Why Test?
Materials used in building construction are expected to last for many years without failure. Warranty issues can be a significant source of concern for companies in this industry.
Will your building products last outdoors? For how long? Does your new raw material supplier have the same quality as your previous one? Has something changed in your process that may affect your product's outdoor durability? Don’t guess when you can test.
Q-Lab testers are used to evaluate weathering and lightstability of a variety of building products, including:
- Roofing
- Siding
- Windows and doors
- Gutters and downspouts
- Composite decking
- Sealants and caulks
- Paints, stains, and varnishes
- Fencing
Nearly all materials used in building construction are exposed to outdoor conditions. Coatings and profiles for windows, doors, and vinyl siding, as well as weather seals, trims, and sealants, are regularly tested in the QUV accelerated weathering tester. While the QUV tester is also commonly used for roofing materials, the Q-SUN xenon test chamber is another popular choice because of its accurate sunlight simulation and versatile, easy-to-use flat specimen tray for three-dimensional parts.
Our Exposure Testing Services for Architectural and Window
Florida & Arizona Natural Outdoor
While accelerated weathering chambers are a key weapon in the fight against the forces of sunlight, heat, and moisture, nothing beats the real thing: outdoor testing in one of Q-Lab's benchmark outdoor testing facilities. In fact, outdoor testing is so important that the American Architectural Manufacturer's Association (AAMA) requires it in their certification program. Q-Lab is AAMA-accredited to perform all required outdoor exposures. We're also certified by the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) to perform its 3-year outdoor qualification test.
Accelerated Laboratory Weathering
Accelerated laboratory weathering testing is an efficient and effective way to evaluate the durability of building materials. Laboratory testing is designed to accelerate your weathering testing process to provide you with accurate and reliable answers for how your roofing, siding, windows, and doors will perform in service.
Q-Lab's accelerated weathering and lightstability testers accurately reproduce dozens of potential failure modes, including:
- Yellowing
- Cracking
- Crazing
- Color change and fading
- Delamination
- Warping
- Embrittlement
- Blistering
- Tensile strength loss
- Erosion
- Adhesion loss
- Gloss loss
- Chalking
A variety of international test standards are used to evaluate building products’ weathering resistance and light stability. Visit Q-Lab’s Standards Search page to browse standards and find the right test for your product.
Additional Testing for Architectural and Window
Corrosion Testing
Architectural coatings must also withstand the forces of corrosion, and the Q-FOG cyclic corrosion chamber is the perfect tool for recreating realistic industrial or marine corrosion in the laboratory. When you alternate Q-FOG with QUV exposure testing, you obtain the most reliable and realistic results available today.
Q-TRAC Solar Concentrator Testing
The Q‑TRAC natural sunlight concentrator combines the benefits of outdoor and accelerated testing, delivering five times the annual solar energy of an exposure in South Florida.