Aluminum profiles can be treated with a wide range of coatings wherever additional surface protection or an enhanced appearance is desired. Common finishes include liquid paint, powder coat, and anodized finishes. Wherever it is desirable to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds, powder-coat finishes are available with little or no use of solvents. Anodized aluminum profiles retain their metallic luster while accepting durable and vibrant color through an electro-chemical process. Pigments provide characteristics such as color, opacity, and gloss.
Solvents maintain the coating in a liquid state and influence application.
Some liquid coatings also contain other additives. Taken together, the pigment and binder form the solids components of the coatings formulation. One way of classifying liquid coatings is based on the amount of volume solids they contain. The volume solids form the actual coating left on the profile after the solvents have evaporated. This table is a cursory comparison of some of the common elements of the referenced specifications.