Steel Shield™ Warranty | Dulux Powder & Industrial Coatings

Dulux Powder Coatings are an ideal choice for the long term protection of mild steel items for your next project, and provide assurance through the issue of Steel Shield™ Warranties.

Protected Substrates

The Steel Shield™ warranty will only be issued on the following substrates: mild steel, bright/semi bright steel, black/blue steel. All other steel types including galvanised coated steel are not warranted under the Steel Shield™ Warranty Program.

WARRANTY	STEEL (MILD)	BRIGHT / SEMI BRIGHT	BLACK STEEL	BLUE STEEL
Steel Shield	·	·	·	·

Warranted Performance

The Steel Shield™ Warranty is made up of two key components, a colour warranty (for fade and chalking) and a corrosion warranty.

Colour Warranty

Corrosion Warranty

The Steel Shield™ Colour Warranty is your assurance that the colour integrity will be maintained.
It is made up of two components:

Fade¹
Chalk²

The Steel Shield™ Corrosion Warranty is your assurance that the substrate will not corrode.
The powder coating will not corrode for the warranty period from the date the product is applied to the metal.

Colour Warranty

The Steel Shield™ Colour Warranty is your assurance that the colour integrity will be maintained.
It is made up of two components:

Fade¹
Chalk²

Corrosion Warranty

Terms and conditions apply

Dulux Steel Shield™ Colour Warranties are your assurance that the coating will not:
- ¹Fade (colour) – Colour fade testing will give a delta E (Hunter) laboratory reading less than five units from the original colour. In accordance with ASTM D2244.
- ²Chalk – Not exceed a rating of 2 for whites & pastels and a rating of 3 for deep colours as assessed in accordance with AS1580.481.1.11 test method
The Steel Shield™ corrosion warranty is your assurance that the coating system will not corrode more 5% in accordance with the degree of corrosion as a percentage contained in AS/NZS:2312.1.2014
When steel items are exposed to interior and exterior environments it is essential that should only one side of a section of metal be coated, or if a section is cut exposing the raw metal, they must be sealed with an appropriate small joint sealant to protect the non-coated area from the environment, i.e. not exposed to moisture, air and excessive heat. Should the seal fail, and a claim is made for a Steel Shield™ warranty project the warranty for the area affected will be void as the integrity of the seal is not the responsibility of Dulux.
Warranties are only valid when applied by a Dulux Accredited Powder Coater to the warranty specification on recommended project types and conditions and maintained within our recommended Care and maintenance guidelines. For more information visit the Tech Advice page here.

All Dulux premium powder coat products are backed by product specific Steel Shield™ warranties. Below is an overview of the warranty periods by product available from Dulux.

*Excluding Intensity – 15 Years

Project Suitability

It is important to define your project correctly to ensure the correct product is specified and the performance and warranty is able to be gained for your project.

Both project type and the environment (conditions) will impact on the exposure of the powdercoat to elements such as UV, dirt and salt. For instance, marine and coastal environments are exposed to winds and sea salts, which have a long-term impact on the performance of coating systems due to erosion and weathering, and commercial projects will be exposed to greater environmental impacts, whether they be the usage of the environment or the height of the building.

To ensure products are fit for these environments Dulux recommends suitable products based on the AAMA testing standards. These standards provide a benchmark of product quality that are an assurance that your asset will be protected by a product fit for purpose. For complete details relating to these standards visit aamanet.org

To define projects we utilise three key sources:

1. The building classifications under the Building code of Australia (BCA)
2. Industry standards for powder coatings – Primarily AAMA
3. Environmental condition utilising AS4312 and ISO12944 Atmospheric corrosivity zones in Australia as a guide.

The following tables allow you to identify your project, to look at the appropriate products for the environment, whether it be interior or exterior, the care and maintenance required, and details on our Dulux Accredited Powder Coaters, as only Dulux Accredited Powder coaters are able to issue our Dulux Steel Shield™ warranties.

Important Design Considerations

Dulux Steel Shield™ warranties are available on a wide range of fabricated steel items, but those items must be designed, prepared (pre-treated), coated, fabricated and installed to standard ensuring that the item is fully protected.

