What is a Coil Coating Print?

Pre-painted metal prints are the result of the coil coating process that involves layered inking to create a distinctive decorative finish on the metal substrate.

What is pre-painted metal?

Pre-painted metal, or coil-coated metal, is a term often used by coil manufacturers, architects, engineers and designers to describe metal substrates, such as steel and aluminum that have been coated or painted with a protective and sometimes decorative finish through the coil coating process.

For metal products, such as pre-painted steel, the metal substrate is painted with coil coatings engineered to meet particular end-use requirements and specifications. The general performance characteristics of the selected metal substrate helps guide coating selection, including surface topography, yield, tensile and elongation (YTE).

The trend toward pre-painted metal continues to grow as manufacturers embrace the many advantages it provides. Pre-painted metal allows design freedom, combining form with function. Almost any color, pattern or texture can be applied to a range of metal substrates, offering a variety of finished aesthetics.

What is a coil-coated print?

Pre-painted metal prints, or coil-coated prints, are the result of the coil coating process that involves layered inking to create a distinctive decorative finish on the metal substrate. Metal prints and metal patterns, such as faux finish wood grain, patina, stone, Corten steel or weathered rust, are popular examples. As uses for pre-painted metal have diversified throughout the last few decades, coil-coated prints are a popular alternative to substrates such as wood and stone because they can achieve a combination of desired aesthetics and exceptional durability.

Pre-painted coil prints are commonly used in building and architectural applications such as wall panels, roofing and garage doors, but they also appear on appliances and specialty applications like pool liners and metal storage shacks. The coatings or “ink” used to produce the metal pattern finish are engineered for weathering and longevity, enabling pre-painted coil prints to maintain their visual appeal and structural integrity for years. This is one reason why product manufacturers and specifiers may prefer the use of metal products over real wood or stone. Another reason is cost, as metal can often be a more affordable option than other substrates.

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Coil Coatings Prints

Inspirational Images

Freight Yard

Georgia Southern Health

Residential Garage Door

Woodgrain close-up

Woodgrain wall panels

What application methods are used to achieve pre-painted coil prints?

There are two main methods of pre-painted coil print application: rotogravure and flexographic. Both involve a base coat followed by subsequent “ink coats” (coatings) that stamp or engrave the chosen design.

Rotogravure printing, or gravure for short, uses a rotary printing press, applying ink directly to the coil using a metal plate and printing cylinder that rotates in an ink pan. Flexographic printing uses an engraved elastomer image carrier to transfer ink from a printing plate onto a substrate. Both methods can use a combination of base coat, print coat(s) and top or clear coats.

While these techniques are engineered to achieve coil-coated prints, choosing the right application method largely depends on the individual project, taking substrate, end use and a variety of other factors into consideration.

What Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings products should be used for pre-painted coil prints?

Pre-painted coil prints applied to metal building and architectural products, coating systems that use 70% PVDF are well-equipped to provide exceptional protection. Sherwin-Williams Fluropon® offer best-in-class performance for metal applications such as wall panel systems and metal roofing, and are available in unlimited colors and effects. They are engineered to deliver extreme durability to keep metal print designs looking new for decades.

To see how Fluropon was used on a commercial building project to produce a weathered look, check out this case study about the Freight Yard – a shipping contained-inspired design by Conn Architects.

The chart below lists the various additional technologies (and their performance ratings) that can be used for pre-painted coil prints.

3-Coat Print System

4-Coat Print System

Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings for Pre-Painted Coil Prints
	Best: Fluropon® and Illumipon™	Better: Fluroprime®	Good: PolyPREMIER™
Roofing	✓
Wall Panels	✓
Soffits		✓
Fascias		✓
Gutters			✓
Garage Doors			✓
Entry Doors			✓

What types of metal pattern finishes are achievable?

As the demand for coil-coated metal pattern finishes rises, the design possibilities also expand. With limitless color and print combinations, there are creative solutions for any project across all markets that use coil coatings. Today, some of the most popular decorative finishes made possible through the coil coating print process include: