Although laminates have been around for some 40 years, until very recently the most popular colour choice for PVC-U windows was white. But things have started to change, and coloured windows now account for one in four PVC-U window installations.
"Laminate foils and spray finishes are opening up a whole new world of possibilities to make each PVC-U window installation as individual as the customer." says Meg Durrell, Product Assistant, from REHAU.
Originally, the most popular colour laminates were wood effect finishes which mimicked the look of traditional timber frames, but in the past two years, the biggest growth has been seen in sales for black and grey foils.
These laminates give PVC-U windows the contemporary and minimalist look of aluminium windows, but without the drawbacks such as the added cost of real aluminium windows and the reduced thermal performance.
The astronomical success of grey and black foils has had a knock-on effect on the windows industry, and we are predicting that 2018 will see a growth in the market for colour substrates. This is why we have chosen Anthracite Grey as our colour of 2018.
By using the REHAU Acryl II paint system to colour the windows, every aspect of the window can be painted including the ancillary elements, like the handles, trickle vents and inside the gaskets, plus the inside of the windows.
Acryl II also offers a special polyurethane acrylic coating which comes with a 10-year colour fast guarantee. Acryl II is available in more than 150 different colours from the RAL palette, and can be used to coat profiles or ready fabricated windows.
For more information visit www.rehau.uk/colour >
