The exterior skin of a building is designed to withstand the elements for a long period of time. Metal skins are usually one of three types: Kynar-painted aluminum, anodized aluminum, or Alucobond panels. While all three of these coatings are far superior to any standard painting system, they all succumb to the ravages of sunlight and moisture over time. Once that happens the surface fades, and chalking and staining appear. We restore that finish in place rather than replacing the cladding.
Restoring the Finish with PPG Coraflon
Metal Man Restoration can provide the expertise to restore the finish to the metal. We work with you and the paint manufacturers to specify the ideal colors. At Metal Man Restoration we only use PPG Coraflon fluoropolymer coatings, which carry a 10-year warranty backed by PPG, and our staff is facility trained in applying fluoropolymer coatings.
Other conventional coatings such as acrylic enamel, urethane, epoxy, and polyurethane will only last two to five years before surface fade and chalking set in, eventually leading to paint flaking throughout the panels. When you are planning to invest in restoring the finish to your exterior metal panels, proper prepping, priming, and painting is what determines if you get your money back out of it.
Anodized Aluminum Restoration
Anodized aluminum fails differently from paint. The anodic layer is part of the metal rather than a film sitting on top of it, so it does not peel. It oxidizes, goes chalky, and fades unevenly, worst on the elevations that take the most sun. Rain then carries the chalk down the facade and leaves streaking on the panels and the glass below.
Once anodizing has broken down it cannot be re-anodized in place, because anodizing is a tank process and the panels are on the building. What can be done is a full clean and de-chalk, followed by a fluoropolymer coating system that restores an even color across the elevation and protects the aluminum underneath. Done properly the result reads as a uniform facade again rather than a patched one.
Kynar-Painted Aluminum and Alucobond Panels
Kynar and other factory-applied PVDF finishes hold up for a long time, which is exactly why buildings are surprised when they go. Failure usually shows as color drift between elevations, chalking under the hand, and a loss of gloss that makes the facade look tired even though the panels are sound.
Alucobond and similar composite panels have the same issue with an added constraint, since the core will not tolerate aggressive heat or harsh stripping. Preparation on composite panels has to be chemical and mechanical rather than abrasive, which is one of the reasons this work does not suit a general painting contractor.
How the Refinishing Process Works
- Survey and testing: we identify the existing coating, check adhesion, and test a sample area before anything is specified.
- Cleaning and de-chalking: the oxidized and chalked surface is removed, because a coating applied over chalk fails early no matter how good the coating is.
- Preparation and priming: surfaces are prepped and primed to suit the substrate, aluminum, steel, or composite.
- Color specification: we work with you and the manufacturer to match or reset the color across the whole elevation.
- Fluoropolymer application: PPG Coraflon is applied by facility-trained staff, backed by a 10-year PPG warranty.
Refinish or Replace?
Replacing a metal skin means new panels, new fixings, scaffolding, disposal, and a building wrapped for months. Refinishing keeps the existing panels, keeps the building in use, and resets the appearance and the protection. For sound panels that have simply lost their finish, refinishing is the far smaller job.
Replacement makes sense where panels are physically damaged, corroded through, or where the facade is being redesigned. Where the metal is intact and only the coating has failed, which is the majority of what we are called to look at, refinishing is the sensible answer. We survey and tell you which situation you actually have.
Common Questions About Architectural Metal Painting
These are the questions building owners, managers, and architects ask us most before specifying a metal refinishing project.
How much does anodized aluminum restoration cost?
It is priced by the elevation rather than by the panel, and it depends on access, the height of the building, the condition of the existing finish, and the color system specified. It is consistently a fraction of the cost of recladding. We survey the building and give you a figure against a written scope.
Can anodized aluminum be re-anodized on the building?
No. Anodizing is a tank process, so it cannot be done in place on installed panels. The answer on the building is a full de-chalk and clean, followed by a fluoropolymer coating system, which restores even color and protects the aluminum.
How long will the new finish last?
We only use PPG Coraflon fluoropolymer coatings, which carry a 10-year warranty backed by PPG. Conventional coatings such as acrylic enamel, urethane, epoxy, and polyurethane typically last two to five years before fade and chalking return.
Can you match our existing color?
Yes. We work with you and the paint manufacturers to specify the color, either matching the existing facade or resetting the whole elevation to a new specification.
Does the building have to close?
No. This is exterior work carried out from swing stage or scaffold, and it is scheduled around the building. Tenants stay in place.
Related Services
- Metal cleaning and maintenance in New York
- Architectural metal maintenance program
- Stainless steel restoration and scratch removal
- Architectural metal restoration
- Steel casement window restoration
- Metal restoration in Mount Vernon, NY
Ask Us to Survey Your Facade
Send photos of the elevation or call (914) 662-4218. We will tell you what the existing coating is, if it can be refinished, and what it will take.
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