How long will the finish last?

5-7 years is the typical expected service life when the specification matches the substrate. We confirm the expectation in writing per scheme.

Can you match an existing RAL?

Yes. We sample on site, send a card for sign-off if needed, and apply the matched system.

Can the work happen while the unit is trading?

Yes. Most schemes are delivered phased around live trading with extended masking and overnight cuts where needed.

Do you protect the glazing?

Glazing, gaskets, ironmongery and signage are masked before primer. Glass is checked at demask.

What if the substrate is damaged?

We flag substrate failure at survey. If a frame needs replacing, we tell you at that point, not after the work starts.

Powder-coated aluminium frame restored to a matched RAL finish. A Star Decorators

Powder-coated frame restoration · UK commercial

Bring a faded powder-coated finish back to a matched RAL, on site.

Faded shopfronts, curtain walls and entrance frames recovered to a matched RAL finish on site, around live trading. 5-7 year expected service life. No removal. No reglazing.

Request a site survey Call 077 6178 1304

RAL/BS

Matched on site

5-7 yrs

Expected service life

No removal

Works around trading

CHAS

Accredited delivery

01 / service

When the finish is gone but the frame is sound. Restore it rather than replace it.

Frames are faded but structurally sound.
Replacement is capital-intensive, planning-restricted or both.
Brand colour needs to be consistent across an estate and replacement won't happen fast enough.
The unit has to keep trading while the works are done.

02 / the finish

Why a powder-coated finish goes, and what it takes to recover it.

Powder coat degrades from the outside in. Recovered correctly with a two-pack system, it holds for years. Done badly, it fails within a season. The specification is the whole job.

UV chalking

South and west-facing elevations chalk and lose colour depth as UV breaks down the original powder coat.

Adhesion loss

A topcoat applied without a tie-coat over light abrasion peels. We adhesion-test the existing coat before committing.

Colour mismatch

An eyeballed colour ages differently across an estate. We identify the RAL via Pantone bridge or direct match, signed off before application.

Wrong film build

Too thin and it won't last. Too heavy and it sags. The matched topcoat goes on at a controlled 60-80 µm dry film.

03 / process

A structured process, not guesswork.

01 · Survey
Frame-by-frame walk. Gloss-meter reading on a clean reference area, RAL identification via Pantone bridge or direct match, adhesion test on the existing powder coat. Restoration only goes ahead if the substrate holds.
02 · Specification
PPG / AkzoNobel two-pack tie-coat over light abrasion, matched RAL topcoat at 60-80 µm dry film. Service-life expectation written into the spec, not implied.
03 · RAMS
Masking method for glazing, gaskets and signage. Spray containment where the frame is on a public route. COSHH for tie-coat solvents.
04 · Delivery
Prepare, mask, prime, apply, demask: the same shift where access permits. Glazing checked at demask, adjacent finishes wiped before public reopening.
05 · Handover
Before/after photo record, gloss reading on completed work, written service-life note (5-7 years on a sound substrate).

04 / sectors

Frame restoration where faded aluminium is pulling the building down.

Retail & shopfronts

Entrance frames, shopfront sections, mullions and shutters recovered around live trading. No closure, matched colour, done the same shift where access allows.

Offices & commercial

Curtain-wall and entrance frames brought back to a consistent corporate colour, without a re-clad programme.

Hospitality & heritage

Hotel and listed-building metalwork restored to the original finish, matched and signed off before application.

Education & public

Schools, universities and public buildings where a capital replacement programme isn't justified but the frames still matter.

Scope · included

On-site preparation and decontamination
Masking of glazing, gaskets and ironmongery
Matched RAL or BS finish at the correct dry film
Service-life expectation issued in writing
Before / after photo record per elevation

Scope · not included

Reglazing and gasket replacement
Structural frame repair
New manufacture

Recent work

Powder-coated frame restoration · London

Faded aluminium frames recovered to a matched RAL on a live commercial frontage. Surveyed, adhesion-tested and resprayed in position with glazing masked throughout and the finish handed over with a written service-life note.

Frequently asked

Answers before the survey, not after the quote.

How long will the finish last?: 5-7 years is the typical expected service life when the specification matches the substrate. We confirm the expectation in writing per scheme.
Can you match an existing RAL?: Yes. We sample on site, send a card for sign-off if needed, and apply the matched system.
Can the work happen while the unit is trading?: Yes. Most schemes are delivered phased around live trading with extended masking and overnight cuts where needed.
Do you protect the glazing?: Glazing, gaskets, ironmongery and signage are masked before primer. Glass is checked at demask.
What if the substrate is damaged?: We flag substrate failure at survey. If a frame needs replacing, we tell you at that point, not after the work starts.

Request a site survey

Tell us about the frames.

Photos of the frames, the location and your target RAL or existing colour. We typically reply within one working day with a site-survey window.

077 6178 1304 · mobile office@astardecorators.com