Galvanized or cold rolled steel coil given a thick polyvinyl chloride finish, either as liquid plastisol applied and cured on a coil-coating line or as a decorative PVC film bonded with adhesive. The thick, tough and embossable surface resists abrasion, chemicals and wet conditions, and can be printed with wood, leather or stone patterns.
Also called
PVC coated steel
Plastisol coated steel
VCM
Vinyl coated metal
PVC laminated steel
Film laminated steel
PCM
AR
صلب مطلي أو مغلف بالـ PVC
ZH
PVC覆膜钢板（VCM板）
DE
PVC-beschichtetes und folienkaschiertes Stahlblech
FR
Tôle d'acier revêtue ou laminée PVC
ES
Chapa de acero recubierta o laminada con PVC
IT
Lamiera d'acciaio rivestita o laminata in PVC
TR
PVC kaplı / laminasyonlu çelik sac
RU
Сталь с ПВХ-покрытием (пластизоль, ламинированная)
Main formsPlastisol-coated coil and sheet, PVC film laminated (VCM) coil and sheet, profiled cladding
Typical sizesBase steel about 0.3–1.2 mm; plastisol 100–200 µm; PVC film about 100–300 µm
Main standardsEN 10169, EN 13523; substrate to EN 10346, ASTM A653 or JIS G3302
Key gradesDX51D+Z and S250GD–S350GD+Z substrates · plastisol (PVC P) · PVC film laminate
Typical usesIndustrial and coastal cladding, cold rooms, appliance doors and panels, lift and office interiors, gutters
Overview
PVC finishes on steel come in two forms. Plastisol is a paste of PVC resin and plasticiser applied by roll coater over a primer on a coil-coating line and fused in the oven into a film 100–200 µm thick — five to ten times a normal paint film. While still soft it can be embossed with a leather-grain or other texture. PVC film lamination bonds a pre-made PVC film, often printed or metallic-effect, to the steel with an adhesive; this is the vinyl-coated metal (VCM) used for decorative appliance and interior panels.
The thickness gives excellent resistance to abrasion, impact and many chemicals, and good corrosion protection in wet, coastal or industrial atmospheres, which is why plastisol has long been used for agricultural and industrial cladding. Its weaknesses are heat and ultraviolet: the film can soften, chalk and lose plasticiser in strong sun, so in hot climates light colours and UV-stabilised grades are used for exterior work, and many specifiers prefer SMP or PVDF paints for sun-exposed roofs.
Film-laminated steel is mostly used indoors: refrigerator and washing-machine panels, lift cabins, doors, partitions and furniture, where its printed patterns imitate wood, stone or stainless steel.
In the Middle East both products are supplied mainly by Asian coil coaters and laminators, often with a protective film, for appliance and interior-fit-out manufacturers and for cold-store and industrial cladding. Chlorine-free alternatives are increasingly asked for on projects with sustainability ratings.
Forms & sizes
Plastisol coil
Galvanized or Al-Zn base, 100–200 µm PVC, smooth or embossed; profiled into cladding
PVC film laminated (VCM)
Printed or plain PVC film on galvanized or cold rolled base; for appliance and interior panels
Back coat
Usually a thin polyester or epoxy back coat; foam-friendly back coat for sandwich panels
Protective film
Peelable film on the decorative side to protect it during forming and installation
