Considered by most everyone to be the most eye-catching finishes we provide for our metal wall and roof products are chromium oxide or titanium nitride. They can get confused because they are both very shiny finishes that come in a variety of colors and both are placed over stainless steel.
Titanium nitride (TiN) coatings have a wide range of applications due to practical properties such as high hardness, good corrosion resistance, heat resistance and excellent wear resistance etc. You’ve probably most frequently encountered this coating on tool bits and such in your day to day life. In particular, titanium nitride thin films are widely used as a hard coating material for cutting tools, since they have high hardness and oxidation resistance.
Titanium nitride is a high quality ceramic coating which can be applied by physical vapor deposition evaporation, sputtering, ion plating and chemical vapor deposition etc. For our purposes in architectural building envelope applications, it offers unparalleled wear resistance (as you can imagine) and remains inert to other metals managing any concern of galvanic interactions.
Though it can be used tastefully on any type of building, titanium nitride material is synonymous with onion domes and roofs on Orthodox churches. The farther east in Europe you go, the more ubiquitous these beautiful buildings become. The people hold these buildings, many of which are of high historical and artistic importance in great esteem. Only the most beautiful and permanent of materials need apply.
We love this material as much, if not more than gold leaf. It is shinier and looks every bit the part of a faceted gem when applied. And at a MUCH lower cost than gold and jewels. Ask us for a quote! You’ll be surprised!
Chromium oxide Cr2O3 finishes are achieved exclusively through an electrochemical process. No color pigments are added, and despite its enameled look, no lacquer is applied. The color and thickness of the chromium oxide layer are determined and built up through this process.
We sometimes call this material “Light Interference Finish” because, unlike its titanium nitride counterpart, it offers prismatic options in varying degrees. This means that for some of the finishes, when viewed in direct sunlight, the principal color will gleam in different hues showing off in resplendent iridescence. However, if you’d like just a blue, you can have just a blue, but it will be the deepest, most luscious, enchanting color you’ve ever seen.
The color is guaranteed to temperatures up to 200 degrees Celsius (392 F). Short term exposure to this temperature can generally be endured, but
persistent discolorations occur over persistent exposure.
Chromium oxide is a lifetime material. It is resistant to light, weathering and aging. No chalk, fade or peeling.
As the color is organically bonded to the base material, it creates an elastic surface which can withstand bending, edging, pressure forming and deep drawing.
Unlike other chromium oxide options on the market, our versions can be used for both wall AND roof. Please let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll find the perfect color finish!
Ask us any questions you have regarding titanium nitride and chromium oxide and ask how they can be implemented into you next project!
