Colours and Finishes

All products can be supplied in either mill finish aluminium or coated in a wide variety of colours and finishes using a polyester powder coating (PPC) process.

What is Mill Finish?

Mill finish is the natural appearance of the aluminium after extrusion and before any coatings are applied. Mill finish copings will have a semi-dull/semi-reflective finish.

What is Polyester Powder Coating?

This is a type of dry coating which is an alternative to conventional liquid paint. It is applied electrostatically and then left under heat to let it form a protective ‘skin’, producing a tough, even finish which gives long-term weatherproof protection.

Polyester Powder Coating (PPC) – The facts about fire

Aluminium does not burn and is classified under BS476-4 as a non-combustible building material.

Mill finish and Anodised finish are rated A1.

When Aluminium goods are Polyester Powder Coated (PPC) they are then rated…

• BS476-6, Class 0 – Fire propagation
• BS476-7, Class 1 – surface spread of flame
• EN13501-1, A2 – s1, d0

Therefore our Aluminium products fully conform with the approved Document B and can be used on any part of a building without limitation.

Find out more: Guidance Note  N°. 6 – PPC and the facts about fire

Costs of Polyester Powder Coating

Some of the colours shown will be available at our standard charges, some may incur extra cost. Metallics, anodising effect coating and stone effect coating are often more expensive. The quantity of materials to be coated also influences the cost as small batches of special colours are expensive.

Marine & Industrial Environments

The PPC finish in coastal areas (generally within 500m of high water mark) need to be marine standard PPC. Areas with harsh industrial pollution also need special consideration. Please contact us to confirm prior to placing orders for advice. Extra charges may apply.

PPC Levels

Architectural grade PPC is available in three gloss levels:

• Matt 30%
• Satin 60%
• Gloss 80%

Generally most architectural finishes are matt (30%). The reduced gloss level helps to hide any of the undulations to the flatness of the material.

Unless otherwise specified Guttercrest recommend and use PPC Matt (30%).

Colour Matching & Special Finishes

We can obtain a huge range of special colours and finishes, such as metallic, textured, stone and anodised effect. We can also closely match other material textures, colours and finishes to meet project requirements. Availability and cost will vary depending on quantity and colour. Please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Heritage Range

Guttercrest’s Heritage Range gives the product a textured, painted finish resulting in a cast-iron look. The perfect choice to replace original cast iron gutters for a low maintenance alternative without losing the character.

Stone Effect Colours

Ali-Fabs can match and source stone effect finishes that allow the aluminium to blend in with brick and stonework. Only a small sample is required to find a specific shade and finish for your project. We have developed our own stone effect colours to closely match the most popular stone finishes used.

• Lightweight alternative to stone
• Long term weather resistance
• Low maintenance
• Wide choice of colours

Anodised Effect Colours

These attractive matt and metallic effect finishes provide a great alternative to anodised aluminium. Anodised effect colours use ultra-durable polyester technology to give a long service life.

• Easy repair of coating damage during installation
• Proven long-term resistance to weathering
• Minimal environmental impact

Anodising

We offer an anodised finish to our aluminium rainwater goods on request.

• Long lasting colour with no fading
• Authentic metal look and feel
• Corrosion resistant

Coating and Application Specifications

For the PPC finish to be durable and colour fast and external grade architectural powder should be used, conforming to BE 6596: 1984. This should be applied in accordance with BS EN 12206-1:2004.

Please be aware: colour charts are provided as a guide only. The colour samples provided should not be considered as a full accurate depiction of the BS or RAL colours. Colour difference is due to variations between computer monitor settings, software and browser used. We would always recommend requesting a live sample of our powder coating and to view them in different lighting before making a final choice on colour.

Colour Range

We have compiled this colout chart to assist you in selecting a colour for your property. The charts are indicative and may not reflect the true colour. RAL Colours are now the most commonly used for Architectural Polyester Powder Coatings (PPC).