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Why Specify Powder Coating

Powder Coating continues to be specified as just a colour. Whilst this approach works well in many instances, especially where there is a substantial supply chain, there are instances where coatings may be applied incorrectly. If a robust specification is not in place, this could cause issues with the finish in a few years after installation.

Architectural powder coating is a two-step process, the cleaning and pretreatment of the aluminium and then the powder coating itself. Only when both processes are correctly specified and completed, with suitably sourced materials for the location of the project, can the project be deemed to offer a sustainable powder coating solution.

Projects often carry not just extrusions but preformed sheet pressings cills, preformed column casings and often aluminium sheet used in composite spandrel panels. These are often powder coated in different locations which can introduce shading issues between batches, or indeed manufacturers of different powders. To further complicate matters, should aluminium castings need to be coated, these may be coated in a further coating facility. The key to success is to discuss the finishes of various suppliers of materials and agree a common specification.

Quality control can be achieved by recognising what variations in finish might be acceptable by agreeing up front both the colour variance and gloss variance on the proposed finish. The main issue is that being prepared for potential colour variation means that this could be potentially controlled to a degree to minimise its effect.

The main parts of any powder coating specification should contain, details of the pretreatment system to be used, the colour specification, the gloss level and the class of powder to be used. If there are to be parts of the facade that are going to be coated in different plants, such as the addition of aluminium pressings or spandrel panels, the manufacturer of the powder would help further minimise colour variation.

Aluprof are licence holders of QUALICOAT, a globally recognised standard for powder coating procedure and quality. This association recognises the need for quality of the pretreatment systems, the architectural powder colours and the application quality. The association therefore licences both producers of the powders, the pretreatment systems and applicators to ensure that quality levels are attained and maintained. Regular inspections of QUALICOAT licence holders are undertaken by third party test houses. This is a crucial cornerstone of membership of QUALICOAT and something that Aluprof are proud to offer on all specifications.

So, starting with the pretreatment specification, sometimes referred to as a conversion coating of the aluminium, either a chrome free or chrome-based system can be used for most locations. The main aim of this pretreatment is to completely seal the aluminium substrate to stop oxidisation and also to provide a key for the powder to adhere too. Alternatively, a thin anodised finish can be used prior to powder coating which offers a more robust pretreatment. There are also variations of pretreatment options when it comes to specifying projects near the coast when a ‘Seaside’ class of pretreatment can be used which incorporates a longer or deeper aluminium etch process in its application to remove aluminium substrate contaminants.

Whilst a colour specification may seem fixed, there are variances that need to be considered. Different powder manufacturers of the same RAL colour could vary in shade, indeed, even using the same powder manufacturer with different batches of powder there can be a very slight shading difference. The key here is to agree an upper and lower shading specification, if appropriate, or better still try to specify the powder manufacturer to minimise any colour variance if products are to be produced in different powder coating applicators.

In addition to colour there are a range of gloss levels available, these are generally referred to as, ‘matt’, with a 20% and 30% gloss level, ‘semi-gloss’, having approximately 60-65% gloss level and ‘full gloss’ with 80% gloss level. As with colours, gloss levels across powder manufacturers vary so care should be taken to agree upper and lower limits so that when the products are placed together there is very little variation.

Powders also come in various grades, all offer a long-life expectancy, but higher grades, or classes of powder offer greater colour fastness when subject to UV light and better gloss retention. Gloss can be lost as a result of airborne abrasion as well as UV degradation. Typically, we see Class 1 powders used in the UK with some high rise and prestigious projects opting for more resilient Class 2 powders. Class 3 powders are generally not used in the UK and are specified in harsher environments such as in the equatorial regions.

Powder coating can also be specified to accurately replicate anodised finishes. This option is more cost effective than anodising and offers a consistent shade across all profiles. Powder coating can also be supplied using a sublimation process which offers wood grain, stone or concrete effects, in fact virtually any texture can be created. The sublimation process is covered by a QUALIDECO licence which is part of the QUALICOAT label for special finishing.

So, the answer certainly is a yes, on any project, the architectural powder coating needs to be specified clearly, not only for the visual aspect of the finish looking correct, but for the finishes ability to offer a long and sustainable life. Aluminium surface pretreatment or conversion coatings are crucial to this long-life expectancy. It is important to note that all powder coatings are porous and do let air and water vapour permeate through them, if a pretreatment process is poor or worse nonexistent, in time the aluminium substrate will oxidise and the powder coating will simply flake off.

