What exactly is PVC? Are there different kinds of it? Today we take a look at some of the most common terms and questions in the PVC Column Wrap industry.
Previously, we examined 15 Column Terms, but today we turn our attention to a Specific type of column, PVC. While most people would assume all columns are the same, there are a variety of differences between mat
Common PVC Column Wrap Terms
Structural Support – A part of the building or structure that provides the needed strength to hold a building or structure upright.
Column Wrap – A material that is used to conceal or wrap structural supports, and typically is only used for decorative purposes.
Column wraps are used to conceal unsightly structural supports
PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride, which is a synthetic plastic polymer that is commonly used in building materials.
Cellular PVC – A type of PVC in which small air pockets are present throughout an extrusion. Cellular PVC acts similar to wood in that it can be nailed, drilled, and fabricated. These small air pockets do no effect the structural integrity of the extrusion, but do make it more economical. Most PVC column wraps uses cellular PVC.
No Paint Required – Term meaning no paint is needed to protect the material from weathering effects such as UV light or moisture.
Yellowing Effect – The process of certain plastic polymers turning a yellowish color, normally due to UV light exposure. For certain plastic polymers, a yellowing effect is common, but Superior’s PVC Column Wraps uses the highest quality material to prevent this.
LRV – Light Reflective Value. This is a scale for a color’s reflective value from 0-100, with a lower value (ex. Black) meaning the color absorbs light. Industry standard PVC columns wrap is 55 LRV or higher.
PVC Glue – An adhesive that is commonly used to connect two pieces of PVC together. PVC Glue normally takes between 15 mins and 4 hours to fully harden.
Strap/Bungee/Clamps – Often used to hold PVC Glue and PVC Staves together while PVC Glue hardens.
Miter Joint – Created by cutting each of two parts to be joined across the main surface, in order to form a corner. For PVC column wraps, this is often used when creating a column wrap out of blank PVC sheets.
Deburring – The process of clearing debris and burrs from a materials edge.
Craftsman Style – A square tapered PVC column wrap profile that has gained in popularity due to its unique style.
Craftsman Style PVC column wraps have gain in popularity
Woodgrain Finish – A textural finish for PVC column wraps that mimics the look and feel of wood.
Matte/Smooth Finish – A textural finish for PVC column wraps that provides a sleek look.
Snap-Tite™ Locking – A patented design on Superior’s Snap-Tite™ PVC column wraps that allows the columns staves to lock together without the needing PVC Glue or an adhesive to bind them together.
Interested in learning more about PVC column wraps? Check out our PVC Column Wrap Page! Of course, the terms we discussed today are only a few of the many PVC column wrap terms that we could explore. So, if you have any questions on the above terms or other questions on PVC column wraps, please give us a call at 800-548-8656 or contact us here.
