Answers for Architects, Builders & Fabricators

Wood effect powder coating significantly outperforms wood veneer in UAE climates when considering total cost of ownership (TCO) and long-term maintenance, especially for exterior and high-wear applications. Powder coatings offer enhanced durability, lower lifetime costs, and minimal upkeep in the face of the UAE’s intense heat, humidity, and UV exposure, while veneers require consistent maintenance and are more susceptible to weather-related degradation.​

Sublimation is a high-tech process that transforms aluminum profiles into realistic wood, stone, or custom textures using a combination of powder coatings, transfer films, and careful finishing. Matte finishes—often preferred for their natural look—play a key role in the most realistic results.​

The wood-coatings space is in a decisive shift. Sustainability mandates, breakthroughs in materials science, and rapid digitization are redefining how we protect and beautify wood—and wood-look substrates—in architecture, furniture, and industrial design. Below are the five forces moving the market now, and how to act on them.

It is now possible to achieve a striking corten (weathering steel) look on façades and landscape features—without any of the rust runoff or surface staining that plagues real corten steel. Modern powder coatings, specialized effect paints, and sealant technologies provide the weathered patina appearance, with none of the mess for hardscape, cladding, or decorative metalwork.​

When designing marble effect panels for retail environments, matching the veining across modules is essential for creating a premium, seamless aesthetic that mimics genuine stone. Achieving a continuous or bookmatched effect requires deliberate planning and execution at every stage—from slab/panel selection to installation.

Specifying wood-effect finishes for doors and windows lets fabricators offer the warmth and character of timber with the durability, low maintenance, and design flexibility of metal, especially aluminum. Here’s a streamlined guide that covers process, standards, and specification tips to ensure beautiful, long-lasting results.