As a specifier, it is important to take advice, especially when powder coated items are being source from different manufacturers and suppliers. At Aluprof all our architectural advisors are experienced in both powder coating and anodised finishes so are able to advise on the correct specification. By being aware of the potential issues that could be raised on what is the most visible aspect of an aluminium facade, the finish specification is crucial to a project being completed on time and in the right quality.

On a final point, it has been proven that not all aluminium composition is the same, especially as we begin to use more recycled content in our aluminium extrusions and this can effect the long term stability of the substrate. Trace and tramp elements present in alloys need to be carefully monitored as these can have an effect on the sustainability of the final coating. Fortunately, with today’s modern and accurate spectrometers the materials present in any alloy can be determined as well as the percentage of each material’s occurrence in the alloy as every type of alloy element has its own colour. Aluprof have very tight specifications as to what is acceptable in the bulk billet prior to extrusion to maximise a powder coated products life expectancy.

Since setting up the Aluprof Office at the Business Design Centre in London, the company has rapidly grown their specification influence in the UK with their high-performance architectural aluminium systems. Further expansion of the company’s headquarters in Altrincham now provides specifiers with meeting facilities and an extensive showroom of commercial systems to view. With overseas growth across Europe spreading into the Middle East and firm roots already in the East of the USA, the company is becoming a global player in facade supply. Further information is available on the company’s website at aluprof.co.uk or direct from their UK head office in Altrincham on 0161 941 4005.

#aluprof #aluminium #windows

Duncan House - London

#aluprof #aluminium #windows

The Crescent - Salford

#aluprof #aluminium #fenestration #residential

Aluprof Commits to a Long-term Environmental Strategy with New Corporate Branding

It seems wherever we are today we are reminded that we are a generation that has to curb our carbon emissions in order to save the Planet for future generations. The fact that we have already increased the average temperature on Earth by approximately 1ºC above pre-industrial levels and that it is on course to increase more rapidly and reach a total of 1.5ºC to 2.0ºC by 2050 ①.

Buildings and construction account for more than 35% of global final energy use and nearly 40% of energy-related CO2 emissions ②

Clearly, with facts like these the Construction Industry is a prime target for carbon reduction, but the full picture is a little more complex. First, we often have the building deconstruction phase, using energy, whilst hopefully recycling as much material as possible. We then start the ‘build phase’ where all materials supplied to a project site carry some form of embodied carbon, followed by the construction phase which adds even more carbon into the materials used. Once in use, we have a building that may use further carbon fuels during its lifetime, unless it is designed to be carbon neutral in use.

Whilst the build phase uses energy, which contributes to its carbon impact, this can pale into insignificance when we consider the building ‘use’ phase, as if the insulation is poor, vast amounts of energy can be wasted. It is therefore crucial to design with the very best, modern products, that help conserve energy. Clearly, buildings must be designed in future to last a very long time which further reduces the construction carbon impact, likewise, products that offer very high levels of insulation and sustainability, help keep the interior environment at a comfortable level and offer a lifetime of use.

Aluminium fenestration has long been associated with extensive life expectancy and can offer reduced maintenance whilst maintaining operational efficiency with high thermal efficiency. Perhaps the ‘golden egg’ would be to construct a building to be carbon positive in use, where it can actually save more carbon in its lifetime as it ‘costs’ in carbon to build? Aluprof, part of the Kęty Group, are working with environmental experts across the construction sector who are in turn continuing to push the boundaries of what is achievable for all our customers. To this end Aluprof UK have now joint the Passivhaus UK Trust as a Patron Member.

To further enhance aluminium’s enduring life expectancy, Aluprof are licensed applicators to the global QUALICOAT standard for architectural powder coating and can offer various substantial aluminium pretreatments and more durable classes of powder coating to meet any specification. Aluprof are also license holders of QUALANOD, a further global standard for the provision of high-quality anodising. Together these finishes can easily extend the life expectancy of Aluprof’s products for future generations.

Aluprof, who are a Polish based aluminium systems company, have had a base in the UK now for fifteen years, supplying a wide range of high-performance systems, products which have seen the company become one of the leading systems suppliers in the UK. In a recent statement from the Polish head office, Aluprof has made a clear commitment to further reducing its environmental impact:

“As part of its newly announced strategy, Aluprof will be continuing with its work on promoting the concept of sustainable development. Environmental and social objectives stand out amidst the company's’ many commitments, which include obtaining further Cradle to Cradle™ certifications and the ongoing improvement of its manufacturing processes under the ISO 14001 environmental management system. The company is introducing a range of initiatives aimed at eliminating the impact of its operations on the environment. It has updated its detailed analysis of its products’ carbon footprint and presented its commitments in terms of sustainable development. One of its many environmental ambitions is to move towards achieving climate neutrality.”

