Techincal | Coatings Directory | Factory Controlled Application

Galvanizing and Powder Coating are both factory controlled applications in a controlled environment, applying coatings to the relevant British and European Standards. This results in a finished product, shrink wrapped, being delivered to site. This product is ready for erection in a completed state.

As a result there will be reduction in weather delays, scaffolding erection times, sub-contractor delays, and site congestion. These all represent savings in time and cost.

In the unlikely event that the coating is damaged on site,  the full range of RAL colours, and varying gloss contents, are available in spray, wet coat and touch up brush formats for remedial work through Akzo Nobel's CROMADEX division. These are produced from the powder source, and are therefore an exact match, to the British Standard, when applied on site.

Furthermore, on the Akzo Nobel web-site approved remedial contractors are also named, who have undergone rigorous on site auditing.

In summary site applications can lead to:

• Access systems, involving scaffolding or powered access being required for longer, restricting access to site traffic
• Overspray or spillage onto surrounding areas can become an environmental issue, or a practical issue where other items get accidentally coated
• Weather is a variable which has a huge effect on many coating systems, not just at application, but between coats. Many cannot be applied in wet conditions, with others often having restrictions on humidity and temperature levels
• Congestion on sites is an issue particularly where many trades are working at the same time. Eliminating one trade from the site (painters) reduces risk
• Timescale – being weather dependent, painting on site, (even touch up), will add delay to the activity when weather is adverse. This delay will have knock on effects if scaffolding is required, or where other activities are dependent on completion of the painting. (e.g. cladding waits on structural steel being painted.)

Simpler surface preparation for the galvanized and powder coated solution:

• Most painting systems rely on steelwork being shot-blasted prior to painting, and also that the steel work does not get wet (rain) between blasting and painting
• Blasting on site is expensive and creates blast overspray (the blast media), which can damage surrounding infrastructure

Lower environmental impact for the galvanized and powder coated solution:

• Site application systems suffer from contamination. Sprayed, brushed, or roller applied systems have spillages which enter the surrounding environment. Spray borne systems can travel a long distance in mildly windy conditions, affecting plants, humans, or building surfaces at long distances from the site
• Paint residues can enter the water system through ground contamination and subsequent rain fall carrying residues into watercourses. In marine sites, sea, river or loch contamination can be an issue