REVEAL Recessed Aluminium Shadow Gap System
What is REVEAL?
REVEAL is a UK-manufactured extruded aluminium C-channel that installs proud of the ceiling finish to create a precision shadow gap — a deliberate recessed line between materials, lighting and services. The recess reads as a crisp architectural detail rather than a joint, and every profile is extruded in the UK from 100% recycled aluminium and stocked in 100–300 mm widths for fast dispatch.
REVEAL
Recessed Channels by A&LWhen the shadow should speak.
REVEAL is our recessed-channel system — an aluminium C channel with a deep, precision-extruded shadow gap that draws a clean, deliberate line between materials. Where SEAM disappears, REVEAL defines. Both are made from the same UK-extruded, 100% recycled aluminium.
Specify REVEAL
Defined shadow line
Precision-extruded geometry holds the shadow gap exactly as drawn.
Robust on site
Extrusion resists deformation and snagging — fewer defects, less rework.
100% recycled
Embodied carbon reduction without changing installation methods.
REVEAL datasheets & technical drawings
Access NBS Specifications (PDF), CAD drawings (DWG) and embodied carbon data for every stocked size. Product datasheets and BIM objects (Revit / IFC) are available on request while we finalise them — use the contact form and we'll send them across.
| Size | Datasheet | NBS Spec | Profile (DWG) | End cap (DWG) | Install bracket (DWG) | BIM (Revit / IFC) | Carbon data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100mm | On request | On request | |||||
| 125mm | On request | On request | |||||
| 150mm | On request | On request | |||||
| 200mm | On request | On request | On request | ||||
| 300mm | On request | On request | On request |
Anything showing "On request" is being produced right now — email info@al-systems.co.uk or use the contact form and we'll send it the same working day.
Frequently asked questions
The questions architects and M&E contractors ask most about REVEAL — answered plainly.
What tolerances do you manufacture to?
- Our extruded aluminium channels are manufactured to BS EN 12020-2 for precision profiles. Standard dimensional tolerances are ±0.15 mm on wall thickness and ±0.25 mm across the channel width for stocked 100–300 mm sizes. Straightness is held to 0.5 mm per metre. Tighter tolerances can be agreed at specification stage for pre-coordinated runs.
What are typical lead times?
- Stocked 100–300 mm channels ship from our UK warehouse within 3–5 working days. Bespoke lengths, powder-coated finishes or non-standard sizes are typically 3–4 weeks from order confirmation, depending on finish. We commit to a firm delivery date at drawing sign-off so it can be locked into the programme.
How do the 100% recycled aluminium channels contribute to BREEAM and net-zero reporting?
- Our channels are extruded from 100% recycled aluminium (post-consumer and post-industrial), which cuts embodied carbon by roughly 95% compared with primary aluminium. That contributes to BREEAM Mat 01 (life-cycle impacts), Mat 03 (responsible sourcing) and Wst 02 (recycled aggregates and content), and gives quantifiable A1–A3 embodied carbon savings for whole-life-carbon and net-zero reporting. EPDs and material passports are available on request.
How does pre-coordination avoid clashes on site?
- Before we manufacture, we overlay your architectural RCP against the M&E services drawings — lighting, sprinklers, grilles, sensors — and issue a coordinated set-out that resolves clashes at drawing stage. Channels are then cut, notched and labelled per zone, so trades install to a fixed grid instead of adjusting on site. That removes the two most common causes of ceiling delays: services fouling the channel line, and site-cut modifications that break the finish.
How is SEAM (flush) different from REVEAL (recessed shadow gap)?
- SEAM is a U-channel installed flush with the surrounding ceiling finish — the aluminium face sits level with the plasterboard for one continuous plane. REVEAL is a C-channel installed proud of the finish so it creates a precision shadow gap — a deliberate recessed line between materials. Same extrusion quality, same 100% recycled aluminium, different visual outcome: SEAM disappears into the ceiling, REVEAL defines it.
Keep exploring the REVEAL system
SEAM flush aluminium service channels
Need the ceiling to read as one continuous line instead of a recessed detail? Compare the flush U-channel system.
100% recycled aluminium channels, extruded in the UK
Read how REVEAL contributes to BREEAM and net-zero reporting — ~95% less energy than virgin billet and infinitely recyclable.
Book a consultation.
Send us your drawings, your spec or just the question on your mind. We'll come back with the right SEAM or REVEAL solution, lead time and pre-coordination notes.