One key to this goal is the company’s use of low-carbon aluminium. Aluprof’s modern extrusion plant uses low-carbon billet which equates to just 2.79 tCO2e③. In comparison, the average production of one ton of aluminium primary aluminium somewhere in the world has an emission of 16.7 tCO2e, almost six times higher. The low level of carbon emissions is achieved thanks to the efficiency of the company’s new, cutting-edge plant for manufacturing, the use of low-carbon aluminium and the use of up to 65% of recycled aluminium content in Aluprof’s extrusion billet.

To further reduce carbon emissions in the distribution of aluminium systems and products, Aluprof have developed a logistics network across Europe which reduces the need to stock materials locally. The traditional approach for UK distribution of European systems would be to have product delivered to a central warehouse, then to be sent out to customers on a ‘local’ delivery. Whilst this approach may be efficient for supplying small batches of materials too many customers, Aluprof systems are sent in bulk to UK & Ireland facade companies direct from Poland. Using modern 44 tonne gross weight delivery vehicles and trailer combinations, system and fabricated product can be shipped and delivered direct to customers, currently up to two times a week. This approach means that double handling is not required in fact offers quicker deliveries than utilising a central warehouse. Removing the central warehouse also saves further carbon costs in double handling, heating and equipment requirements. The delivery logistics are carefully monitored to ensure that routes are the most efficient and are undertaken at times to minimise traffic congestion further reducing vehicle emissions.

Social responsibility is something Aluprof have taken very seriously for some time and with the continued low turnover of employees in Poland and the UK the company continues to review its support of its workforce. The change in emphasis is seen as a move away from the importance of product to that of the role in society that the company can play. Taking such a route the company sees that product development and product quality are assured now and for future generations.

Aluprof well recognises the need for social responsibility, as Bożena Ryszka, Marketing and PR Director for ALUPROF explains:

“We understand the concept of a company’s sustainable development as working for environmental protection, the safety and development of the staff, responsibility along the supply chain and involvement in the development of the local community. At ALUPROF, we carry out those kinds of initiatives through the foundation run by the Kęty Group. It’s a pivotal part of our strategy. Our ambition is to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and to have reduced our carbon footprint by fifteen per cent by 2025.”

To reflect these new and ambitious targets, Aluprof have unveiled new branding with a bold new logo to reflect their next, socially responsible, growth within the aluminium fenestration market with a new motto to “build a better future together”

Since setting up the Aluprof Office at the Business Design Centre in London, the company has rapidly grown their specification influence in the UK with their high performance architectural aluminium systems. Further expansion of the company’s headquarters in Altrincham now provides specifiers with meeting facilities and an extensive showroom of commercial systems to view. With overseas growth across Europe spreading into the Middle East and firm roots already in the East of the USA, the company is becoming a global player in facade supply. Further information is available on the company’s website at aluprof.co.uk or direct from their UK head office in Altrincham on 0161 941 4005 or contact the London specification office on 0207 288 6413.

#aluprof #aluminium #fenestration

Wadham College - Oxford

#aluprof #aluminium #oxford #education #fenestration

Choosing the Right Door

There are many options available today when it comes to deciding what door system should be chosen when opening up the rear of a home onto the garden. Not only are customers faced with different system materials, but also what type of opening style should be chosen? As a home improvement specialist, what should you be offering to your customers and why?

Looking at the material choice, two framing materials are predominantly being used today to form large openings between the inside and outside of a property, that of aluminium and PVC, both of which have their own benefits. Other frame materials include timber, steel and some composite materials often made up of aluminium and timber. PVC is seen as a cost-effective choice, one that is corrosion resistant which can now be provided in a range of colours. PVC relies on a steel or aluminium core to give it structural rigidity and to help reduce thermal expansion. The only real downside of PVC is that of its wide profiles compared to the option of aluminium or steel.

Aluminium, once the only material of choice for replacement windows, doors and sliding doors in the early 1980’s, lost a huge amount of ground to the more ‘timber-like’ PVC in the late 1980’s and 1990’s, which then became a firmly favourite with homeowners as a near perfect replacement for rotting timber windows at the time.

