Aluminum Restoration and Finishes

Paint & Coatings Industry Magazine article on aluminum coatings

This September 2005 article by Rodger Talbert describes common methods for coating aluminum extrusions used in architecture such as exterior grade sheets, facades, curtain walls, panels, louvers and door and window frames. The coatings discussed include anodizing, PVDF (Poly Vinylidene Fluoride) also called fluoropolymer (trade name Kynar), liquid paint and powder coating.

Coatings for Finished Metals on JVSBS.com

Window and storefront frames, louvers and other architectural metals are usually beautiful when first installed. Since their surfaces are typically finished with durable materials (such as fluoropolymers) or treated via processes that have long lasting effects (ike anodizing) they remain attractive for many years, but not necessarily forever. Eventually the elements take a toll, as seen on the images here. In many cases the damage is superficial and fairly easily corrected. Once restored, coatings can be applied to forestall recurrence of surface damage.

The video is of a twenty-two year old building with flouropolymer coated window frames that have been restored. Their condition before and after restoration as seen below are evidence of the quality of the original coating and the benefits of the cleaning and sealing operations.

Specifying Coatings for Architectural Metals

This September 2016 Design+Durability Magazine article delves briefly into why metal coatings in architectural applications fail and how architectural metals are colored and in more depth on AAMA (American Architectural Manufacturer’s Association) specifications for coating architectural metals.