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MATERIALS IN ARCHITECTURE SUPPLEMENT
There is no single defi nition of a durable architectural fi nish
Different buildings, different demands There is no single defi nition of a durable architectural fi nish. A facade on an inland residential development will experience different conditions from a beachfront hotel or a building in an industrial environment. Coastal locations can expose architectural metals to salt-laden air and chlorides, while industrial and urban environments bring different combinations of moisture, pollutants, and contaminants. The substrate and its pre- treatment also infl uence the level and type of protection required. Aluminium, widely used for facades, windows and doors, has inherent corrosion resistance, but appropriate pretreatment, coating selection and application remain important, particularly in more demanding environments. Steel, used for applications including entry systems, fencing and other architectural elements, will typically require greater corrosion protection, potentially including suitable pretreatment, a protective primer, and topcoat.
This variability helps explain why, among the 9% of architectural manufacturers who say anti-corrosion solutions are diffi cult to source, 58% attribute that diffi culty to their requirements varying too much. Rather than asking simply whether a fi nish is durable, architects and specifi ers need to consider what it will be applied to, where it will be used and what performance is required throughout its service life.
Where powder coatings fi t Meeting these different requirements calls for a coating technology that can combine protection and durability with the colours and fi nishes needed to deliver the architectural vision. This is where powder coatings play an important role. Powder coatings are already used by 49% of architectural manufacturers surveyed, and the research points to the combination of attributes behind their use. Some 76% of architectural respondents value the ability to use powder coatings with multiple primers and topcoats, allowing the coating system to be adapted to different substrates and exposure conditions. Meanwhile, 72% say powder coatings provide a more durable fi nish, while 73% say they provide the range of colours and fi nishes they need. This combination is
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particularly relevant to architecture because protection does not have to come at the expense of creative choice.
The coating system can be selected around the performance needs of the project while still giving architects access to the colours, textures and effects required to realise their design.
Performance is more than the coating
Selecting the right coating system is only part of achieving the required performance. Surface preparation, pretreatment and application quality also infl uence how the fi nished component performs, while relevant industry standards and specifi cations provide benchmarks against which that performance can be assessed. These include specifi cation requirements such as Qualicoat and AAMA 2603, 2604 and 2605.
Programs provide additional
confi dence that coatings are applied by specialists working to defi ned requirements. Together, the right coating system, quality of the substrate, appropriate preparation and controlled application help translate the performance specifi ed for a project into the performance of the fi nished architectural component.
Making longevity count Longer-lasting fi nishes have a critical value beyond their appearance alone. Helping a coated component achieve a longer service life can reduce premature maintenance, recoating or replacement, with corresponding implications for materials, resources and cost.
These wider considerations are increasingly important to the sector, with 29% of respondents identifying environmental impact as the most important future benefi t they want from the right anti-corrosion solution. Ultimately, protecting architectural design is about understanding what a building will ask of its materials and specifying accordingly. By considering substrate, environment, coating system, application quality and aesthetics together, architects and specifi ers can help ensure that a building continues to look and perform as intended for longer.
Tomasz Kluczewski is regional commercial director for North Europe at AkzoNobel Powder Coatings
ADF OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2026
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