Today, whilst PVC still has a huge market share of the new house build and home improvement sectors, aluminium framed systems have been taking a small year on year increase of the market for well over a decade. Seen as an ‘aspirational’ material, its additional cost brings with it an ‘engineered’ feel and the knowledge that aluminium can simply be recycled back into another aluminium door in the future, indeed many times over, with no loss of its characteristics. Would it surprise you to know that of all the aluminium ever produced since its commercialisation in the 1880’s, that over 75% of all production is still in use today?

Aluminium thermal breaks have become very sophisticated and aluminium systems can easily compete on thermal insulation properties against other materials. Where aluminium does score highly is its life expectancy. Given minimum maintenance and cleaning, aluminium system can last upward of thirty years and beyond. If you look round our towns and villages you will still see an odd house or two that has timber framed anodised aluminium windows still performing and looking well, that’s almost forty years!

Given that aluminium is the aspirational choice today for homeowners, let us look at the style of openings that can be achieved, there are basically three types. We can specify sliding, sliding folding or an open out ‘French door’ style, with or without side screens. So, which to choose?

Let us first consider the visual aspect. This is a feature of ‘what is seen’ something that the client will have to live with for the majority of the time as large opening doors in the UK are only opened infrequently in summer. If an open aspect is wanted, year-round vision, then a sliding door could possibly offer the best option with less ‘visible’ aluminium in the ‘sightline’ between the inside and the outside. For large sliding doors today, the ‘lift and slide’ is the best option as these doors offer the smoothest and easiest of opening as they lift off their weather seals when open. The only downside is that you will only ever get a part opening, as the opening panel or panels will stack behind each other within the opening. To enable to have a full width clear opening, where a door system is to be fully open, then the sliding folding option should be chosen, allowing all the panels to concertina to one or both sides of the opening.

The next crucial decision for the customer would be the threshold detail. For many customers, wishing the ‘bring the outside inside’, would opt for a flush threshold with the outside of the property. This is often quite a detail to achieve depending on the construction of the property. Not only will the door frame need to be fitted below the inside floor level, often below the DPC line, the outside detail should contain a drainage detail such as a channel draining arrangement to ensure that in heavy weather rainwater is quickly drained from the threshold area. Whilst sliding and folding doors can be provided with a flush threshold detail, a better weather rating will normally be obtained with a lift and slide door where the weight of the door in the closed position effectively seals the door to the threshold.

Moving a little further into the design and structure of the building when choosing a door, the structure of the head of the opening should be considered carefully. Deflection in the structure, particularly on large openings, will have a detrimental effect on the operation of the door. If the opening in the property has been in place for some time, any settlement of the structure should have already taken place, which will allow the surveyor to cater for the head deflection in the final size of the door to be made. With a new installation, settlement can take place over a period of time and it is worthwhile to allow for this potential settlement in the door size and the fixings at the head of the door. On any wide door, and in particular sliding folding doors, any deflection at the head of the door can cause issues with the operation of the door, so with some adjustment built in that can be accessed during a maintenance visit will ensure that doors can easily be maintained for many years.

Given the customer choices, the property survey needs to be carefully undertaken with someone who understands building structures and importantly the requirements of the door chosen to be installed. The need to understand the threshold detail and the structure above the door and the reveals should also be carefully considered. Older properties will have a brick or block cavity closure with a vertical DPC, even older properties will likely have solid walls. In order to minimise cold bridging, it may be necessary to incorporate a thermal cavity closer or alternative method of insulation to the reveal. Of course, buildings are built of other materials as well as brick, so the surveyor needs to know what to look for and what can be fixed to.

Regular yearly maintenance of doors is something that should be considered. As many doors are built to last, the cleaning, lubrication and adjustment will ensure not only an extended service life but also continued ease of use.

Aluprof offer a very wide range of products and within each of the product ranges options exist to change profile sizes and frame conditions to meet customers’ expectations. Using the same high-quality systems specified by architects, Aluprof’s products are now widely use on homeowners ‘grand designs’. With extensive growth across Europe spreading into the Middle East and with firm roots already in the East of the USA, the company is becoming a global player in new build and home improvement supply. Further information is available on the company’s website at aluprof.co.uk or direct from their UK office in Altrincham on 0161 941 4005.

