Many of our nation’s top architects and designers are looking to green materials to create both functional and aesthetic details within modern design to meet sustainability requirements. Aluminum is one of those sustainable products that can deliver on both counts, allowing architects to create clean, distinct profiles to both the interior and exterior of a building. Standard extrusions are used as trim, function as panels or provide other long-lasting uses that are very effective and cost-effective compared to other commonly used materials. Custom aluminum products that are designed specifically for use by an architect for a certain project can also be extremely advantageous, whether those extrusions are used to create custom doors and windows or something more structural in nature.
The Advantages of Choosing Aluminum
Builders have moved beyond standard extrusions of hollow aluminum tubes to create custom aluminum products that can be shaped through professional extrusion to be used just about anywhere in an architectural design. Today’s aluminum extrusions are created from a material that is made up of 75-100 percent post industrial and post consumer scrap, which makes it perfect as a sustainable material solution and can help a builder earn points for LEED certification. Many of these custom aluminum products are designed specifically for indoor or outdoor use, ranging widely depending on how and where they are installed. Many different building types, from residential to commercial and industrial, utilize standard extrusions of aluminum, often replacing wood trim and other elements, even in single-family and multi-family structures.
Custom and standard extrusions are often created specifically for design aesthetics. While they are durable and long-lasting, they are often created without an exterior insulation and finishing system (EIFS) and should not be used in conjunction with an EIFS unless the manufacturer specifically states that it can be used as such. Whatever products your company is designing for use by architects and designers, choosing sustainable custom or standard extrusions to create your products will help your clients meet their environmental accountability standards. The reason why aluminum extrusions are chosen to create custom doors and windows is because these standard extrusions can create a complete moisture management system to aid in the creation of a code compliant building envelope.
While standard extrusions of aluminum trim, custom doors and windows, hollow aluminum tubes and other custom aluminum products do not have a complete moisture management system, the very design and makeup of these products makes it ideal for keeping out moisture from inside the structure. Going to a professional manufacturer like Silver City Aluminum helps companies like yours to create quality standard extrusions and custom aluminum products that will ensure a proper match to prevent moisture from getting inside, as well as to ensure that color, thickness and the dimensions of the trim or other type of extrusions match.
Other Types of Standard Extrusions
The reason why custom aluminum products that are made from aluminum extrusions are more valuable to architects and builders is that they are more durable than other materials. For example, compared to PVC and galvanized steel, standard extrusions of aluminum are more durable, long-lasting and cost-effective. Galvanized steel extrusions may cost less initially, but have been proven to be less durable. The way that they are made is what contributes to the durability issues, primarily when the bare mill galvanized steel and the aluminum flashing make contact with the claddings, the chances or chemical reaction, which leads to break down on both products and excessive wear, are much higher.
PVC is the cheapest of all, but it has many limitations compared to standard extrusions of aluminum. Compared to hollow aluminum tubes that were created through extrusion, the PVC tubes have been found to be susceptible to buckling and swelling if exposed to direct sunlight. Another issue is that painted PVC is very likely to warp, especially in hot climates or during the summer months even in a milder region. As a result, many builders are now moving away from PVC – even for aesthetic trim purposes – and are moving back to aluminum standard extrusions, such as hollow aluminum tubes, and custom aluminum products.
More Benefits of Using Aluminum Trim for Custom Doors and Windows
When it comes to using standard extrusions for the design and creation of custom doors and windows or other custom aluminum products to be used in architecture and design, there are many benefits. The aesthetic appeal of extruded aluminum parts and trim that can be achieved through use in a variety of building types alone makes it a very sought after and popular material in modern construction.
- built-in protection from harsh weather conditions
- can be designed to match the color, metal thickness and dimensions of most aluminum siding projects for external trim and other uses
- standard extrusions can be anodized, colored or primed for painting
- custom doors and windows can be matched to siding and other materials
- super sustainable, using 75-100 percent scrape materials
- bonus to builders working to achieve LEED certification status
- easy to use and install
- custom aluminum products can be made to order
- interior and exterior use
- extremely durable and long-lasting
- no health hazard defined by OSHA like with other materials
Why Aluminum is So Sustainable
There are a couple of reasons why standard extrusions and custom extrusions are most often made from aluminum materials. Aluminum is current the most actively recycled material on the planet. It is also the most abundant mineral in the earth’s crust. Derived from bauxite, the resulting alumina is smelted and alloyed to produce logs of cast metal that will be used to make standard extrusions, such as hollow aluminum tubes, and custom aluminum products, such as custom doors and windows, trim and more.
Aluminum is often referred to in the construction industry as the architectural alloy, because it provides a very smooth surface and is highly suited for anodizing applications. The type of aluminum that is most frequently used for custom and standard extrusions is very versatile, allowing the metal to be formed with a wide variety of unique physical characteristics. Custom and standard extrusions can be recycled, increasing the lifetime of the custom aluminum products that your company makes and sells. Aluminum is also lightweight, yet strong; it is weather resistant, making it a great choice for New England projects.
Aluminum is also resistant to fire and does not rust. It is resilient and non-combustible. It can be finished in a number of different ways, including powder coatings, liquid paint and anodizing, providing seamless profiles that custom doors and windows, trim and other custom aluminum products. Extruded aluminum can be joined together by any of the major methods used today. It is also very cost-effective and does not require a long lead time in production, which is important for manufacturers.
Silver City Aluminum – Your One-Stop Shop for Custom and Standard Extrusions
Whatever your project, regardless of the types of pieces you need, Silver City Aluminum can help. Our team of experienced technicians can get you anything you want from standard extrusions that create hollow aluminum tubes and trim to custom aluminum products that can be used to create custom doors and windows and many other manufactured products for consumer and commercial retail. Call Silver City Aluminum today and see why we are known as the one-stop shop for aluminum extrusions, fabrication and finishing in all of New England.