Special effects
Experienced finishing service providers can combine scientifically precise color matching, in-house blending laboratory capabilities, and quality-controlled factory application with hands-on artistry for tailor-made solutions. Specialty coatings can include mica and metallic flakes to enhance reflectivity, adding sparkle and shimmer to the base color. Beyond the traditional color wheel, specialty painted finishes can impart texture, depth, and be completely customized to support project specifications.
Softly textured painted surfaces expand the sensory experience from visual to tactile, and present a biophilic element not often seen on fenestration framing. Typically used to mimic the feel of natural stone, textured coatings on architectural aluminum products offer an economical, readily available, lighter weight, and more resilient alternative to the clay-based originals. The fine grain, matte surface of these specialty finishes remains consistent in texture, while colors have a full range of hues representing the spectrum of real terra cotta.
Multi-colored spatter coat finishes also can realistically simulate the look of marble, masonry, and metal, or can provide a completely novel appearance resembling the style of abstract and impressionist fine artists. To achieve the desired aesthetic, multiple colors of architectural coatings are applied on top of a solid undercoat in a hand-crafted original pattern. The paint spatters can be many or few, large or small, thick or thin, speckled or swirled, to produce the desired 3D depth and textured effect.
Color code
Painted finishes can provide a nearly unlimited color range for fenestration. To achieve the desired finish color, use the assigned paint code provided by either the coatings system manufacturer or the finishing applicator. Paint and finishing codes are usually composed of both letters and numbers. As with passwords and other important information, one incorrect number or letter within a code can completely change the result.
Color names such as “Sierra Tan,” “Light Seawolf Beige” and “Sage Brown” may be easier to remember and more illustrative than “LT621,” “LT614,” and “LT620,” but relying on color names can be a risk. Two paints with the same name can be completely different colors depending on the manufacturer. For instance, “Hartford Green” could serve as the name for at least 50 different paint codes. Therefore, it is important to use paint codes over color names.
Remember to double check the paint code is correct. This code can be included in the specification and will be needed for the final order.
Sample review
When color is critical, review a physical sample to confirm client approval before placing the order. Remember the same color can look different in changing light or when placed next to other colors and materials. People see color slightly differently depending on the number of photoreceptors on their retinas and how their brains interpret the optical signals.
With fenestration, the glass selection will have the most influence on how the framing members’ finish is perceived. Pair these samples together for optimal results.
Interior surfaces of finished fenestration are best reviewed indoors using a combination of natural and electrical illumination. Vertical fenestration assemblies are installed at the exterior perimeter, positioned offset and perpendicular to suspended light fixtures. Lamps and task lighting may directly affect and be affected by the fenestration assembly. A light’s angle, lumens, color temperature, and surface reflections also can alter the perceived color of room-facing finished surfaces. When possible, consider replicating the lighting conditions to examine the finished samples.
Exterior-facing finished surfaces should be reviewed outdoors under natural light. The larger the painted area, the more noticeable variation can be, even when the coating is uniformly applied. This is especially true for specialty coatings with metallic and mica coatings because the color depends on the orientation of the reflective flakes. For example, a 1 x 3 m (3.3 x 9.8 ft) wall panel’s color may appear inconsistent when compared to other finished surfaces on the same building at different times of the day or when illuminated at night.
Viewing distance also affects the perceived color. The finish on a curtain wall with a 63.5 mm (2.5 in.) sight line may look different when viewed at a shaded street level than it does looking up at the 20th floor on a sunny day. When evaluating the finished, installed fenestration assembly, AAMA industry viewing distance guidelines state that coatings should be visibly free from flow lines, streaks, blisters, or other surface imperfections in the dry-film state on exposed surfaces when observed at 3 m (10 ft) from the metal surface and inspected at an angle of 90 degrees to the surface.