#aluprof #aluminium #residential #doors

Dudley House - London

#aluprof #aluminium #fenestration

Holbrook House - London

#architecture #facade #aluprof

Ibis Styles, Glasgow

#ibis #aluminium #curtain wall #aluminium windows #glasgow

The Alchemist - Salford Quays

#architectural photography #architecture

More Exposure – It’s Not a Crime to Get it Right

In this column, I try to offer assistance to readers who take their own pictures for promotional purposes. What I tend to see on a regular basis is that many pictures are just too dark and as a result loose some of the detail in the darker or shadow areas.

This can occur for a number of reasons, mostly due to automatic exposure on most cameras/phones. When a dark area in an image is then taken to a magazine print, it tends to lose much of the detail, in fact the image often appears darker in print. The solution is to either increase exposure when taking the picture, sometimes pointing away from the subject matter to a darker area at the same distance, holding this exposure level and then reframing can work well. Alternatively, use an image app such as Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop Elements. If taking images on your phone, you can easily increase the exposure in the app itself. Don’t make the image too light, but ensure you ‘pull out’ the dark detail, if there is a shadow/highlight feature, this works the best.

I’d also like to answer any questions readers have and offer answers in this column. Remember, that increasing your skills in photography is an iterative process, experiment and remember what works for you.

#photography #architectural photography

#architecture #architectural photography

So How Can You Improve Your Photographic Skills?

Before digital cameras we had to wait for film to be processed and prints made to see what our efforts had produced. Today, photographs taken are available immediately for review, which gives us one big advantage of being able to review what we have ‘in the can’ and, if needed, take the photograph again.

This leads us on the a more detailed review of what we have taken when back at our desk. Always review your work looking to see how you could have done it better, it’s the little things such as framing the subject, correct focus, or levelling the camera. Making a mental note for the next time you take pictures.

Moving on to improve your skills further, look at other images that appear in magazines that appeal to you and try to recreate what they have done. Be inquisitive and try and work out how they achieved that perspective, exposure or timing. The more you learn the better you will become. Within a short time, you will begin to see other pictures where you can identify errors and where ‘you’ can do better which is a clear sign your skills are improving.

All this helps to train your ‘eye’ for a good image, rather than task, taking that promotional picture becomes more rewarding!

#photography #architectural photography

#architecture #architectural photography #aluminum

A Little Preparation Goes a Long Way

Photography is all about capturing the moment and for most pictures taken today, the image taken freezes a snapshot in time and makes the photograph all the more relevant. There is also the ‘studio shoot’, which lies at the other end of the spectrum, where products and people are set up and where reality is staged to provide the ‘perfect’ image for the client. The point is, is that for PR and promotional images, a little preparation does go a long way to improve the image.

If we are to take some pictures of staff receiving an award, check the background, is there anything that should not be shown, is there anything in the background that could distract the viewer from the main purpose of the image? Obviously move any rubbish or waste, this all reflects on your business.

The same applies on a product shoot on a completed project, by all means ensure the product is clean and that the foreground is tidy and set the scene, but keep it realistic and make sure its sunny! You want to create the appeal of ‘that could be my house’ not something that could be unreachable for the viewer.

When you have completed the pictures, if you are not happy, take them again. This is possibly the most important lesson of all, the reiterative process of being critical about what you have taken – trust me it’s what makes a better photographer.

#photography #architectural photography

#architecture #architectural photography

To use Stock or Not?

Stock photography is very easy to obtain today via the internet and is often used in both literature and websites for illustration. Remember the old adage, “One Picture Worth Ten Thousand Words"? (Fred R. Barnard – 1927). Well stock photography can help, but when it chosen poorly, such as an example of an American looking receptionist on a UK companies website, it does look a bit desperate and the ‘words’ are not all positive for the reader!

For PR use, it is certainly not acceptable to use stock images as the editor will often realise the style of image being used does not fit with the copy or the company. Remember this is the editor we are talking about, he or she, does know a great deal about the industry and can spot stock a mile off. Far better to have real picture taken about the news item or product if you want your copy to be used.

We all have smart phones these days and, for medium sized images for use in the press, their output can be quite acceptable as we have discussed in this column before. Just remember the basics to get an acceptable image taken at your premises by your own personnel and with your own personnel. So, get them snapping and select the best picture of a large bunch taken. There is nothing wrong with getting a photographer to take professional images either, the better quality of the image, the more likely the editor will use it in a larger size on the page.

Use stock photography very, very carefully. Your own staff may not look like super models in images, and I include myself in that statement, but we are all front facing the customer and also the readers of the important trade magazines, so let’s communicate and use those ‘Ten Thousand’ words as well as we can!

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