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Single-Storey Frames, Shells and Lightweight Coverings 215<br />

Profiled steel sheeting fixed over<br />

insulation to roof purlins<br />

Zed purlin<br />

Insulation<br />

Figure 4.49 Cladding.<br />

rosion of the zinc, the erosive effect of wind and rain, and some degree of protection to<br />

damage during handling, fixing and in use. Colour is applied to the coated steel sheets by<br />

the addition of pigment to the coating material. There will be loss of colour, which tends<br />

not to be uniform over the whole sheet, especially on south-facing slopes over time. This<br />

spoils the appearance of the building, and cladding sheets may need to be replaced long<br />

before there is any danger of corrosion of the steel sheet. Light colours tend to exhibit better<br />

colour retention than darker colours. Four organic coatings are available, as described<br />

further.<br />

Polyvinyl chloride coatings<br />

This is the cheapest and most used of the organic plastic coatings (known as ‘plastisol’).<br />

The comparatively thick (200 μm) coating that is applied over the zinc coating provides<br />

good resistance to normal weathering agents. The material is ultraviolet stabilised to retard<br />

the degradation by ultraviolet light and the inevitable loss of colour. The durability of the<br />

coating is good as a protection for the zinc coating below, but the life expectancy of colour<br />

retention is between 10 and 20 years. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is an economic, tough,<br />

durable, scratch-resistant coating but has poor colour retention.<br />

Acrylic-polymethyl methacrylate<br />

This organic plastic is applied with heat under pressure as a laminate to galvanised zinc<br />

steel strip to a thickness of 75 μm. It forms a tough finish with high strength, good impact<br />

resistance and good resistance to damage in handling, fixing and in use. It has excellent<br />

chemical resistance and its good resistance to ultraviolet radiation gives a life expectancy<br />

of colour retention of up to 20 years. The hard smooth finish of this coating is particularly<br />

free from dirt staining. It costs about twice as much as PVC coatings [unplasticated polyvinyl<br />

chloride (uPVC)].

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