Columns/Blogs

It’s the buildings that make you stop and stare. The places that you’ve always wanted to go inside. The structures that you’ll drive the distance to see. Those are the ones that make a difference and leave a mark on your heart. Sometimes it’s hard to pin down exactly what makes a building so unforgettable. It could be a tiny nuanced detail or an extravagant and bold design choice – either way, it’s the unique architecture that always stands out.

Whether you experience the consistent climate of the Southwest, or the ever-changing Midwest weather, the sun is mostly viewed as a positive contribution to our lives. The right amount of sun offers plenty of mood-lifting benefits, helps lower stress levels and provides our bodies with Vitamin D – which plays a big role in bone health. For aesthetic benefits, it’s no secret that people constantly strive for that summer glow.

Architectural design varies across the world, the country and even across town. Variety in design and building products is visually pleasing and unique, but it’s not the only reason architectural trends can be distinct to certain locations. Several factors are considered when designing a building and determining which materials to use, especially when constructing a building that’s within close proximity to the coasts.

When architects make decisions on materials, it can sometimes feel as though they must choose between aesthetics and effectiveness. No one wants to decide whether something should look good but not work, or work well but appear unappealing, especially when it comes to architecture, as both are necessary elements of an exceptional project. This is why buildings incorporating exterior metal panels are gaining popularity.

From color and texture to sustainable features, today’s design options are endless. Innovative and advanced technologies are allowing buildings to show off more personality than ever.

Color in architecture is bigger than ever, and there’s a strong “why” behind that choice. Color carries emotion, and for businesses, choosing the right color can directly help sell products and services, and truly inspire visitors of a building.

Today, everything seems to claim “innovation” on the label – from the cell phone we choose to the car we drive, and even some of the food we eat. They all tout innovation. But what makes something truly innovative – new, ground-breaking and inventive? In the architectural coating manufacturing industry, it all comes down to the properties of a product and what benefits or services it can provide to the end user.

Exterior architectural coatings serve many purposes, including the protection of a building’s structure from degradation and corrosion. It’s important to note that many times architectural coatings are applied onto a structure’s exterior metal panels as the first step in the metal building product process – before the panels are formed and well before they’re shipped to the construction site. This means that building owners and contractors need to think about the threats these metal panels, and consequently the coatings that protect them, could endure at the very beginning of a project.

Weather is inevitable. And for buildings, there's just no escaping it. Whether subjected to harsh winters, extreme sun, torrential rains or the standard seasonal mix, buildings–including those clad in metal–are under constant assault from the elements. The impact is often most noticeable in the building's appearance.

There’s a reason the word ‘color’ is used to describe more than just the visible pigmentation of an object. Color is a versatile and powerful noun or adjective, and can be used to exemplify the beauty of music, the interesting qualities of an individual’s personality, a dramatic event and even bad language. In essence, color adds excitement and flavor to the mundane elements of our everyday life, and has an immense impact on the way we see the world.

Countless hours go into the drafting, design and construction of a building. Projects can last a few months or tens of years, but when the final pieces fall into place, a brand new building is left standing and it’s one of the proudest accomplishments an individual or company can achieve. Unfortunately, this achievement can be significantly marred by a simple act of vandalism: graffiti. With one spray of paint, stroke of a Sharpie, or swipe of shoe polish, the exterior surface of the newfound source of pride can instead turn into one of embarrassment.

Metal panels are a common building component in athletic arenas across the globe. From exterior façades to structural beams, nearly every stadium relies on metal materials for aesthetic purposes, strength and durability. That being said, sometimes metal needs a bit of help to resist harsh weather conditions and show off a vivid color or specific aesthetic element. Consequently, often times an architectural coating is added to metal panels.

Building with metal is a routine practice throughout the industrialized world, especially when it comes to commercial developments. Between downtown office buildings and sports arenas, to rural factories and equipment sheds, structures featuring metal paneling and roofs coated in a high-performance PVDF coating are commonplace. However, this union between specific building types and construction medium is no longer exclusive.

Nowadays, coatings come in nearly every color imaginable, not to mention new aesthetic treatments. A superior coating will go further than just achieving a desired aesthetic – it will increase the durability of a structure, as well, and provide expert resistance to harmful elements in high-stress environments. When considering how to protect against harsh weather conditions, be sure to consider both metal building product location as well as coating composition.

Whether it’s better gas mileage that can be reached during a daily commute to work, or a full-scale decrease of carbon emissions by a large corporation, going green and developing sustainable lifestyles and business practices is more important than ever before. Innovations in sustainability have matriculated throughout every industry, including the architectural and construction markets.

Get out your brooms, dustpans and washcloths, because it’s time for a bit of spring-cleaning. Although traditionally thought of as an interior scrubbing of our homes, we often forget the importance of keeping our exteriors in equal condition and peak quality. Exterior materials are often a defining feature of an office building or residential home as they provide the visual aesthetics and protective features that boost market value and make them unique. This is especially true when it comes to coated metal paneling.

When looking at architecture from around the world, it’s evident that designers can achieve nearly any look with the multitude of building products available on the market. However, one material stands alone due to its aesthetic and practical versatility, durability and sustainability – metal.

Every year as we reset our calendars and prepare for new beginnings, we look forward to the new fashions, fads and innovations that are looming on the horizon. The same can be said about the coil and extrusion coating industry, and 2016 is set to be another pioneering year for coating applications, color trends, and product advances.