Put... colour on your aluminium frames!

A variety of options for all tastes.

Alumil Team

Updated 05/09/2022

5’ read

Choosing aluminium frames for our home is a multifaceted process, as we have to take into account various factors and characteristics for the product we will buy. Such a feature, which is one of the most important in relation to the aesthetic aspect of a frame, is its colour.

Aluminium is a material that can undergo many treatments in relation to its painting process. As a result, we have a multitude of colour options, among which you are sure to find the one that suits you.

The process for colouring aluminium includes 4 different types. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can choose the one that suits you best:

Electrostatic Painting

With electrostatic painting, the aluminium profile, after first being cleaned, is sprayed with the so-called powder that contains colour. Then, the coloured powder is baked and in this way it "binds" the paint and completes the colouring of the profile.

Through this process, a huge range of options is offered, both in terms of colour and textures (glossy, matt or grained). Electrostatic painting also protects aluminium from environmental conditions that can potentially damage it. In coastal areas, in order to ensure effective protection from salt, it is important that the following standards are followed when processing aluminium profiles GSB, Qualicoat and Seaside Class, which reinforce them against filiform corrosion. It should be noted, however, that in many cases the pre-anodising surface treatment (see below) is recommended for even greater protection.

Electrostatic painting also offers gloss and colour stability, as well as resistance to impact, abrasion or scratches. There are 3 classes for electrostatic paint powders, categorised according to the internationally recognised Florida Test. The higher the class, the higher the durability that the colour of our frames will show over the years.

Anodising

You've probably heard the term anodising, but you're not sure exactly what it offers. Anodizing is an electrochemical process which enhances the strength of the aluminium profile and colours it.

To better understand the process, think of large liquid-filled surfaces (called "baths") into which the aluminium profile is immersed. Through anodising, the pores of the aluminium surface are opened and a layer (oxide) is artificially created, which now protects the surface, making the metal powerful against wear and corrosion. So this outer layer that is painted, binds and becomes part of the metal and is not just paint applied to the surface.

The main advantages of this process are the lifetime retention of the original colour, the hardness and the anti-corrosive surface of the profile. The colour options are fewer compared to those of electrostatic painting, but they are enough to cover a wide range of needs. Finally, the anodising method, shields the aluminium systems in such a way that it is ideal for areas with intense weather conditions, whether we are talking about rainfall, snowfall and winds, or coastal areas with high UV radiation and intense salt concentration.

Pre-anodising

There is a method that combines the positive aspects of electrostatic painting with those of anodising, while producing an excellent final result. This is highly efficient surface processing, as the aluminium profile undergoes a special anodising treatment and is then painted with the coloured powder of electrostatic painting.

After this process, the aluminium profile is "sealed" and can now retain its colour and texture under adverse conditions. This high quality processing shields it and offers great protection against corrosion. Therefore, in areas with harsh conditions for our windows, pre-anodising is recommended as a leading paint method that will add many years of life to them.

It is worth noting that one of the advantages of pre-anodising is that we can have the variety of colours that electrostatic painting provides. We can choose the colour of our aluminium frames from a truly vast colour palette.

Sublimation

If you love wooden surfaces, but want the functionality and durability that aluminium offers, sublimation is the right solution for you.

Sublimation is a wood imitation technique, which gives us the freedom to choose from a variety of shades and textures. This method has an excellent final aesthetic result and provides durability to the aluminium profile, given that highly resistant powders are used for sublimation, which help to maintain the gloss and the shade of the frame.

The sublimation treatment is extremely popular in cases of houses in the countryside, where the wood shade gives a sense of warmth and blends with the external environment, as well as in traditional villages, where the pre-existing aesthetics are preserved, combined with the excellent performance and durability of aluminium.

What should I choose?

There is no right and wrong answer as to which painting method for aluminium frames is best. As we have seen, each one has its own characteristics and they all give us a wide range of colours to choose from.

What you need to do before you make your final decision is to evaluate the needs of your space, the location in which it is located and your personal preferences, coming up with the method that best suits you.

Because, apart from enhancing durability over time, which the 4 painting techniques we have analysed offer, there is always the value of the aesthetic result, so do not hesitate to add to the equation what image you want to look at when you wake up in the morning, and see your frames. Choose with both your mind and your heart and...put colour in your frames!