When choosing aluminum for home construction, looking at the shine alone is not enough. Recycled and mixed materials are common in the market, which can weaken your windows after some time. To save your money from being wasted, you must try these 7 ways to check aluminum.
1 Check the Aluminum Gauge
The durability of aluminum depends on its thickness. Always check with a vernier caliper to see if the gauge is exactly what the shopkeeper told you. For common windows, 1.2mm to 1.6mm is best, and for heavy work, 2.0mm gauge is ideal. If you are installing single glass aluminum, the minimum gauge should be 1.2mm. If you are installing double glass aluminum, the thickness should be between 1.6mm to 2mm.
2 Identifying Iron Mixture (Most Important)
Some manufacturers mix iron into the aluminum to make it heavy and cheap, which catches rust over time. If the aluminum feels excessively hard, be careful. Look closely at the backside and inner parts of the aluminum. If you see light black spots there, it is a sign that iron has been used. Pure aluminum is equally clean from both inside and outside. Very hard aluminum is a sign that iron has been mixed into it.
3 Testing the Anodizing Finish
Anodizing is not just a paint applied on top, but a chemical process that becomes part of the aluminum surface. It is more durable than powder coating and does not get damaged by sunlight. If you are getting anodized aluminum, check that the color shade of all pieces is the same. A difference in color is a sign of poor anodizing. If the color of one piece does not match the others, or some pieces are light and others are dark, it is a sign of poor quality aluminum.
4 Finishing and Powder Coating
Run your hand over the aluminum surface. If it is not perfectly plain and smooth, or if there are grains on it, the quality of the powder coating is low. High-quality coating does not come off easily. If the powder coating is poor, it starts coming off even during the cutting process.
5 Identify by Sound
Tap the aluminum section with a metal object. If the sound is heavy and solid, it is a sign of good material. A thin, ringing sound is a sign of thin and poor quality aluminum.
6 Aluminum Grade
For windows and doors, using 6063-T5 grade is always the best. This grade is considered top-tier in terms of strength and finishing.
7 Cleaning of Joints
Workmanship is also part of the quality. Look at the corners of the window. If the joints are perfectly aligned and there is no gap, then both the material and cutting are standard. If there is a large gap, it means the material is either bent or the cutting was not done correctly.
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