Building Color Guide

Coatings

Metal building coatings are specialized mixtures of different ingredients that provide superior resistance to chalking, fading, chipping and cracking during the lifetime of the structure. When choosing the right type of finish for your roof and wall panels there are a few specific things to take into consideration. First being the location and type of weather conditions in the area where the building will be erected and second the budget concerns for the project. Most companies will use a standard paint (silicon modified polyester) on all materials which is typically plenty of protection for all users. However, several different options are available and the team at FMP Steel Buildings specializes in all coatings for metal buildings and can provide you the type of knowledge and direction that will make choosing your finish simple and easy.

GALVALUME finish is typically applied to roof panels where the roof will be less visible and has a low pitch. This is a standard panel finish that provides protection from rust but lacks any color definition. These panels remain steel colored. It is a combination of galvanized panels with an aluminum coating and the aluminum coating is what gives it a 20 yr warranty against rust.

SILICON POLYESTER is the most common type of paint finish applied to the steel coils prior to shipping. This paint offers superior color performance and excellent protection the elements. This is baked on enamel 2 coat finish with the first coat being a primer and the second the actual color choice you’ve selected. This paint application typically comes with a 25 year manufacturers warranty which is more than sufficient due to the quality of the paints.

KYNAR finishes on a building are a high-end upgrade you can get for your panels. This paint comes with an up charge and mixes ceramic particles with the paint to add to the durability of the mixture. Typically government buildings and high-end retail shops will utilize this type of paint. Extreme altitudes, acid rain, high humidity and coastal areas due to salt waters can be factors which may warrant consideration for this type of paint.

In pre-manufactured steel, paint is applied to entire coils of steel which come in 10,000 square foot rolls. Factories keep standard color stock around because they are the most common type of color requests from customers. This helps keep your cost down on the actual panels. Custom color selections are an option however but the buyer must be aware that they will be purchasing entire coils… not individual sheets. The best way to match existing colors is to provide paint samples prior to purchasing so the color can be matched.

In closing, it is important to talk to your building representative about the finish that best fits your individual needs. Silicone polyester is still the number one choice by customers due to its superior performance and inexpensive hit on the wallet. Once the building is installed, you want it to look like new for years to come!

Colors

There are the standard 25-year warranty paint selections which are standard in the industry and are baked on enamel (SMP) Silicon Modified Polyester. There are companies that will claim their paints have a warranty of 30 years which is available, but it must be what is called a KYNAR finish. If the company will not put in writing that you are getting a KYNAR finish and/or offering a 35-50 yr paint then those companies are just counting on the fact you won’t be around to make a claim on the warranty and are not being honest.

The actual paint manufacturers themselves (like Dupont) only offer 25 years in SMP and 30 years in KYNAR all the rest are sales gimmicks or warranties that have no value in the end. Light Stone, Polar White, Ash Gray and Saddle Tan also come in 5 and 10-year warranties, so if you are being told to pick from those colors only, chances are they are pushing you to a paint that cost them less.

Please don’t hesitate to call our team to help you with any of your steel building needs. We can help you design and purchase a building that’s right for you.