It is essential that any item that is coated must be designed and fabricated to ensure:

It meets key standards – Refer to AS 2312.1 and the relevant building code.
Protection is a key consideration at the early stages of design – The design should allow the item to be prepared for coating correctly and that the minimum thickness of the specified coating can be achieved.
Exposed areas are appropriately sealed to last the duration of the warranty – It is essential that the choice of other materials that contribute to protection such as sealants should be made to ensure that a Steel Shield™ warranty is not void due to the sealants failure. This is important if only one side of a section of metal is to be coated, or if a section is cut exposing the raw metal, as it must be in a sealed environment to protect the non-coated area from the environment i.e. not exposed to moisture, air and excessive heat. Should the seal fail, and a claim is made for an Steel Shield™ warranty project the warranty for the area affected will be void as the integrity of the seal is not the responsibility of Dulux.
The following design elements are avoided – Narrow crevices, poor air circulation, depressions, sharp edges and corners, large flat ledges (not window ledges), intermittent welding, undrained ﬂat surfaces, unsealed hollow sections, ﬂat surfaces in loose contact where moisture may be drawn in between them by capillary action or where water and foreign matter will lodge, as these areas may result in premature failure of the coating system.
Failure caused by post formed or post fabrication processes are avoided – Please be aware warranties shall not apply to areas where a failure is caused from post formed or post fabrication processes, such as metal perforation, welding, cutting, drilling or any other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of Dulux. Many post fabrication processes can impede achievement of a continuous layer of pre-treatment and the minimum film build of powder coating. Where there is doubt please consult the relevant guideline or regulation such as the building code or AS 2312.1 for information on mitigating any potential damage that could be caused by post fabrication processes.

General Exterior Projects Interior Projects Care & Maintenance Accredited Applicators Downloads

Use the following table to help you identify your project and the appropriate standard a product should meet for that environment.

Project type definitions:

Non-habitable projects are those that are not dwelling types. Examples can be furniture, bus shelters, signage etc.
Residential properties < 4 levels are typically easy to maintain, given their height and access.
Light commercial projects <4 levels are sheltered from neighbouring buildings, but require greater durability due to higher usage and wear.
High-rise residential and commercial projects are less sheltered from neighbouring buildings, raising their exposure and reducing their ease of maintenance.
Prestigious commercial projects attract attention and require high quality finishes to uphold the longevity and design requirements.
Monumental projects attract the most attention and have the highest standards required to uphold the reputation and protection expected from landmark sites.

Use the following table to help identify the product choice you have to gain a Steel Shield™ warranty on your exterior project. Refer to the conditions information to determine the environment that your project will be exposed to. Click on the table below for a larger version.

Project Suitability – Steel

Zincshield is a key component of the Dulux Steel Shield™ warranty systems. Use the following table to help identify the product choice you have to gain a Steel Shield™ warranty on your project and where Zincshield is appropriate. Refer to the conditions information to determine the environment that your project will be exposed to. Click on the table below for a larger version.

All Dulux powder products are NOT suitable in strongly acidic or caustic environments so the pH must be between 5 and 9.
1. Fluoroset may be suitable in locations <10m from the high tide line e.g. harbours (contact Dulux for advice.)
2. Electro and Duratec are only suitable for coastal environments >10m from the high tide.
3. Duralloy and Precious are only suitable for coastal environments >100m from the high tide line.
* In Mild (Medium) exterior environments and Moderate (Medium) interior environments a 10 year corrosion warranty is available with a Zincshield, E-Prime and the indicated top coat system. Without E-Prime a 5 Year corrosion warranty is available.
** Duratec Intensity – Steel Colour Warranty 15 Years.
Please refer to Interior and exterior environments close to liquids for warranty implications where powder coatings may be in close proximity to liquids other than the sea.

Conditions

Use the following table which references AS2312.1, AS 4312 and ISO 9223 to identify the environment, conditions and atmospheric corrosivity categories
To pinpoint your projects corrosivity zone this table should be used together with the corrosivity zone maps contained within AS 4312 .

