Masterspec
01 Apr 2025
Document Referencing and Scheduling with eCert
Our editor team has updated all Masterspec work sections which have references to environmental documents. Where environmental document references...
27 Mar 2025
Update Manager New Features
The new Update Manager features are designed to boost productivity when applying changes to updated work sections. Simplify work section updates with...
03 Mar 2025
CIL is Now Accepting Product Carbon Data for the National Embodied Carbon Data Repository for Construction.
CIL Masterspec is now accepting carbon information in the form of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) or Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) from...
06 Jan 2025
Carbon 2025 and Beyond: Building a More Sustainable Future for NZ Construction
In July 2024, Construction Information Ltd (CIL) and the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ) announced a partnership to develop a...
01 Nov 2024
Introducing eCert: A Game-Changing Tool for Sustainable Construction
As the New Zealand construction industry increasingly focuses on sustainability and carbon reduction, there is a growing need for tools that can help...
26 Sep 2024
Masterspec Specified: Manawa House by Cube Architecture
"Masterspec has been an indispensable tool for our project Manawa House. During the specification, Masterspec streamlined our entire specification...
26 Sep 2024
Masterspec Specified: Award Winning Ligar Bay Bach by Young Architects
"Masterspec was used for providing a detailed, fully customised, specification as part of our comprehensive project documentation for the Ligar Bay...
25 Sep 2024
Masterspec Specified: Hilltop Home by Jon McAlpine Architecture
“Masterspec is a critical component in our studio. Its user-friendly platform and regular product specification updates, keep us constantly on the...
06 Aug 2024
NZ Building Code Changes: Type 1 Domestic Smoke Alarms
In Masterspec NOTES June 2024, we provided commentary around the changes to the NZ Building Code relating to domestic smoke alarms.
18 Jul 2024
New Industry Initiative to Reduce Carbon Emissions of New Zealand Buildings
A new industry-led initiative aims to reduce the environmental impact of Aotearoa New Zealand’s buildings, which contribute up to 20% of the national...
04 Jul 2024
Masterspec Announces New MasterKey4 for Revit 2025 Enhancements
Streamlined Workflows and Improved Collaboration with MasterKey4. We are excited to announce the latest update to MasterKey4 for Revit 2025, designed...
04 Jun 2024
Building Code Updates 2023-2024
This month we have published amendments in response to building code updates. The 2023-24 NZBC changes were published by MBIE on the 2 November 2023,...
04 Jun 2024
NZ Building Code Changes: Type 1 Domestic Smoke Alarms
From November 2023 the Building Code Acceptable Solutions for Protection from Fire (C/AS1 and C/AS2) have been amended to make Type 1 interconnected...
05 Apr 2024
Understanding Project Scope and How to Specify Window Systems
It is vital that Movement and Deflection criteria are correctly defined in the Specification. We cannot over emphasize the importance of correctly...
04 Apr 2024
MBIE Building Consent System Review - Overview and Update
In July 2022, MBIE commenced a review of the building consent system, as part of the Building System Reforms to improve the consenting process. The...
30 Nov 2023
NZCIC Guidelines Responsibility Schedule Goes Digital
The new online tool enables real-time collaboration among multiple stakeholders, fostering efficiency and innovation in construction processes.
10 Nov 2023
BCA Requests to Modify Manufacturers Technical Content
mDocs allows the specifier to quickly access the latest version of a document uploaded by the manufacturer or supplier. Importantly, these detailed...
27 Sep 2023
Masterspec Specified: Award Winning Taharoto Lane by X Studio Architects
The development will have 19 units, including studio, office, and retail space. The residential units will have balconies with views of the city...
27 Sep 2023
Masterspec Specified: Award Winning Soaring Box House by Turner Road Architecture
The house’s unique design fits into the rural landscape. The house has a cantilevered structure and a soaring angular volume. The interior design is...
13 Sep 2023
Hallmark Group Opens Up About BPIR
Recently, Hallmark Group turned to Masterspec, a trusted name in compliance solutions, for guidance on their BPIR for fire doors. In this article, we...

ALUMINIUM FINISHES AND EXPOSURE ZONES

28 Mar 2019

Powder coating or anodising on aluminium are just like any protective coating on metal. The durability will depend on the exposure zone they are in. Although aluminium is a durable metal, when exposed it will degrade in appearance over time, and it is also true of aluminium finishes. So specifying the right finish for the the exposure zone is important. 

Powder coating:
For powder coating the industry generally uses the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) test documents to define the performance of powder coating in different environments. These are: 

  • AAMA 2603 - Extra-durable polyester powder coating (recommended for maximum exposure zone C, to NZS 3604).
  • AAMA 2604 - High-durability polyester powder coating (recommended for maximum exposure zone D, to NZS 3604).
  • AAMA 2605 - High-durability fluoropolymer powder coating (recommended for maximum exposure zone E to NZBC E2/AS1, and most geothermal / micro-climates).

Anodising:
For a number of years anodising thickness / grade has been defined by the Window and Glass Association New Zealand (WGANZ) (and WANZ before that), as AA12, AA20, and AA25. These relate to exposure zones as follows:

  • AA12 - 12 microns minimum (recommended for maximum exposure zone B, to NZS 3604).
  • AA20 - 20 microns minimum (recommended for maximum exposure zone C, to NZS 3604).
  • AA25 - 25 microns minimum (recommended for maximum exposure zone D to NZS 3604, and zone E to NZBC E2/AS1, and most geothermal / micro-climates).
BRANZ:
BRANZ have released a new Bulletin BU 634 "Finishing Aluminium" (replacing BU 349), which covers the subject in great depth. Recommended reading if you want to know more detail.

Masterspec:
Where appropriate, Masterspec have updated standards in the Documents clause, and guidance notes.
Powder coating and anodising finishes are categorised by minimum standard for coating thickness to AAMA and WGANZ respectively. The Q+A is structured to align with exposure zones set out in NZS 3604, and NZBC E2/AS1.
 

Exposure Zones:
Exposure zones are sometimes derived from other standards. 
To help with this, our Table 1 (expanded from previous articles) illustrates how they roughly relate.

Table 1 - Comparison across Standards for Exposure Zones / Corrosion Zones

Notes:
Acknowledgement:  BRANZ Build June/July 2013 and NATSPEC NTN DES 010, for part of the information.
1) Corrosion Risk descriptions from AS/NZS 2312.1: 2014.
2) 9223 is used by the coil coaters for metal roofing and cladding.
3) AS/NZS 2728: 2013 - describes product types, linked with AS/NZS 2312, and ISO 9223
4) 2699 set, parts 1 to 3, deals with components for masonry.
5) E on its own or divided into EI Very High Industrial and EM Very High Marine.
6) C5 on its own or divided into C5I Very High Industrial and C5M Very High Marine.
7) SED specific design, particularly for extreme marine, geothermal, and micro-climate
8) Extreme marine or extreme industrial.