PPG's New Mineral Series Color Line: Thoughts On The Future Of Color For Metal Architectural Coatings

David Story

PPG unveiled a new series of colors for its PPG Duranar™ MXL and PPG Durabrite™ metal coatings at METALCON 2019 in Pittsburgh, October 16-18. The new Mineral Series color line offers architects new design options that blend seamlessly into urban landscapes with semi-transparent earth tones that subtly shimmer when exposed to sunlight. Following is a brief Q-and-A with David C. Story, chief stylist and manager of color science, coil and building products, PPG, who was instrumental in the development of this new PPG color palette.

What was your inspiration for the new PPG Mineral Series color palette?

The color palette was inspired through our work with two different architectural firms on major urban university buildings that featured metal wall panels being installed next to brick or masonry. When the building designers were going through the coatings specification process with us, they were not satisfied that the standard solid colors or mica/metallic options we offered at the time would meet their design visions. They wanted something that would harmonize more fully with their architectural designs.

Scott Moffatt

At the same time, Scott Moffatt, our architectural market manager, noted that several of the architectural firms he was working with seemed to be gravitating away from bright colors and sparkle and more towards urban designs and earthtones. These factors inspired us to create a color palette that would be the antithesis of ‘glitter and bling.’ The new Mineral Series colors harmonize with the earthtone colorscapes of brick and masonry with only a hint of multicolor shimmer when exposed to sunlight.

Can you describe each color in the Mineral Series and its significance?

We’re still expanding the PPG Mineral Series collection. So far, we’ve created custom mineral designs for several architects and prominent coatings applicators such as 3A Composites. Faux Zinc Charcoal, a deep gray color, was specified by FFKR Architects for the new campus of BioFire Diagnostics, a biotechonology company in Salt Lake City. It is a deeper, almost textured gray that only sparkles in sunlight.

3A Composites is featuring another new PPG mineral color called Lava Rock that we displayed at METALCON.

What are top macro trends in color in the next year to five years?   

Silver and white seem to be holding strong. We still match a lot of silvers and whites for architectural and industrial coatings, but it is interesting to note that silver vehicles in the automotive world are on the decline. Deep metallic grays and granite are taking their place. It’ll be interesting to see if color trends for architectural metal coatings follows suit.

How does PPG stand out in the color space, specifically in building and architecture?

PPG is an innovation leader with global resources dedicated to keeping the pulse of color trends in all of the major coating markets. Our styling team is committed to expanding those resources and to working collaboratively with architects to create color designs that enable buildings to be appreciated by occupants and passers-by for decades to come.

About PPG

PPG offers coatings used on metal construction products. For more information, visit www.ppgmetalcoatings.com .