The Growing Importance of Performance-Led Finishes
With environmental pressures on the rise, high-rise developments are placing greater emphasis on long-lasting, low-maintenance outdoor systems.
Nowhere is this more evident than in coastal and highly exposed environments, where materials are pushed beyond typical conditions. The challenge faced by specifiers and developers is clear – how to ensure a deck system not only looks good on completion, but continues to perform years down the line? The answer could be something that’s easy to overlook – the coating specification.
What Makes Coastal Environments so Challenging?
Coastal locations introduce a unique combination of stress factors that accelerate material degradation:
- Salt-laden air that poses a corrosion risk
- High humidity and moisture exposure
- Increased UV radiation leading to colour fade
- Wind-blown particles causing surface abrasion
For these reasons, standard finishes can often fail prematurely, leading to premature fading, surface breakdown and increased maintenance requirements. To address these challenges, the industry increasingly relies on established coating standards like QUALICOAT that define and validate long-term performance in exposed environments.
Understanding QUALICOAT Class 2
QUALICOAT is an international quality label for powder-coated aluminium. There are two different standards of coating – Class 1 and Class 2, with Class 2 being the premium level of coating.
Benefits:
- Much longer colour retention – Compared to standard Class 1 coatings, Class 2 resists fading from UV exposure far better. The coating is formulated with UV-stabilised pigments and undergoes stringent tests, including Florida weathering, to ensure your decking keeps its original look for longer.
- Superior weather resistance – Handles rain, frost, and temperature swings without degrading quickly.
- Higher resistance to chalking and surface degradation – The surface stays smoother and more vibrant over time.
- Lower maintenance – Improved durability and colour stability help reduce the need for cleaning, recoating, or refurbishment during the coating’s service life.
A Class 2 coating can last significantly longer (often 2–3×) than standard coatings before showing visible wear.
What “Marine Grade” Really Means in Practice
Alongside coating standards, you may see the terms “marine grade”, “coastal grade” or “seaside grade” used in specifications. In practice, these terms refer to aluminium systems designed to perform in harsher coastal environments where prolonged exposure to salt, moisture and UV radiation can accelerate deterioration.
True marine-grade performance is not achieved through a single coating alone. It comes from a combination of enhanced pretreatment, durable powder coating systems and overall specification design.
Our aluminium systems incorporate:
- QUALICOAT Seaside pretreatment, which uses an enhanced pretreatment process to improve adhesion and corrosion resistance in coastal environments
- Class 2 powder coatings for enhanced UV stability, colour retention and weather durability
- A specification approach designed to support long-term performance in exposed environments
Together, these elements contribute to a more robust marine-grade coating system. The term reflects a more holistic approach to durability – one that considers not just the surface finish, but the full performance of the system over time.
In coastal environments, not all high-performance claims are equal. A standard powder-coated finish and a system designed with recognised coastal-grade considerations may appear similar initially, but their long-term performance can differ significantly. For specifiers, these details are often where long-term value is either protected or compromised.
Guide to Marine Environment Specifications
| Distance from coast | Typical environment | Recommended specification approach |
| 0-500m | Severe marine / direct salt exposure | Seaside pretreatment + Class 2 coating strongly recommended |
| 500m-2km | Coastal / marine atmosphere | Seaside pretreatment recommended |
| 2-10km | Moderate coastal influence | Specification dependant on weather and prevailing winds |
| 10km+ | Typical inland environment | Standard architectural coating systems generally suitable |
Note: Exposure conditions such as prevailing winds, elevation and direct salt spray can be as important as distance from the coastline.
An Evolving Industry Standard
Across the industry, there is a clear shift towards improved performance standards. More manufacturers are beginning to introduce systems aligned with benchmarks like QUALICOAT as expectations continue to rise.
For some, this is a relatively recent development. Our approach has been different. From the outset, we’ve prioritised recognised coating standards as a baseline, including QUALICOAT-certified finishes across our aluminium range. In addition, for over a year now, in addition, all our aluminium products are supplied with QUALICOAT Seaside pretreatment and Class 2 powder coatings as standard, helping contribute to a coating specification suitable for coastal and marine-adjacent environments.
What This Means for Your Projects
Choosing a higher-specification coating system can have a direct impact on long-term project performance, including:
- Reduced maintenance requirements over time
- Improved long-term appearance
- Greater confidence in performance in exposed environments
- Lower lifecycle costs for clients and asset owners, resulting in stronger client satisfaction
As material performance becomes a greater focus across the built environment, it’s clear that coatings, pre-treatment processes and environmental suitability should all play a central role in early specification.
If you’re working on a coastal or highly exposed project, speak to us early in your specification process to ensure the right system is built in from the start.