A positive alternative to hardwood.
Project Overview:
The main offices of Powdertech (Bicester) Limited were refurbished and updated with a bright and open entrance lobby including a curved staircase to the first floor and minstrel's gallery. A wooden handrail along the curved staircase, and across the gallery would give the desired contemporary natural look but would have been very expensive.
The Solution
This was an ideal opportunity to showcase Powdertech Wood Finish (PWF), a powder coating designed by Powdertech to replicate the warmth and texture of natural wood. The handrails were constructed in mild steel and finished in PWF, Western Red Cedar shade. The finish was so successful and well received that it was also used outside to coat metal parking posts.
Benefits
- Because the handrails were constructed in steel rather than wood the tight and broad curves were easier to fabricate and to mould seamlessly with the straight sections and brackets. They were also less expensive than to make in solid wood.
- PWF is a durable tough coating with good abrasion resistance. The rails have been in constant use for over 7 years now but still look as good as on the day they were installed.
- PWF is a flexible coating - metal coated with PWF can be post-formed, cut and fabricated.
- PWF has variation in colour, grain density and grain pattern to replicate the variation that would be expected in wood. There are over 60 shades of PWF and the finish can be closely matched to existing wood features.
- PWF is low maintenance and can easily be cleaned by wiping over with a cloth.
