If your cladding looks faded, chalky or dated but is still sound, you don't always have to rip it out and start again. On-site spray coating can restore the colour and finish for a fraction of the cost of replacement, but only where the panels are actually in good shape. Here is an honest look at when it works and when it doesn't.
Spray coating works best when the cladding itself is structurally fine and the problem is cosmetic. Faded PPC (polyester powder coated) aluminium, sun-bleached uPVC, chalky panels and dated colours are all ideal candidates because the substrate is sound and only the surface finish has failed.
It also makes sense when replacement would mean scaffolding a whole elevation, disturbing tenants or matching discontinued panels. Recoating keeps the building weathertight throughout and avoids the waste and disruption of a strip-out.
Coating cannot fix a physical problem. If panels are cracked, delaminating, holed, water-damaged behind the face or the fixings are failing, no paint will make them perform again, and spraying over them just hides a fault that will get worse.
Post-Grenfell, fire performance matters on many buildings. If your cladding is part of a combustible system that needs removing for safety or compliance reasons, that is a replacement or remediation job, not a coating one. If in doubt, get the build-up assessed before spending anything on the finish.
A proper job is mostly preparation. The panels are cleaned to remove chalk, grease and Manchester's grime, any oxidation is abraded back, and surrounding glazing, brickwork and ground are masked off. A compatible primer is applied where needed, then two coats of a specialist exterior coating are sprayed for an even, factory-look finish.
Colour is matched to a RAL or BS reference, so you can keep the existing shade or change it entirely. Done on a dry, still day with the right products, the finish cures hard and is far more durable than a brush-and-roller repaint.
As a rough guide, recoating cladding typically lands somewhere around 30 to 60 percent of the cost of full replacement once you factor in the panels, labour and disposal you avoid. A good spray-applied finish should give you in the region of 10 to 15 years before it needs attention again, depending on exposure and aspect.
Actual prices depend on access and scaffolding, the total area, the substrate and its condition, the number of colours and how much prep is involved. A north-facing elevation covered in algae needs more work than a sheltered one, so any honest quote will come after a proper look at the building rather than a figure over the phone.
Most enquiries start with a five-minute call to confirm scope, sector and shutdown window. Drawings or schedules ideal but not essential to get a price moving.
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