F is for Finishing

Keeping our buildings looking good for longer is part of the rich mix which contributes to the construction industry’s drive to be more ‘sustainable’. So how should we specify our external finishes to our modern and renovated structures?

Where aluminium is to be used in cladding, glazed structures and engineering, two finishes stand out amongst all others, claims the Council for Aluminium in Building (CAB), powder coating and anodising.

The amount of work that has been undertaken in recent years with improved chemistry of powders, improvements in pre-treatments and application methodologies means that life expectancies are in excess of 40 years. More importantly, the comprehensive range of powder coating finishes now available, from solid colours to metallics, gives the building designer endless possibilities.

Anodising offers specifiers an exceptionally hard wearing finish. Differing from powder coating, anodising evenly controls oxidisation of the surface of the aluminium forming a hard aluminium oxide layer. Using various metals and/or dyes, this clear aluminium protective layer can be coloured.

At the Building ‘End of Life’ (EoL) when aluminium content is recycled, all finishes are simply burned away in the melting process and any noxious gas emissions are collected in efficient fume capture equipment. Crucially, 100% recovery of the aluminium is possible.

01453 828851
www.c-a-b.org.uk

Picture credit: Akzo Nobel