The Environmentally Responsible Choice
3 Simple Steps to Achieving the Perfect Palate for Metal Interiors
1. Choose performance. So often when thinking about coatings we think only of color – that is what the eye sees after all. However, it’s worth deciding if you need any specific performance characteristics from your coating, - such as weathering, corrosion protection - before you get too far down the line.
There is a big difference in performance between interior and exterior coatings in terms of color and gloss retention or corrosion protection, even though they may look the same. Ensuring you have the right level of performance to start with will not only help your time line (and prevent you having to go back and rethink color if performance becomes an issue down the line), but also help you keep your budget on track. The different types of powder coatings vary in price, with an exterior coating costing more than an interior coating, and different chemistries offer different forms of protection. Need chemical resistance? What about basic UV durability? Let us know what you want the coating to do and we can make sure you get the right performance and the right color. Learn more about the different types of powder here.
2. Now let’s get colorful! Are you just looking for ideas in a couple of color types, e.g. light red or pink, or something more specific – there’s pink, and then there’s PINK! Or do you have a very specific shade in mind – perhaps you have an RAL or Pantone number, or perhaps a Benjamin Moore or liquid paint you’d like to match to? Or maybe your customer has a very specific brand palette you have to work with – and you need that palette in a variety of performance paints – some interior, and maybe even some areas where you’d like to continue the design, and branding, outside. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
We have thousands of colors already formulated and can send a sample palette of panels to get you started. If you have a specific shade in mind, all we need is a swatch and we can get working on a custom color match for you
3. Special effects. There are so many special effects to choose from the big and bold to the subtle and simple. Whether you want to change the gloss level (e.g. matte, satin, high gloss), add sparkles (silver shimmer, chunky gold), add texture (note, when we talk about texture in the coatings world we’re talking about real, tactile, texture that you can feel – like a soft sand or a heavier anti-skid – when you run your hand over it, as opposed to a coating that has ‘depth’ or a ‘multi-component or speckled’ effect), or go all out and look into multi-component, speckles, glow in the dark or even translucent coatings, you can add something subtle, or singing, to make the coating your own.
There are so many special effects to choose from that can add interest and depth without changing the overarching color. Need some inspiration? Ask for our effects collection, to get an idea of some of the special effects available, and have a quick chat with one of our Polychem design advisors who will quickly understand what you’re looking for and send you some options.