When installing a metal roof, an architectural company has to make sure that the materials that it uses are able to withstand the elements and meet the builders’ long-term expectations. That’s why steel substrates and metal coatings are important to research in order to make informed decisions and ensure quality performance.
Substrates
A substrate is the surface where a coating is applied. Galvanized and Galvalume steel coatings are the most popular choices for metal roofs. Both materials are coated with zinc, while Galvalume is coated with aluminum as well.
Galvanized substances are abbreviated to terms like G100 and G60. The number signifies how much zinc is contained in every square foot of substrate. G100 contains one ounce, while G60 contains .6 ounces, and so on. The greater the amount of zinc, the more effective the surface will be to resist damage.
Metal Coatings
Architectural coatings is the largest subcategory within the paint industry, outnumbering even consumer paints. In fact, these coatings make up more than half of the total coatings produced annually in the United States. More than 720 million gallons of architectural coatings were shipped in 2014 with a total value of $10.6 billion.
Metal coatings are the part of the structure that will actually be exposed to acid rain, UV rays, dirt, wind, etc., and therefore subject to corrosion and wear. By covering metal roofs with wear-resistant coatings, the builder is able to minimize the damage that would otherwise be caused by the surrounding elements.
Like substrates, metal coatings can also be galvanized. A G40 coating is made up of about 99% pure zinc, and is usually applied using a hot-dipped process.
Different types of coating equipment offer different levels of effectiveness, whether you’re applying hard chrome coatings, thermal coatings, or innovative DLC coatings. DLC stands for diamond-like carbon, and, as the name suggests, is a composite of diamond and metal that produces the hardest abrasion resistant coatings on the market today.
Multiple layers comprise the DLC coatings, resulting in much thicker coverage without any pores that would otherwise make them prone to oxidation and corrosion. The diamond qualities of the coatings also make them super resistant to high-velocity impacts (like hail, for example), as well as the routine scratches and damages that come from normal wear and tear.