Sep 19, 2026Guide
How to Control PVD Colour Variation Across Large Projects
PVD colour drifts between coating batches. On a 200-panel project, batch control is the difference between a matched lobby and a patchwork.
Why PVD colour varies at all
PVD colour comes from the coating layer's composition and thickness, set by chamber conditions. Between chambers, between runs, and even between positions in one chamber, small variations occur. A single sample panel is easy. Two hundred panels that match each other and the sample is a logistics exercise.
Sample approval locks the target
The approved physical sample is the contract. Not a rendering, not a colour name — the actual coated coupon on the agreed base finish. Everything after that is measured against it.
Batch booking across the run
The fabricator should book panels into coating batches deliberately: panels that install side by side go into the same batch. A lobby's field panels, for example, should not be spread across three weeks of opportunistic chamber space. Ask how batches are planned — a fabricator who books PVD batches deliberately controls this directly; one who leaves it to chance, less so.
Check at finishing, not just at installation
Consistency checks happen as each batch comes out: panels compared against the approved sample under consistent light, with records. Problems found at the facility cost a re-coat; problems found on site cost a schedule.
Working on a large package?
KingDeco manages PVD coating with batch booking and consistency checks built into production. Send your drawings and finish schedule for review.
