Dome Top Finish Comparison - Brite White Tedlar® film vs. Acrylic top finish
When a client approaches you to begin a new project, do you consider recommending an architectural fabric structure?
Shelter-Rite® Architectural Fabrics has undertaken a significant enhancement by updating its Styles 8028 and 9032 opaque fabrics with Acrylic, PVDF top finishes, and Tedlar® film, revolutionizing the landscape of architectural fabric solutions.
This transformative change involves the removal of the black PVC back-coat layer, with opacity now achieved through the application of a black adhesive coat to the base fabric.
Shelter-Rite® Architectural Fabrics provide exceptional strength and longevity to any building project. Because it's offered in an array of top finishes, we’re often asked which one is best. The answer really depends on the unique factors of your job requirements, aesthetic goals, environment, maintenance costs, return on investment and budget.
Have you experienced disappointment when the desired color you selected no longer looks the same after only a few years of sun exposure? The color may be fading to an unwanted shade, the gloss level may be changing significantly or there may now be unexpected chalky residue masking the original color.
Fabric structures offer numerous benefits, including lower building costs, flexibility, speed of construction and more sustainable designs, among others. All these benefits mean very little if the structure itself is not safe and stable. Fortunately, with proper planning, design and maintenance, a fabric structure will be just as safe as a traditional building—all while outperforming it in terms of initial and ongoing costs.
Air structure domes are popular for a wide range of athletic applications, from tennis to football. Any activity that benefits from a climate-controlled space can cost-effectively get a long, flexible life from an air structure dome. Their benefits tend to inspire repeat business, like when the Tennessee Titans recently wanted to replace the dome of their air-supported practice facility.
Top finishes have been extending the useful life and improving the aesthetics of PVC-coated structural fabrics for decades. These top finish technologies make fabric structures more durable, cleanable, UV resistant and attractive—and they continue to improve.
Top finish systems can be divided into two groups:
1. Liquid-applied top finishes (i.e., solvent- or water-based coatings), such as acrylics or PVDF
2. Film-applied systems, such as Tedlar® or some PVDF films
However, not all top finishes deliver on the self-cleaning feature, which is critical for long-term performance and appearance. Architectural fabrics with Tedlar film top coats are the only products that truly deliver on the ability to self-clean over the long term. Tedlar’s UV performance cannot be overlooked either. Excellent resistance to UV and moisture-barrier properties preserve the appearance and longevity of the architectural structure.
Building-integrated photovoltaic systems are becoming increasingly popular as either the main or supplementary source of power in all types of building projects. Integrating flexible photovoltaic solar panels with fiber roofing systems is a fairly new innovation, led by companies like Pvilion, a designer and manufacturer of flexible photovoltaic solar structures and products.
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