Top Finish Systems
Shelter-Rite® Architectural Fabrics
Seaman Corporation offers three different top finish options on architectural fabrics. The use of top finish is to improve the general appearance and cleanability of the material. The best top finish systems (such the one used on Shelter-Rite Brite with Kynar) are essentially self-cleaning and can extend the life of the material by improving the UV resistance of the finished product.
What causes a structure to get dirty?
Many coated fabrics use an exterior coating compound that contains liquid modifiers. These are necessary in order to make the material flexible. Over time, small amounts of these modifiers will migrate to the surface of the material. UV light, high temperatures and environmental pollutants accelerate this migration. As these come to the surface the material becomes "sticky", causing dirt and airborne pollutants to be attracted to the material.
How does the top finish work?
Top finish systems are applied to the coated fabric to provide a thin barrier layer of material to the exterior surface. This barrier layer minimizes the migration (discussed above) and provides a hard surface that sheds dirt. The effectiveness and longevity of the top finish system depends on the chemical make-up of the top finish and the thickness of the barrier layer applied to the surface. Most solution-coated top finishes are formulated using clear acrylic resins as the major polymer, including weldable PVDF finishes, and are applied at a thickness ranging from .1 mil to .4 mil. Shelter-Rite Brite has Kynar bonded to the exterior coating compound at a thickness ranging from 1.0 mil to 1.5 mil. Kynar is a proprietary formulation that has a history of long-term performance.
