An Aluminum Conundrum at Sacred Heart

OFS uses touch up skills and OEM color matching to help general contractors avoid replacement costs

Anodized curtain walls, window and door frames, trim, and fixtures – aluminum is a wonderful andversatile metal – and provides some of the decorative finishing touches to corporate offices, both inside and out.

Recently, OFS worked with both Shawmut Construction and Turner Construction companies on a renovation project for Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. Since aluminum frames and trim are among the last materials installed, these parts are often stored at a worksite while earlier phases of construction are in progress.

Through no fault of the general contractor, but rather, due to the nature of aluminum surfaces, scratches, and damage are practically unavoidable between storage, assembly, and installation.

For the SHU project, Shawmut and Turner were faced with three options for the aluminum material:

Totally replace the parts in question
Recoat surfaces / total paint job
Touch up existing parts to hide damage

The OFS onsite crew was able to offer option #3 and repair each section after install, which saved the contractor both time and money associated with the cost of replacement or recoating all parts.

Building owners and property managers should also be aware that this same technique and approach can be used with maintenance and repair of existing aluminum surfaces as well. When viewing deep scratches and screw holes on painted or oxidized (chalky) surfaces, many will jump to the conclusion that total replacement is the only option.

Not true – Scott Hare’s teams have repaired interior and exterior aluminum surfaces throughout New England, including local UConn campus facilities and five floors in the Gold Building for R.M. Bradly in Harford, CT.

Screw holes and scratches can be filled, primed, and painted to look like new. By working with aluminum manufacturers, OFS is able to accurately match original paint colors and textures.