Beautiful. Durable.
Infused Finishes

See Our Entire Line
of Available Finishes

How Do We Create Such
Beautiful and Durable Finishes?

American Douglas
Golden Oak
Knotty Pine
Mediterranean Cherry
National Walnut
Teak

The Process

Sublimation over powder coat process. Used for woodgrain, metal or stone finishes on our panels.
Here’s how we do it:

  1. Aluminum Surface Prep
    • The raw aluminum is cleaned and prepped:
      • Degreasing (remove oils, contaminants)
      • Chemical etching or conversion coating (improves adhesion and corrosion resistance)
  2. Base Powder Coating (This step is critical for long-term outdoor durability)
    • A powder coat layer is applied and cured:
      • Typically a light base color (beige, tan, gray) depending on the final pattern
      • Electrostatic powder application
      • Oven cure (usually ~350-400°F
  3. Printed Transfer Film Preparation (This base coat becomes the layer that will accept the sublimation pattern.)
    • Using a special printed film
      • The wood/stone/metal pattern is printed with sublimation ink onto a heat-stable plastic film
      • Patterns are engineered to:
        • Repeat seamlessly
        • Align across panels if needed
  4. Wrapping the Panel
    • Now the panel is physically wrapped:
      • The printed film is placed around the aluminum panel (pattern facing inward)
      • Edges are taped or sealed
      • The panel + film assembly is inserted into a vacuum bag (or membrane system)
  5. 🌬️Vacuum Sealing
    • Air is evacuated from the bag
    • Atmospheric pressure force the film tightly against every surface
    • This encsures:
      • No air gaps
      • Sharp pattern transfer
      • Full contact even on textured or extruded shapes

🔥 6. Heat Transfer (Sublimation Phase)

  • The sealed assembly goes into an oven
  • Heat activates the ink (typically ~350–400°F again)
  • The ink sublimates (solid → gas) and penetrates the softened powder coat


👉 The pattern is not sitting on top—it’s infused into the coating layer.
❄️ 7. Cooling & Film Removal

  • After a set dwell time, the part is removed and cooled
  • The vacuum is released
  • The film is peeled off and discarded


👉 What remains is:

  • A fully transferred pattern embedded in the coating
  • No physical film or layer left behind


🧱 8. Final Result
You now have:

  • A powder-coated aluminum panel with a permanently infused pattern
  • Appearance: wood, stone, corten steel, brushed metal, etc.
  • Properties:
    • UV resistant
    • Weather resistant
    • Strong adhesion (won’t peel like laminates)
    • Good scratch resistance (limited by powder coat hardness)


⚙️ Why This Process Is So Effective

  • Combines powder coat durability with photorealistic patterns
  • Vacuum ensures perfect contact, especially for:
    • Grooved panels
    • Extrusions
    • Complex fence profiles