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The Solution Section (FAQ)
What is Designer Metals, and who runs the company?
Designer Metals is a metal siding product line that offers the beauty, look, and feel of wood with the strength and ease-of-maintenance of steel. Other products on the market force customers to choose between aesthetics and longevity — Designer Metals provides both. The company is run by dedicated Amish families who understand the needs of horse owners and have decades of barn-building expertise.
Why choose steel that looks like wood instead of real wood?
Wood barns are beautiful, but they suffer from weather, sun, insects, and horses that like to chew. Real wood requires repeated painting and carries the worry of lightning and fire. Designer Metals captures the authentic look and feel of real wood while maintaining the strength and durability of steel — including realistic wood colors that give the barn the true beauty of wood without the upkeep.
What is the Kynar 500 Paint System, and what are the 7 layers of durability?
The Kynar 500 Paint System ensures a luxury finish with minimal chalking or fading. The 7 layers of durability:
- Backside — primer coating to protect from corrosion
- Base Metal — heavy-duty 28g metal to hide imperfections in the wall
- Galvalume Base Coat — AZ55 Galvalume coating for further corrosion protection
- Primer Coating — additional corrosion resistance and priming for Kynar 500
- Kynar 500 — best coating for resistance to chalking and fading
- Print Layer — printed layer providing a beautiful finish texture
- Clear Coat — durable finish protecting against scuffs and scratches
Can I get a stone-look finish?
Yes. Designer Metals offers Stone finishes in addition to wood — popular for matching a barn to the home on the property, or simply for the look of stone with the ease and durability of steel.
What color choices are available?
Color options range from browns, rust, blue, white, tan, stone, and wood — all produced with the 7 Layers of Durability. The website is filled with nearly endless color choices.
Does Designer Metals work with contractors and barn builders?
Yes. Designer Metals welcomes business relationships with contractors and barn builders — many contractors report increased business simply by being able to offer one-of-a-kind siding finishes that competitors don't carry on steel siding. Once a customer's needs are known, Designer Metals coordinates directly with the barn builder for specifications and shipping.
Who makes Designer Metals PermaGuard siding?
PermaGuard is a metal siding line produced by Designer Metals, a manufacturer based in Hamptonville, North Carolina. The company has been in business for 27 years and roll-forms its own panels, trim and roofing on site. You can reach them at (336) 468-4317 or visit 4708 Hunting Creek Church Road, Hamptonville, NC 27020.
What is the KYNAR 500 Paint System?
KYNAR 500 is a premium fluoropolymer (PVDF) coating technology used on Designer Metals' PermaGuard panels and recognized industry-wide for outstanding color retention and chalk resistance. It is designed to hold its finish under intense sun, rain and temperature extremes far longer than ordinary paints. Designer Metals applies it as part of a seven-layer protection process.
What gauge of steel is PermaGuard siding?
PermaGuard is built on a heavy-duty 28-gauge base metal. That thickness gives the panel enough rigidity to span barn walls cleanly and to help hide minor surface imperfections in the wall framing or sheathing behind it. The steel core is what allows the product to look like wood while resisting rot, warping and pests.
How does the siding look like wood but last like steel?
Designer Metals prints authentic wood-grain finishes onto steel panels through its Signature Series and barn-board patterns. The result captures the grain, color and warmth of cedar, pine, oak and reclaimed barn wood, but the underlying material is painted steel. That means it never rots, splinters, warps or invites insects the way real lumber siding does.
What warranty comes with PermaGuard?
Designer Metals backs its painted panels with a 40-year paint warranty that includes industry-leading anti-chalk and fade performance. The warranty reflects the durability of the KYNAR 500 and SMP coating systems applied over the steel. For exact coverage terms on a specific profile and color, call the plant at (336) 468-4317.
What does the seven layers of protection mean?
PermaGuard panels are finished with seven distinct layers, including a backside primer coating that protects the interior face of the panel against corrosion. The layered build, topped by the KYNAR 500 fluoropolymer finish, is what gives the siding its long-term resistance to fading, chalking and weathering. It is engineered to perform from scorching summer heat to frigid winter storms.
Is metal siding good for a horse barn?
Yes. PermaGuard is built to withstand harsh weather and to resist the moisture infiltration that rots wood-sided barns over time. Because the surface is painted steel rather than organic wood, it also deters insects and rodents from nesting and chewing, which is a common problem in stables. It gives owners a barn exterior that keeps its color with minimal upkeep.
What panel profiles does Designer Metals offer?
Designer Metals offers nine panel profiles: Traditional, Classic AG, B&B 32 inch, Legacy, Log Siding, Standing Seam, Hidden Fastener B&B, Lap Siding and the LeakGuard panel. This range lets a horse owner match the look of board-and-batten, log, lap or standing-seam construction. Custom trim can be fabricated in any profile to complete the project.
What colors are available?
There are more than 40 colors to choose from. They span a Designer Colors collection (such as Designer White, Charcoal, Burnished Slate, Burgundy and Designer Green), a Standard Colors collection, wood-grain Signature Series finishes, textured Stackstone patterns, and licensed Mossy Oak camo patterns. Wood-look options include Weathered Wood, Red Oak, Natural Pine, Dark Cherry and Reclaimed or Vintage Barn Board.