1. Geothermal environments greater than 500m of a bore, mud pool, steam vent, or other source with a pH between 5 and 9. For pH outside this consult Dulux.
2. Geothermal hot spots within 500m of a bore, mud pool, steam vent, or other source.
3. All offshore islands including Waiheke Island, Stewart Island, Fraser Island and Pacific islands eg PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Noumea
4. The corrosion rates for the first year of exposure for the different corrosivity categories of Aluminium and Carbon (Mild) Steel are determined by the following standards:
AS 4312 – Atmospheric corrosivity zones in Australia.
AS 2312.1- Guide to the protection of structural steel against atmospheric corrosion by the use of protective coatings. Part 1: Paint coatings
ISO 9223 – Corrosion of metals and alloys – Corrosivity of atmospheres – Classification, determination and estimation

Exterior environments close to liquids other than coastal, river and lake salt water environments

For powder coated assets close to liquids other than the sea, e.g. fences near swimming pools, fountains, outdoor bathrooms or furniture etc, please refer to the guidance below for your product options for your project.

1. Aggressive liquids such as Chemically Treated liquids and Salt Water must be cleaner off immediately as per the Dulux Care and Maintenance guide.
Please note chemically treated water includes antimicrobial treatments, e.g. in pools, anti-corrosive chemicals, and soapy water in bathrooms and showers.
■ Where indicated Alumi Shield and Steel Shield warranties are available on areas >than 1m from the liquid.
✓ Where indicated Alumi Shield and Steel Shield warranties are available on areas >than 2m from the liquid (ie outside the splash zone).
● Where indicated Alumi Shield and Steel Shield warranties are available any distance from the liquid.
Alumi Shield and Steel Shield warranties are only available when applied by a Dulux Accredited Powder Coater to the warranty specification on recommended project types and conditions.
All Dulux powder product are NOT suitable in strongly acidic or caustic environments so the pH must be between 5 and 9.
Alumi Shield and Steel Shield warranties are not available if the powder coating is immersed in any liquid.

Advice Line

Our dedicated consultants can help simplify the specification process, saving you time and money by providing the right coating advice for your project.

Call 13 24 99.

Use the following table to help identify the product choice you have for the interior use of Dulux Premium Powder coatings on your project. Refer to the conditions information to determine the environment that your project will be exposed to.

All Dulux powder products are NOT suitable in strongly acidic or caustic environments so PH must be between 5 and 9.

In Moderate (Medium) interior environments 10 year corrosion warranty is available with a Zincshield, E-Prime and the indicated top coat system. Without E-Prime a 5 Year corrosion warranty is available.
⬥ Duratec Intensity – Steel Colour Warranty 15 Years.
Please refer to Interior and exterior environments close to liquids for warranty implications where powder coatings may be in close proximity to liquids other than the sea.

Conditions

1. The corrosion rates for the first year of exposure for the different corrosivity categories of Aluminium and Carbon (Mild) Steel are determined by the following standards:
 AS 4312 – Atmospheric corrosivity zones in Australia.
 AS 2312.1- Guide to the protection of structural steel against atmospheric corrosion by the use of protective coatings. Part 1: Paint coatings
 ISO 9223 – Corrosion of metals and alloys – Corrosivity of atmospheres – Classification, determination and estimation

Interior environments close to liquids

For powder coated assets close to liquids, e.g. fences, windows, doors or furniture near swimming pools, fountains, bathrooms etc, please refer to the guidance below for your product options for your project.

1. Aggressive liquids such as Chemically Treated liquids and Salt Water must be cleaner off immediately as per the Dulux Care and Maintenance guide.
Please note chemically treated water includes antimicrobial treatments, e.g. in pools, anti-corrosive chemicals, and soapy water in bathrooms and showers.
■ Where indicated Steel Shield warranties are available on areas >than 1m from the liquid.
✓ Where indicated Steel Shield warranties are available on areas >than 2m from the liquid (ie outside the splash zone).
● Where indicated Steel Shield warranties are available any distance from the liquid.
Steel Shield warranties are only available when applied by a Dulux Accredited Powder Coater to the warranty specification on recommended project types and conditions.
All Dulux powder product are NOT suitable in strongly acidic or caustic environments so PH must be between 5 and 9.
Steel Shield warranties are not available if the powder coating is immersed in any liquid.

Advice Line

Our dedicated consultants can help simplify the specification process, saving you time and money by providing the right coating advice for your project.

Call 13 24 99.

Protection for Steel

Protected Substrates

Warranted Performance

Project Suitability

Important Design Considerations

Project Suitability – Steel

Conditions

Exterior environments close to liquids other than coastal, river and lake salt water environments

Advice Line

Conditions

Interior environments close to liquids

Advice Line

Dulux Accredited Powder Coaters

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