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AAMA Publishes Standard on Exterior Stains for Window and Door Components

Thursday, August 25, 2011

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The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) announced publication of a voluntary standard on factory-applied stain finishes used for exterior applications on wood, composite and fiber-reinforced window and door components.

Voluntary Specification, Performance Requirements and Test Procedures for Exterior Stain Finishes on Wood, Cellulosic Composites and Fiber Reinforced Thermoset Window and Door Components covers factory-applied coatings intended for service in exterior environments, and describes test procedures and performance requirements for exterior stain finishes for windows, doors and similar building products.

The specification is intended to assist the architect, owner and contractor in specifying and obtaining factory-applied stain finishes. Ken Brenden, AAMA technical services manager, said the architectural community “has recognized the outstanding attributes associated with wood, cellulosic-composite and fiber-reinforced thermoset components for many related building products.” As a result, he said AAMA “created a technical document in order to demonstrate product performance to our organization’s customers.”

Provisions within AAMA 633-11 include a general overview and specific test specimens and procedural test sampling for color uniformity; specular gloss and film adhesion; chemical resistance and detergent resistance; humidity resistance; cold-crack cycle; and oven aging and weather exposure.

“Many window and door profiles have exterior stain finishes to provide selected colors and appearances and to enhance the durability of the product,” said Wallace Kesler of The Valspar Corp. and chairman of the AAMA Exterior Stain Task Group.

The task group spearheaded the development of the specification together with the Fiberglass Material Council and the Wood and Cellulosic Composite Material Council.

“AAMA has now set the one performance specification for exterior stain finishes, which will provide a good level of performance of film integrity, exterior durability and general appearance over a period of many years,” Kesler said.

The specification is available to AAMA members at a cost of $10 for download, $20 for a paper copy and $25 for a CD. Non-members may purchase the document at a cost of $30 for download, $60 for a paper copy and $66 for a CD. The specification can be ordered from the AAMA Online Publication Store.

More information on AAMA: www.aamanet.org.