-seal systems, and attention to any dents from carts or vehicles at ground level. Our lifetime warranty covers workmanship and transfers to a new owner; the coil coater’s finish warranty runs alongside it. Fully Insured.
ACM, AMP Wave or Corrugated: Which Panel Should You Choose?
ACM gives the flattest, most architectural surface and costs the most. Our concealed-fastener AMP Wave 16-4 and Wave 12-3 steel panels give a clean, lined look at a lower price, and corrugated metal wall panels cost the least and lean rustic or industrial.
| Factor | ACM | AMP Wave 16-4 / 12-3 | Corrugated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look | Flat panels with crisp reveals | Soft wave shadow lines | Ribbed, industrial or farmhouse |
| Fasteners | Concealed | Concealed | Exposed |
| Material | Aluminum skins on a PE or FR core | 22- to 26-gauge steel | 22- to 26-gauge steel |
| Hail | Flat face shows direct hits on canopies | Profile hides marks | Profile hides marks |
| Relative cost | Highest | Middle | Lowest |
| Typical use | Storefront fascias, canopies, entries | Full elevations, modern homes | Barndominiums, accent walls, shops |
Many projects mix them: ACM on the entry and signage band, Wave panels on the field of the wall. See every profile on our metal wall panels hub, or pair the walls with a roof on our commercial metal roofing page.
Homeowner Reviews
What Dallas-Fort Worth Homeowners Say About Architectural Metal Panels
Aluminum Composite Panel Questions
Is aluminum composite panel the same as Alucobond or Alpolic?
Those are brand names for the same type of product: two aluminum skins bonded to a core. We fabricate Alpolic and comparable metal composite materials, and we match whichever brand your specification calls for.
Do I need fire-rated ACM in Dallas or Fort Worth?
Often, yes. Codes generally limit polyethylene-core composites on exterior walls based on height, occupancy and separation distance, and cities adopt their own amendments. We check the requirement for your jurisdiction and price FR core by default on commercial work.
How thick are aluminum composite panels?
4 mm is the standard exterior thickness; 3 mm is common for interiors, soffits and signs. Both typically use skins of about 0.5 mm aluminum, and heavy-duty versions use thicker skins for large flat panels.
Can ACM be installed over an existing stucco or EIFS storefront?
Usually. We furr over the existing surface with hat-channel, add a weather barrier and install rout-and-return panels on the furring. Loose or failing stucco has to be repaired first, and we confirm the substrate on the site visit.
How long does an ACM project take?
As of 2026, plan on four to six weeks for stock colors and six to ten for custom colors from submittal approval, plus a few days to a few weeks on site depending on the size of the elevation.
Will the color fade in Texas sun?
Fluoropolymer finishes (Kynar 500 PVDF or FEVE) are the most fade- and chalk-resistant architectural coatings available and typically carry finish warranties of up to 30 years. Specify a PVDF or FEVE finish, not a polyester one, for any exterior in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Can you match the ACM to a standing seam roof color?
Yes. Coil coaters publish matching colors across their steel and aluminum lines, and we send physical chips of both so you can confirm the match before the submittal is approved.
Get Your Free In-Home Estimate
Tell us about your project and a Architectural Metal Panels specialist will call you back within one business day. No pressure, no obligation.
Or text a photo of your roof to (469) 569-3956
Prefer to talk now? Call (469) 569-3956. Fully Insured.
Sources
Technical and weather references, checked October 2026:
- McElroy Metal: Kynar 500 vs. SMP paint systems: fluoropolymer fade and chalk performance
- The Weather Network: Dallas UV index: summer UV levels
- Cotality Hazard HQ: giant hail strikes the DFW region: April 2026 hail sizes
Need ACM Panels Fabricated and Installed?
Send drawings for a submittal package, or book a site measure for a storefront, canopy or home. Call (469) 569-3956.