Despite Alucobond’s excellent reputation for being weatherproof, impact-resistant, and break-proof, like all commercial building metal envelope materials, it does require occasional maintenance, cleaning, and restoration services.
The original aluminum composite material, Alucobond® is prized for its easy installation, lightweight qualities, a rainbow of color and finish options, and the ability to form curves or textures on a building’s façade. Today, more than 30 companies produce aluminum composite panels, and most have the same technical characteristics as the first product made by a Swiss manufacturer.
Why You Need Alucobond Cleaning Services
While rain and regular freshwater rinses can reduce residue buildup on Alucobond panels, it’s also a good idea to have them professionally cleaned to prevent the accumulation of corrosive deposits. The frequency and method of Alucobond cleaning depend on your commercial building’s local environment and other conditions.
The side of an Alucobond panel that faces inside the building is treated with an anti-corrosion coating. The exterior coating is known for its improved colorfastness and higher resistance to aggressive outside forces. This makes the material a popular choice for regions with harsh weather conditions, particularly coastal areas.
Still, manufacturers recommend expert and regular cleaning of Alucobond, not only to maintain a building’s aesthetic, but to preserve the material’s value and lifespan. Because while the rain washes away many particles, it can leave dirt and aggressive deposits intact.
How Presto Cleans and Restores Alucobond Panels
The manufacturer of Alucobond recommends annual cleaning with clean water. Mild cleaning agents should be used, and the cleaning process is performed from the top of the building down. The most critical step in cleaning Alucobond is that if the work is done when the surface is hot, the quick drying process can cause blemishes.
Along with our other metal restoration services, Presto Restoration has been cleaning Alucobond surfaces for more than a quarter-century. We’re now considered a leader in Alucobond cleaning, protection, and restoration solutions.
Common problems you might encounter with your commercial building’s Alucobond panels include stains due to:
- Precast leaching
- Air pollutants
- Biological growth such as mold
- Other stain-forming factors
None of these stains can be removed from Alucobond with standard cleaning methods.
Many manufacturers recommend using a sponge or mop to clean Alucobond panels. In our experience, though, that doesn’t work, mainly due to owners and managers not having the panels cleaned every six months as part of their building’s regular maintenance. In fact, because the panels tend to look great for a long period of time, many people don’t have them cleaned for years.
For this reason, Presto’s Alucobond cleaning process takes panel restoration into consideration. We know that years of atmospheric and UV damage can degrade the material’s coating surface. When we take on an Alucobond cleaning and restoration job, we performance test the suggested process before taking on the entire building. This way, you can compare what the panels look like with cleaning alone and with a restoration procedure. Building managers and owners are often surprised at how restoration services can make the panels look like new.
If your building’s metal panels have visible scratches or if the panel’s coating has been worn down to the bare metal, we recommend a clear coating that hides a wide variety of surface damage. Presto’s proprietary coatings are high-performance silicone and acrylic products that give metal surfaces durable, long-lasting protection. You’ll be amazed at the beautiful results!
A note about Alucobond cleaning and restoration: sometimes, the factory coating fails all the way through the panels. Other times the surface was previously restored and the current restoration only shows the aluminum surface underneath. This type of application typically requires future maintenance and or reapplication sooner than bare panels do.
The Presto Restoration Difference
The Alucobond cleaning and restoration process might seem like a relatively straightforward process, but special care must be taken to avoid damaging the material’s sensitive surface. For more than 25 years, Presto’s cleaning and restoration services for aluminum composite panels have been tested in multiple applications and proven to produce some of the industry’s best results.
Together with our glass restoration, stone restoration, and waterproofing services, our Alucobond cleaning and restoration process produces the best results for aluminum composite panel restoration. It’s another essential step in keeping your commercial building looking great and performing well for decades to come.
If you own or manage a alucobond-clad commercial building and need exterior restoration services, call us at 1-800-785-9927 or Request a Quote.
