A world of colour…

Something I didn’t know before I came to Liniar was that uPVC windows could be made to look as realistic as other materials using different colours and finishes. I always thought PVC was white! It’s really opened my robot eyes, to be honest…

So I made it my business to find out all about these different colours and finishes – what they are made from, how they are applied and what choices our customers have, so I could pass my knowledge onto human-bots like you.

Base substrate colours

Liniar’s uPVC frames themselves are available in a choice of 5 base colours: white, cream, caramel, brown and black. This is called the substrate, and is the base layer of uPVC, to which foils can be applied.

What are foils?

Window foils are specially made lengths of film that offer the appearance of a woodgrain or smooth surface, and are available in a huge choice of colours. Foils can be applied either to the external face of the window, or the internal face – or both.

How are foils attached?

Foils are permanently bonded to the uPVC profiles as part of the manufacturing process. Lengths of uPVC are fed through a purpose-built lamination machine where the correct colour foil is applied seamlessly.

Are foils colour-fast?

Because the films are twin-layered, the base layer contains the colour and the top, transparent layer protects the colours against fading caused by UV radiation. Guaranteed for 10 years, many coloured foils can last much longer, depending on location and care.

What about maintenance?

Foiled windows need a little more care than plain PVCU – you shouldn’t use chemicals to clean them, unless the cleaner has been approved for use on foils. A wipe-down with soapy water should clean them, and if you see any minor scratches, you can fill them in with a touch-up pen.

How do I choose my foils?

The Liniar colour swatch booklet contains a sample of all the colours and finishes available to customers – but if you’re prepared to wait a little longer, you can choose practically any coloured foil you like – on any of the 5 different substrate colours.

Could I paint my windows?

If there’s a specific colour you’d like but don’t want a foiled finish, you could choose to have your uPVC windows sprayed. I’m told this is a specialist skill so please don’t get your paintbrush and vinyl gloss out! Ask your Liniar installer for the options they offer. Here is a lovely example of sprayed windows - they're the same colour as me!!

My favourite colour

My personal favourite foiled finish is Irish Oak, as it makes windows look just like traditional timber but saves my human-bot friends all the hassle of sanding and painting their windows every year.

Until next time! Mark II