Bringing Color to PVDF Coatings with Powerful Pigments
Innovation is key when it comes to PVDF architectural coatings.
From enhancing durability, to pushing the boundaries of colors, high-performance coatings have redefined the standard for what’s possible with metal architecture.
PVDF coatings are a combination of resins, pigments, solvents and additives—but pigments are the ingredient that brings life to coatings with color and visual effects.
Types of Pigments in PVDF Coatings: Organic, Inorganic and Effects
Coating formulas for metal building products include a variety of pigment types, such as inorganic, organic and pearlescent or metalescent.
- Organic Pigments: These offer a wide range of color options, but they tend to succumb to the elements more quickly than their inorganic counterparts.
- Inorganic Pigments: These types of pigments are typically used for natural color palettes and earth tones. While inorganic pigments have a limited range of bright colors, their formulations are more stable to light and heat, and they don’t bleed.
- Effects Pigments: At the forefront of innovation in metal coatings are effects such as pearlescent, color-shifting and high-sparkle pigments. These special types of pigments add depth, color-shifts, sparkle and special effects to coatings, by using minuscule flakes of aluminum, natural mica or synthetic mica-like material.
When technicians create unique formulas with pigments selected for a specific project, powerful innovation takes shape for PVDF paints.
Solar Reflective Pigments in PVDF Architectural Coatings
Solar reflective coatings use pigments that reflect infrared radiation while still absorbing the same amount of visible light from the sun.
This is especially useful in cities where the Heat Island Effect is common. This effect causes indoor temperatures to rise because infrared light penetrates the roof and exterior of buildings. It can be magnified in areas where smog, asphalt and a lack of vegetation are common, causing an unnecessary rise in energy and HVAC costs for building owners.
Through the use of these solar reflective pigments, manufacturers have created coatings that stay cooler than non-reflective ones. Solar reflective coatings help lower energy costs without sacrificing durability, performance or aesthetic.
Pigments Add Lasting Color to Coil and Extrusion Coatings
Pigments for architectural coatings need to be high-quality products and offer premium durability. To ensure these pigment formulations live up to expectations, Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings places performance above all else.
Our expert lab technicians are diligent about selecting the best pigments for any project at hand, providing products that meet performance and color standards.
Whether we’re testing coating formulas against ultraviolet rays, salt spray or humidity, our process for real-world and accelerated testing demonstrates the longevity of PVDF coatings, and the pigments that add color to them.
With so many important end-result features to consider, we know why selecting the right pigments is essential for every project. No matter what goals you’re trying to achieve, advances in pigment technology and coating formulation continue to expand what’s possible.
At Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings, our job is to bring your vision to life—and make sure it remains beautiful for years to come.
Explore more than 50,000 color options in our online color library.