Today’s metal coatings are turbocharged versions of their old and boring selves. They’ve become so innovative that we at Fresh Paint Inc love them almost as much as we love paint.
Almost.
We’ll never love anything as much as we love paint, but let’s get back to metal. Phosphate is all the way at the front of the innovation queue, protecting steel from even the saltiest environments. When used with sealers, they can keep your metal free of rust for up to 500 hours. Zirconium can do the job without the sludge, and if you’re on a tight budget, sol-gel will achieve it at a decidedly lighter price. There are coatings that enable frost roll off and coatings that protect against ice. There are coatings that add to your brand power and coatings that reflect heat away from your interior. You get a coating. You get a coating. Everybody gets a coating.
There are claddings, oxides, and deposits that can turn an ordinary length of steel into an ubermensch of survival. When our clients ask us if they should coat their building’s metal components, we say, “That depends. Do you want them to last?” It really is that simple. Let’s take a closer look.
Environmental Performance
Mother Nature is a tyrant. She’ll expose your building to rust, rain, and frost all year every year. Water and ice are the kryptonite of metals, causing corrosion that ultimately leads to breakage, so the first job of metal coatings is to improve your building’s environmental performance. They form a layer between the environment and your structure so that you don’t need to worry about repairing damage or replacing rusted features.
These days, they can do more than just form barriers, though. Metallic oxides turn your metal into an ice-phobic surface to prevent frost from forming. Nanorough surfaces have become completely nonporous, too, so moisture will have quite a job breaking through to the vulnerable metals underneath. Aluminum alloys are another powerful protectant perfect for everyday wear and mechanical damage.
The Strength of Powder
Powder coatings haven’t left the market just yet. They combine powerful adhesives, pigments, and resin to seal your steel from its environment. New powder coat technologies can coat in just one cure, saving you time while delivering exceptional surface smoothness. They also offer a huge range of colors and glosses.
The Power of Color
Metal is terrible at retaining heat and cold, so every time the weather swings, your interior comfort swings with it. It can also lead to excess moisture if your building is poorly-insulated. Metal buildings sweat, particularly in humid environments. Thermal insulation coatings can be sprayed on in a jiff, preventing dampness, temperature loss, and corrosion. Of course, there’s also the old-fashioned way: lighten the hue of your building to reflect excess heat. Extra-white paint can reflect as much as 98% of the sun’s rays, so you can finally wave goodbye to expensive HVAC bills. Just be sure to include us when you spend those savings. We’re almost always out of chocolate.
Looking Good
Metal doesn’t always limit itself to practical tasks. It’s also a style icon that can create brilliant effects that set off your architecture. Metal coatings are often decorative, adding color while simultaneously protecting against scratches. There are even textured coatings to add dimension to your outdoor spaces.
Your building is a part of your brand, so it needs all the aesthetic attention you can throw its way. Returning to our initial question, should your building’s metal be painted? Why yes. Your metal needs paint just as your body needs clothes.
