It is well known that GALVALUME^® must be carefully handled in the field, particularly during the erection of building sidewalls and roofing panels, especially when the slope is high and the roof is visible from the ground. Heavy foot traffic and handling with dirty, soiled gloves can create unsightly dark marks on the surface, which can be very noticeable after erection is complete. ACRYLUME^®, however, has a tough organic barrier combined with the usual humid-storage stain-resistant post-treatment that minimizes the detrimental effects of rough handling and footprinting. 

To evaluate the effectiveness of the acrylic coating, both ACRYLUME^® and conventional chemically treated GALVALUME^® panels were equally scuffed five times using a work boot to simulate heavy foot traffic on a roof. The chemically treated material had vanishing oil applied to the surface approximately two weeks prior to the test, while the ACRYLUME^® panel did not. After scuffing, the panels were lightly wiped with a dry paper towel to remove debris from the scuffing action. Figure 1 shows photographs of the materials immediately after scuffing and a light wiping. 

Based on this qualitative testing, ACRYLUME^® has a clear advantage over conventional chemically treated GALVALUME^® with vanishing oil. Although ACRYLUME^® does not completely eliminate footprinting, it greatly reduces its tendency as well as other marking associated with material handling during building erection. In most instances, the acrylic-coated surface should be uniformly bright after erection is complete.

Figure 1 - GALVALUME® Coated Sheet vs. ACRYLUME® Coated Sheet
ACRYLUME®(left) and GALVALUME® with chemical treatment and vanishing oil (right) after five foot scuffs.