March/April 2024

Aluminium
SYSTEMS
A RAINBOW OF COLOUR OPTIONS
Grey is said to be the new black when it comes to aluminium windows and doors, but more
colours are available for those looking for further choice according to Andrew Cross,
Marketing Manager at Kestrel Aluminium Systems...
Once upon a time most domestic windows
and doors in the UK were either black or
white. These neutral colours fit with any
style of property and fabricators and installers
would offer them as standard, with customers
rarely suggesting, or perhaps even being aware
of, any other choices.
But times have changed and as aluminium
frames have become increasingly popular in the
UK compared to other materials, so have the
wider range of colours that aluminium frames
make easy to provide.
Grey has become the new black (or white) when
it comes to aluminium frames. This colour was
originally made popular by the huge influx of bi-fold
door installations we have seen in recent years,
as homeowners looked to improve their homes
and ‘bring the outdoors in’ to make the most of the
spring and summer sunshine. Then, once the grey
doors were in situ, homeowners began looking to
add grey windows so that everything would match
on the façade of their home.
Over-sold
Anthracite grey is the colour most often seen on
new window and door systems, but the market is
now starting to question whether this colour may
have been over-sold, with people looking for other
colour options to help their properties stand out
from the crowd.
There are, in fact, many different colours that
property owners can choose. One of the benefits
of aluminium as a material is that it is easy
to finish with any RAL colour that the specifier
chooses. RAL is a colour matching system that
defines colours for paints, coatings and plastics
dating back to 1927. The benefit of RAL colours
“Aluminium is easy
to finish with any
RAL colour that the
specifier chooses”
is that each colour is given a specific number,
which is then used by manufacturers to ensure
that every product they make using that number
will have an exact colour match. When it was first
invented there were 40 RAL colours available,
but there are now more than 200 classic RAL
colours in many different hues. Any one of them
can be used to powder-coat an aluminium door
or window section – you’re not just limited to
traditional neutral colours.
Through Kestrel’s in-house powder-coating
facility you can specify aluminium windows
and doors in any of these RAL colours. Pastel
Green (RAL 6019) and Sage Green (RAL 180 60
20), for example, are wonderful colour choices
for traditional properties, as are the pastel
yellow colours that you may have seen on more
traditional cottages. Kestrel can also provide
frames in any RAL with a typical lead time of
five working days, so there is no need to delay a
project while waiting for the windows.
Powder-coating provides a long-lasting finish
that helps protect the aluminium frames for
many years. It also creates a strong protective
barrier against damage, scratches and chips
and helps the metal remain rust free. While
untreated aluminium won’t rust, exposure to
oxygen can cause it to oxidise and form a chalklike
substance on the frame, which the powdercoating
will prevent by sealing the aluminium
away from the open air.
The coating is applied by spraying polyesterbased,
coloured powder onto the aluminium
section using an electrostatic charge to ensure
the powder adheres to the aluminium. Then, the
product is heated to melt the powder and ensure
a smooth coating that is chemically adhered to
the aluminium. Once the system cools down, the
process is complete.
Qualicoat approved
Kestrel Powder Coating, sister company to Kestrel
Aluminium, provides powder-coating to the
relevant quality standard (BS EN 12206) and was
recently awarded a Qualicoat license.
Qualicoat is a global quality label organisation
committed to maintaining the quality of
lacquering, painting and coating on aluminium
and its alloys for architectural applications.
Receiving a Qualicoat coating applicator approved
license shows that Kestrel’s state-of-the-art
powder-coating plant offers fantastic customer
service, and uses only the highest-grade
polyester powder paints.
Contact Kestrel Aluminium Systems:
0121 333 3575
www.kestrelaluminium.co.uk
18 T F MARCH / APRIL 2024 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN