We offer many of our bus shelters, sports shelters, smoking shelters and other products with a degree of customisation. This often includes the colour. In 2015 we took an important step as a manufacturer of shelters and street furniture. We launched our in-house powder coating facility. We wanted to have improved lead times of orders, but also, very importantly, we wanted to be more in control of the quality and give our customers a greater choice of colour of our finished product. We started offering our customised colour finishing in RAL colours.
Let us explore what powder-coating is and why colours matter.
What is powder-coating?
Powder-coating is a way to give colour to a metal product, such as a smoking shelter, by spraying layers of paint on top. It is an excellent way to add character to your shelter and make it match your aesthetic. However, modern paints often do a bit more than that, too; they also have great qualities that make them a protective barrier that gives the metal an extra hand in resisting environmental damage. Powder-coating is applied to clean metal, which then cures at a very high temperature, making the paint and metal form a strong bond.
This is a great way to get the exact look you are after, as the catalogue of modern RAL colours is pretty extensive.
What Are RAL Colours?
RAL stands for ReichsAusschuss für Lieferbedingungen, an organisation set up in 1925 in Germany. It developed a system of colours which had assigned numbers. This “colour language” was easily understood across the world, eliminated a lot of miscommunication and provided standardisation for professionals and clients who only needed to quote a number to get the exact shade they required.
Historically, RAL had 216 shades; in 1993, further shades were added, making the available colours 1825. There were some more expansions later on, and today, the RAL colour system provides 2540 colour shades you can choose from. It is an incredibly rich colour deck which allows for great flexibility.
The RAL Institute even publishes a special colour trend report every year. They curate a collection of 15 colours representing the zeitgeist of the year and matching each other in a colour palette.
How to Choose the Best Colour for Your Product
This is actually a complicated question. Clients usually have different priorities and ideas about how their premises should look.
For some, look matters less than speedy order and delivery, and they choose the default colour we ship in and are happy. Others make a quick choice from one of the primary colours. Then some clients have a specific vision in mind and are after not just a colour but a precise shade. This is where the RAL system comes in and where its qualities really shine through. The colour management system’s rich catalogue can satisfy even the pickiest architects and designers.
You might think this is all too industrial for so many shades to be needed, but it is always good to have flexibility and choices. There are a few factors we recommend you consider before settling on a colour.
Purpose and surroundings
You should think about how the shelter will be used. If you are considering putting a bus stop in a rural area, you may want it to match its nature surroundings or quite the opposite – you may think it is a priority to make it stand out in a bright colour so bus drivers never miss it.
When thinking about a sports shelter in a park or an outdoor sports complex, you might choose colours that blend well with nature, like greens or earthy tones.
If you are installing a bus shelter in a busy city area, consider aligning it with the overall urban aesthetics – look at greys, blues or metallic industrial tones.
Safety and visibility
Maybe you want to install a bus shelter where there is low visibility – a bright yellow bus shelter might be your best bet. This might help make the shelter more noticeable and easily identifiable to drivers zooming past, which would help keep people waiting there safe. Bus shelters near busy roads might benefit from the same.
Additionally, you may want to also go for brighter colours for a smoking shelter if your priority is for smokers to be able to see the shelter, even from a distance, immediately.
Branding
If you are buying a shelter that your corporate office will use, it may be worth taking the opportunity to brand it. Consider incorporating your company colours into the design. This can help create a consistent visual identity, and if your shelter is in a public space, it will also serve as advertising and improve brand recognition.
For a sports shelter in your school, you may want to match the colour to your team’s colours. This would be a nice touch creating a visual connection to the team’s identity.
These are some examples of what to consider when planning your shelter and choosing its colour. The list is not exhaustive; we just wanted to illustrate how different factors can influence colour choices. Your specific circumstances and requirements will vary, so it is essential to assess them individually to make the best decision.
We are always happy to consult and help clients choose the best option; get in touch to discuss your requirements.