# Anodize vs Paint Finishes
**URL:** https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226
**Category:** Archive - Product Discussions #2
**Created:** [April 28, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226 "2004-04-28T15:50:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Anonymous](https://forum.4specs.com/u/Anonymous)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/21 "2004-05-24T17:49:24Z")
Coil painting, prepainted. Before it is shaped.
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### Author:  [@Unregistered\_Guest](https://forum.4specs.com/u/Unregistered_Guest)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2004, 10:22pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/22 "2004-05-24T22:22:35Z")
Better known, perhaps, as “coil coating”…
“Coil-coated” is a familiar industry term, but “coil-painted” is not; coil coating is for things that can be coiled - thin and flexible, such as sheet metal…
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### Author:  [@specman](https://forum.4specs.com/u/specman)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2004, 11:10pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/23 "2004-05-24T23:10:54Z")
I recommend visiting [Coil Coating Process │Automated │Coated Metal](http://www.coilcoating.org/process/). It explains the coil coating process.
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### Author:  [@woodr5678](https://forum.4specs.com/u/woodr5678)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2004, 1:37pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/24 "2004-05-26T13:37:01Z")
I know powder coat is an electrosatic application. Prior to powder coat applications, it was common for solvent-borne paints to be appilied by electrosatic (ESP) method. Are solvent-borne paints still electrostatically applied today?
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### Author:  [@bunzick](https://forum.4specs.com/u/bunzick)
#### Post date: [May 26, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/25 "2004-05-26T17:31:33Z")
Both are spray applications. The paint or powder is given an electrostatic charge as it leaves the gun so the droplets are attracted to and adhere to the substrate with more energy. Though I don’t know specifically, it would seem likely that solvent-borne systems are still done the same way.
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### Author:  [@Anonymous](https://forum.4specs.com/u/Anonymous)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/26 "2004-05-27T00:51:46Z")
Not exactly, John. Powder coating is a process where powder is propelled toward a metal substrate that is electrically charged. There are no droplets because there is no liquid involved. The powder that doesn’t stick is collected at the bottom of the chamber and reused. The charged, coated item is then conveyed into an oven where the powder is heated and melts to form the final coating.
There is a new powdercoat product for use with MDF substrates, but instead of being electrially charged, the MDF is first heated to a fairly high temp and the powder sticks to it, as I understand it.
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### Author:  [@bunzick](https://forum.4specs.com/u/bunzick)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2004, 12:37pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/27 "2004-05-27T12:37:58Z")
Anon: True, “droplet” was not the best term to choose to describe the form of the powder particles as they are propelled from the gun. I was trying to make the same point you did–thanks for the clarification. I believe there are processes now where powder coating can be applied to non-metal substates, too.
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### Author:  [@rjray](https://forum.4specs.com/u/rjray)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2004, 12:48pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/28 "2004-05-27T12:48:31Z")
A.W.P. Wood Products Inc. applies powder coat finishes to a material similar to hardboard. I have specified this process for finishing wood doors provided by demountable wall system manufactures in order to achieve a metallic look.
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### Author:  [@Don\_Samdahl](https://forum.4specs.com/u/Don_Samdahl)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2006, 7:43pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/29 "2006-01-06T19:43:15Z")
My wife and I are building a house which we want to have a glass wall 32’ wide and 14’ high. We envision a storefront or curtainwall style with each pane in the wall being about 2’x4’. We want the wall to be double paned, low e. We want the wall panes to be aluminum. We would like the aluminum to be a golden color. Would anodizing be a good way to go for this? Could anyone suggest a manufacturer for this type of product or point us in the right direction? Thanks.
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### Author:  [@rlmat](https://forum.4specs.com/u/rlmat)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2006, 12:01am UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/30 "2006-01-07T00:01:21Z")
Don,
First of all - in what part of the country are you located?
It also depends on whether you are on the coast or inland. Anodized aluminum has a tendency to pit if near the ocean.
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### Author:  [@wpegues](https://forum.4specs.com/u/wpegues)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/31 "2006-01-07T15:34:49Z")
Don,
Also, it depends upon how ‘golden’ you want the color to be. Anodizing is limited in range of color for the real durable finishes. There are some bronze tones that simulate various stages of statuary bronze (browns) the lighter of which might be in your direction.
Anything other than a brownish tone that tends to golden is going to be a process where they add color to the system. Unfortunately, exposure to direct sunlight these fade out over the years until you are left with the silver finish of natural anodized aluminum - which can look a bit strange as the parts not so exposed keep their color longer. But even interior, these colors do fade. We are talking only 3 to 5 years for an exterior application to be noticable in its fade.
There is also no field touchup of anodizing - though it is classified as a coating, it is really a time/temperature acid bath, with or without the dye. The only thing you can do is paint it.
The brown ‘bronze’ colors, if you go that way, don’t fade as it is not a dye. And if you get a good quality exterior grade version of the coating, it will last. One of the problems, especially in the coastal environments is that some manufacturers want to give you the lower quality finish telling you its not going to get a lot of abuse so you don’t need the heavier quality. Basically that is incorrect. Anything exterior or exposed to a lot of direct light, or that is in contact with being cleaned or touched, and anything in a coastal environment should be the heavier quality.
William
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### Author:  [@Davemetzger](https://forum.4specs.com/u/Davemetzger)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/32 "2006-01-08T19:38:35Z")
Another consideration that hasn’t been discussed above is uniformity and consistency of appearance.
Paint coatings will have a uniform appearance, when properly applied.
Anodizing, however, can be non-uniform, and this is inherent in the process. This is usually not an issue with stick shapes such as framing for windows, storefront, entrances, curtainwall, and skylights. But it can be noticeable for wider forms such as wall panels and spandrels, especially in the bronze color ranges. This is less an issue with clear anodized and even black anodized, though even there the appearance is not as consistent as with painting.
Also, again in particular for the bronze anodized color ranges, is the difference in appearance between different batches. About 25 years ago, we had a project with light bronze anodized storefront, skylights, and flashings, each from a different manufacturer, and ended up with 3 different appearances. All were within the “light bronze” range, but the anodizing process cannot be controlled like the formulation of paint colors can.
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### Author:  [@bunzick](https://forum.4specs.com/u/bunzick)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/33 "2006-01-09T13:51:04Z")
Good point, Dave. Along the same theme, I have specified PVDF-painted products from different manufacturers, but required each of them to use the same paint manufacturer and color. One needs to verify during reseach that they each are willing to use the desired manufacturer, but for a reasonably sized job, this may not be a problem.
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### Author:  [@awhitacre](https://forum.4specs.com/u/awhitacre)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2006, 5:37pm UTC](https://forum.4specs.com/t/anodize-vs-paint-finishes/226/34 "2006-01-09T17:37:18Z")
anodizing actually ages – how I interpret that is that over time, a series of anodized panels will each turn a slightly different color, providing some variation to the surface. we have two buildings in Seattle that were both constructed about 20 years ago. One was of clear anodized panels, the other was silver PVDF panels. The anodized panels have an interesting variation to them; the painted panels all look exactly the same, except that they have gotten rather “flat” looking as the gloss has dissipated. I think the anodizing is more interesting, and oddly enough it seems more “natural” to me.
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