Sherwin-Williams is introducing a new lineup of printed metal coatings called Emulate, which mimics natural building materials like wood, stone and metal, offering architects new ways to stand out while fitting in with future color trends. The coatings use a rotogravure printing process to impress natural elements onto the metal substrate during application, allowing for an unlimited array of patterns and rich multi-layer effects.
The consumer's vision of wood, stone or metal involves multiple passes with a Fluropon® colored basecoat to provide the background color. Next, depending on the pattern, the company applies at least one ink coating using a rotogravure printing method. Emulate protects with a combination of corrosion-resistance from backer and primer layers that offer long-term defense from rust.