Weathering Services
Omega Specialty Products & Services ("Omega") offers a wide range of natural weathering services. Just give us a call and put our team of experienced scientists and technicians to help you with your testing needs.
Omega also offers a one-stop solution for complete weathering services at a 53-acre site in Medina, Ohio. Northeast Ohio has a full range of seasonal conditions throughout the year; from cold winters with many freeze/thaw cycles, mild, wet Spring and Fall seasons, to moderate Summers full of sunshine and afternoon storms. Our real-world testing facilities provide information on how your products will perform for your customers.
Design & Analysis
Omega has an experienced staff of chemists that will help design all phases of your experiment.
Omega can help design your exposure test and provide guidance with testing parameters. Samples can be exposed at various directions and angles depending on the characteristics being tested.
Examples:
- North 90 degrees - mildew, algae, adhesion, tannin, surfactant leaching.
- South 90 degrees - chalking, color and gloss retention, frosting, wax bleed.
- South 45 degrees - flexibility (cracking and peeling).
- Horizontal Up - decking materials.
- Sand pits - moisture, efflorescence, alkaline resistance.
Sample Preparation
Omega offers application services.
Application methods available include brush, roller or airless spray of oil based and latex primers and topcoats. A wide variety of substrates that are representative of the building industry are available:
- Various wood panels (e.g., cedar, cypress, redwood, southern yellow pine & white pine)
- T1-11 & plywood for roof over-hangs
- Hardboard and hardiepanel®
- Cementitious and masonry surfaces
- Aluminum, steel and galvanized panels
- Vinyl and aluminum siding
- Blister houses - designed to simulate homes with extreme moisture build-up
- Exotic Woods - IPE, Brazilian Redwood, Cedar, Cambara
Sample Ratings
Omega's highly skilled technical team will evaluate your products and samples based on a number of performance criteria. This thorough process ensures reliable results tailored to your company's specific needs.
The following are examples of visual characteristics that can be evaluated. ASTM standards or other procedures can be used depending on the needs of your product and organization:
- Blistering
- Cracking
- Flaking/Peeling
- Chalking
- Mildew/Algae
- Rust
- Adhesion
Omega offers instrumental evaluations including gloss (20/60/85) and spectrophotometer for FMCII and CieLab.
Digital Imaging
Omega's staff will help build a visual history of your samples' performance by using digital photography. Omega has the equipment and experience to take pictures of your samples in exterior or interior settings.
