Can anyone explain what a polychrome finish is? A contractor has proposed combining fluoro-polymer finish for the external surfaces and polychrome finish for the internal surfaces. I don’t know what polychrome is?
I think of polychrome as Polomyx, Zolatone or similar product. I’m not sure how or why you’d do that on fenestration (which I’m assuming you mean.) Split finishes for fenestration are more likely to have a polyester or acrylic (in a solid color) on the interior, in my experience.
Why not try asking the contractor? After all, they are the ones proposing it. They should know what they are talking about.
If by chance they don’t know what they are talking about, they should be able to connect you with a manufacturer / supplier / fabricator / etc. that does. If not, I don’t think they are very serious about their proposal. Stop wasting your fee by doing the research and make them earn theirs by providing the research to you.
I’m looking for the like button, SRSLY.
Too often the design team (including me) assumes that crazy proposals from the GC have some basis in reality/availability. They don’t always.
SRSLY
The Contractor is being a prick, its a French Contractor whose recent claim to fame is completing the Dodge Island tunnel in Miami, now they want to build a large shopping mall…god help us all.
BTW, all this work is being invoiced as an additional service…most contractors are lazy, they would much prefer the architect or specwriter to do the research.
So what does SRSLY stand for besides SERIOUSLY? very unoriginal.
Liz, the request came from very high up the food chain on this job which I started specs on in 2006, it has changed development and construction teams three times…I think this question is valid, but since I hammered my crystal ball after my last crazy job, I thought I’d ask my colleagues here.
The contractor is Bouygues Construction. Anyone ever work with this firm?
I fail to see how the contractor’s nationality is relevant to the discussion. Unless polychrome is French and then they would be more qualified (becasue of the being French part) than those of us who aren’t French to answer.
They obviously have an idea of what polychrome is, otherwise they wouldn’t have proposed it. So why not ask them what they mean by it? It seems like the most effective way to get your answer.
Then when you get the answer, be sure to post what it is here. I’m just as curious as you are to find out.
P.s.: Would you believe me if I said it stands for “Spec Right, Spec Light, Ye-haw”? I believe it was on the brainstorming list when CSI adopted the 4 C’s.
Giddy-up!
Spec Right, Spec Light, Ye-haw
Seriously!
My friend and fellow specwriter Tommy Mejia came up with this link: http://www.tapeandlabel.com/index.php/graphic-films/polychrome-polish and this may be what they are referencing, since you can get a high shine chrome finish - The architect directed my query back to the contractor and I am supposed to hear back tomorrow. So I will post it, meanwhile none of the glazing consultants I reached out to had a response.
Thanks, Jerome. Just shows what happens when one relies too much on etymology (or at least presumed etymology). One might think, as mentioned above, that a finish combining many (poly) colors (chrome) was meant. Instead, according to the website, it’s a bright, high-shine, chrome-like finish available in “unlimited colors” on some kind of polymer film, in a highly polished finish (no extra charge for the pun…). And just to set us straight, at the outset it is referred to as a “Polish” finish. NOT French.
I would be terrified to use a film as a permanent means of coating interior mullions.
There are numerous polychromatic paints and coatings. As far as I know, many were developed for the automobile and signage industries. They are available in many different levels so, without qualifiers, the term is pretty much useless. It’s like saying that they use polymer technology without telling you either the polymer or the technology.
If money is the issue, perhaps you can suggest the use of an AAMA 2603 coating? I presume you want this to be shop-applied so a powder coat acrylic or polyester might work well. That way you can at least count on some level of quality control with an industry standard system.
I presume they don’t really know what they’re suggesting. It’s probably something they heard in passing and latched on to it. If they knew what they were talking about, they may have given you better information to start with.
Good luck my friend.
Well Ken, I don’t know if it is a film or not, one of my colleagues came up with that, neither the architect nor the contractor has yet to confirm what polychrome is. I have been promised an answer later today.
Not sure what “polychrome” is either, but as a rule of thumb, I avoided specifying products that sounded like they belonged in a Harry Potter book. Heavy on the magic, light on the facts.
Bouygues Construction is one of the largest contractors in the world, with annual revenues of 42 billion dollars. There are not many others larger than that.
The link to the polychrome film Jerome posted is for a graphic film. However, there are methods of applying images and designs to “stuff” that are not aimed at the graphics market (which arguably may not be intended for as long a life as a building product). Some use a film as an application method for ink/paint. I would not dismiss films out-of-hand without assessing the particulars.
Jerome, is this the same project as the one you posted a question about using different coatings interior to exterior?
http://discus.4specs.com/discus/messages/24/7313.html?1408586365
If so, were you able to get a split system, or can the fabricator do this on a single extrusion?
Anon, different job, this job is a curtain wall system, so the only real exterior extrusion is the pressure plate, the remainder of the extrusion is interior, the glass is insulated. It does appear the Building Owner wants a bright chrome finish on the interior, but I am still waiting for further explanation of “polychrome”.
The architect has advised that they believe the contractor mistakenly asked for Polychrome when they should have asked for Polycron, a PPG polyester paint finish. I thank all the responses and am proceeding with specifying the curtain wall finish as Polycron on the inside facing surfaces and Duranar on the outside facing surfaces.
Are you kidding? Wow!
Does this mean that we shouldn’t take at face value whatever a contractor proposes? My world is shattered.