Does Designer Metals make camo-pattern siding?
Yes. Designer Metals carries licensed Mossy Oak camo patterns including Bottomland Original, Bottomland and Country DNA. These are popular for hunting cabins, blinds and rural outbuildings where owners want the structure to blend into the landscape. They are printed onto the same durable steel substrate as the rest of the PermaGuard line.
How long can the panels be made?
Designer Metals can roll-form panels up to 55 feet in a single continuous length. On tall barn or shed walls, that eliminates the horizontal end-lap seams you would otherwise need, which improves both the appearance and the weather-tightness of the wall. Panels are produced to the length your project requires.
What is the Dropguard option?
Dropguard is a premium condensation-control panel option offered by Designer Metals. It is designed to manage moisture and condensation that can form on the underside of metal panels in barns and outbuildings, helping protect stored equipment, hay and animals from drips. It is one of the upgrade options available alongside embossing.
Does Designer Metals make trim and accessories to match?
Yes. Beyond siding panels, Designer Metals fabricates custom trim in any profile, plus fastener clips, ridge caps, closures and a range of wood, metal and specialty screws. The company also offers doors, windows and decorative accent trusses. Sourcing siding, roofing, trim and fasteners from one manufacturer keeps colors and profiles consistent across the whole barn.
How do I buy Designer Metals PermaGuard?
Designer Metals sells through contractors, builders and building-supply partners, and the Hamptonville plant works directly with agricultural and barn builders. The best approach is to call ahead with your wall dimensions and chosen color so panels can be cut to length. Reach them at (336) 468-4317, Monday through Friday, 7:45am to 5:00pm.
How does steel siding compare to repainting a wood barn?
A wood-sided barn typically needs periodic scraping, sealing and repainting to fight rot, fading and insect damage. PermaGuard's painted steel keeps its wood look with minimal maintenance and is backed by a 40-year paint warranty, so owners avoid the recurring cost and labor of refinishing. It delivers the appearance of wood without wood's upkeep burden.
Will the finish fade or chalk over time?
Designer Metals' finishes are specifically engineered with industry-leading anti-chalk and fade performance, and the KYNAR 500 fluoropolymer coating is renowned for color retention under harsh sun. The 40-year paint warranty reflects this durability. That makes PermaGuard well suited to fully exposed barn and stable walls that take direct weather year-round.
Where is Designer Metals located and what are its hours?
Designer Metals is located at 4708 Hunting Creek Church Road, Hamptonville, NC 27020, and manufactures its products on site. The plant operates Monday through Friday, 7:45am to 5:00pm. You can call (336) 468-4317 to discuss profiles, colors, custom trim and pricing for a barn or stable project.
Is It True That Designer Metals Use The "Kynar 500" Paint System?
YES! That is a tremendous advantage to you! The Kynar 500 Paint System ensures a luxury finish without sacrificing any durability. You can expect years of endurance with very minimal chalking or fading. There are 7 layers of durability: Backside - A primer coating is applied to the back side of the panel to protect from corrosion. Base Metal - Heavy Duty 28g metal helps to hide the imperfections in your wall. Galvalume Base Coat- AZ55 Galvalume Coating provides further protection from corrosion. Primer Coating - Additional corrosion resistance and priming for Kynar 500. Kynar 500- The best coating to provide resistance to chalking & fading. Print Layer - The printed layer providing a beautiful finish & texture. Clear Coat - Durable finish protecting against scuffs and scratches.
What If I Would Like A Finish That Looks Like Stone?
Barn owners love beautifying their property and few things make for a more beautiful barn, than to match it to the lovely home on the property! If your home is made of stone— or if you just love the looks of stone, but want the ease of use and durability of steel, you will love the Stone finishes at Designer Metals!
What Color Choices Do I Have?
Few things are as fun as taking a few moments to choose the color of the barn your family will be enjoying for decades to come. From browns, to rust, to blue, to white, tan, stone and wood, our website is filled with nearly endless color choices— all with our “7 Layers of Durability” carefully produced for each one.
Can I Work With Designer Metals If I Also Have A Construction Business?
YES! Horse owners are often business owners and may even be contractors, or have friends or family who are in the building trade! We welcome a business relationship with you. Quite often your clients will be amazed, because we offer finishes, that you don’t on steel siding. We would like to take a few minutes to learn more about you, your business, and how you serve your customers. We understand that the customer's experience is the key driver for referrals and repeat business, and we would like to show you how Designer Metals can help increase the satisfaction of your customers. Many contractors tell us how we have “increased their business” simply due to offering a one-of-a-kind elegant siding to make each barn a true “stand out”.
How Do I Get Started?
It’s easy! Just pick up the phone and tell us about the new barn you wish to build— we can even give you ideas if you need some. Once we know what your needs will be, we can get the phone number for your barn builder and he can give us the specifications so that we can cut it to his or her specifications. Shipping is easy and we are here to answer your questions! Just pick up the phone, and tell us about the barn of your dreams— we are here to help you every step of the way.
