Faded Cladding: A Complete Guide
Why commercial cladding fades, what the rate of fading indicates about coating condition, and when refurbishment is the appropriate response.
6 min read
- Fading is the first visible sign of UV coating degradation — it precedes more expensive forms of deterioration.
- On most UK commercial buildings, factory-applied polyester coatings show visible fading after 15–20 years.
- Fading caught before adhesion failure is the lowest-cost intervention point in a cladding maintenance cycle.
- South and south-west facing elevations fade faster — phased refurbishment may be appropriate on multi-orientation buildings.
- Colour matching to the original specification is possible but requires on-site sampling where the original RAL reference is unavailable.
What Is Faded Cladding?
Faded cladding is the visible colour shift that occurs as the original factory-applied coating degrades under UV exposure. The original factory colour — whether goosewing grey, merlin, ivory, terracotta, or a branded corporate shade — progressively lightens, loses saturation, and may develop a chalky surface residue as the organic pigment system and binder matrix break down. On a well-maintained building, fading is a maintenance signal. On a building where fading has been allowed to progress to coating failure, it becomes a more expensive problem.
Why Does Cladding Fade?
UV radiation is the primary cause. The UV component of sunlight attacks the organic binder that holds the coating film together, causing progressive molecular breakdown. The visible effect of this is colour shift (as pigment degrades) and chalking (as the binder breaks down into a powdery residue). Secondary factors include heat (elevated surface temperatures on south-facing dark-coloured elevations), atmospheric pollutants (accelerate chemical degradation), and moisture cycling (repeated wet-dry cycles stress the film).
Factory-applied polyester coatings, which account for the majority of pre-2000 UK commercial cladding, were designed primarily for forming and handling resistance. Their UV stability is lower than PVDF (PVF2) coatings, which were specified as the premium alternative. Polyester-coated cladding on UK commercial buildings installed in the 1980s and 1990s should be expected to have faded significantly by now.
How Is It Assessed?
Visual inspection identifies the extent and uniformity of fading across elevations. Colour measurements (colorimeter readings) can quantify the colour shift from the original specification — useful for warranty assessments and for establishing a baseline before refurbishment. More importantly for refurbishment specification, coating adhesion testing determines whether the faded coating is still adhered and can support an over-coat, or whether adhesion has been lost to the point where the preparation requirement increases substantially. This distinction determines the specification and the cost.
When Refurbishment May Be Suitable
Faded cladding where the existing coating remains adhered represents the optimal condition for over-coat refurbishment. High-pressure washing removes the loose chalky residue on the surface, mechanical abrasion provides adhesion key, and a single-coat system such as TopSpray 35 can restore appearance, UV protection and weather resistance in one site visit. The access, preparation and application scope is minimised compared to buildings where fading has progressed to adhesion failure.
On buildings with multiple elevations at different orientations, south-facing elevations typically degrade faster than north-facing. A phased approach — treating the most deteriorated elevation first, with north-facing surfaces following in a later maintenance cycle — can spread capital cost while maintaining compliance with lease obligations to keep the building in good decorative order.
When Refurbishment May Not Be Suitable
If fading has been allowed to progress over an extended period without maintenance, the coating film may have reduced in thickness to the point where adhesion to the substrate is compromised. In this condition, a simple wash-and-coat programme will not achieve the required service life — a more thorough mechanical preparation is needed. Where fading is accompanied by delamination or blistering, the coating has already failed and the preparation requirement is higher.
Fading on its own is a cosmetic maintenance issue. Where fading is accompanied by rust staining running down the elevation, this indicates active corrosion above — typically cut edge corrosion at roof level. The fading and the corrosion are separate problems requiring separate treatment, and the corrosion must be addressed before the top coat is applied.
Systems Commonly Considered
TopSpray 35 is the primary system for faded cladding refurbishment where maximum UV colour retention is the priority — it is particularly appropriate on south-facing elevations and on branded or investor-grade assets where colour accuracy must be maintained over the specified service life. SprayGrade is appropriate for cost-optimised programmes on non-branded buildings, mixed-substrate sites, or mid-life maintenance cycles where the goal is performance extension rather than full restoration to like-new standard.
Faded cladding is the most common reason building owners contact us for the first time. In most cases, the substrate is in good condition and the refurbishment scope is relatively straightforward. The question we are asked most often is whether colour matching to the original specification is possible after 20+ years of fading. The answer is: colour matching is always possible — we sample from an unexposed area of the building (typically under a fixing cap, behind signage, or inside a lap) to establish the original colour reference. What is less predictable is whether adjacent untreated elevations will match the refurbished ones immediately after completion — they will not. The refurbished areas will initially be brighter than the unfaded areas. Over time, as the new coating weathers, the difference reduces. For buildings where this is an issue, a whole-building programme avoids the aesthetic mismatch entirely.
Common Mistakes
- Deferring refurbishment until fading has progressed to adhesion failure — the preparation requirement and cost increase substantially at this point.
- Attempting to match colour from a colour chart without sampling from the existing building — the original colour will have shifted significantly from the nominal RAL reference.
- Treating fading as a purely cosmetic issue when it may indicate underlying cut edge corrosion that also requires attention.
- Refurbishing only the most visible elevation while deferring others — the resulting colour mismatch may be worse than the original fading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can faded cladding be returned to its original colour?
Yes. Spray-applied refurbishment can restore any colour in the standard RAL or BS range. Where the original specification is unknown, colour sampling from an unexposed area of the building establishes the original reference. The refurbished colour will closely match the original — the degree of accuracy depends on the sampling location and the mixing precision of the specific coating batch.
Does fading indicate that the cladding needs replacing?
Fading alone does not indicate that replacement is required. Fading is a coating maintenance issue — the substrate beneath may be in perfectly sound condition. Replacement should be considered where the substrate itself has failed, not where the surface coating has degraded.
How long will the refurbished colour last before fading again?
TopSpray 35 and similar UV-stable systems are specified for 10–15 years of colour retention in standard UK commercial environments. South-facing elevations in high UV zones will degrade faster than north-facing surfaces. The refurbished coating will fade — as will any coating — but at the same rate as any comparable modern commercial specification.
Is partial refurbishment of one elevation visible compared to untreated areas?
Yes, initially. A freshly refurbished elevation will be brighter than an adjacent unrefurbished one immediately after completion. Over 1–2 seasons of weathering the difference typically reduces. On buildings where appearance consistency across elevations is important, a whole-building programme eliminates the mismatch.
Related Guidance
Request a Site Assessment
Every refurbishment decision should be grounded in a site-specific assessment. Submit your building details and an approved applicator will confirm what your building needs.
Start Assessment