Powder Coated

Galvanized or gloss black

Mill galvanized steel is silver, and it stays silver. That is fine on a utility window at the side of the house. It is less fine on the front elevation of a dark brick house, where a bright metal box under every window is the first thing you see. Gloss black powder coat is the same well with a finish applied after forming, and it reads as a shadow instead of a feature.

• Black sits back against dark siding, brick and stone instead of standing out
• The coating goes on after forming, so corrugations, safety lip and flanges are all covered
• Adds a finish layer over the galvanizing rather than replacing it
• Available on every size we build, from 36 to 96 inches wide
• Matches black window frames and black exterior hardware

How to decide between the two

Where the well will actually be seen

Walk out front and look. If the well is behind a shrub on the side of the house, galvanized is the sensible buy. If it sits under a front window at eye level from the sidewalk, the finish is worth the difference.

What the house is already doing

Black works hardest on dark cladding, black window frames, and modern builds where the trim is already dark. Against pale stucco or light brick, a black well becomes its own strong line, which may or may not be what you want.

How soon you need it

This is the practical constraint. Galvanized wells ship in one to two business days because they come off the shelf. Powder coated wells are finished to order and take one to two weeks. If the excavation is open and the backfill is booked, that fortnight matters.

How the finish wears

Powder coat is a hard finish, but it is still a finish, and the top edge of a well is where shovels and boots land. Galvanizing underneath does the corrosion work either way. Expect a coated well to show wear at the lip sooner than it shows rust.

The cover should probably match

Most people who order a black well are doing it for appearance, and a bright galvanized cover on top undoes that. Worth deciding both at the same time rather than discovering it after delivery.

Every size, in either finish

All 213 wells we build can be ordered in gloss black powder coat. The finish is chosen on the product page, not as a separate item.

• Widths from 36 to 96 inches
• Projections from 12 to 36 inches, including the 30 inch egress depth
• Heights from 12 to 42 inches
• Construction 20 gauge G-90 galvanized steel underneath the coating

If your opening needs a custom size, we quote those in either finish. Send us the measurements.

Coated in our own shop

The wells are rolled and formed at our plant in southeast Calgary, and coating is part of the same process rather than something sent out and waited on. Buying direct means no distributor markup and no minimum order.

Allow one to two weeks for coating before dispatch, then transit time depending on where in Canada you are. We ship to every province and territory, deliver locally around Calgary, and pickup at the plant is free. Wells travel as freight, arriving curbside on a liftgate truck with somebody needed to sign. Rates are in our shipping policy.

Comparing options? The same sizes in mill galvanized are in the main window wells collection, usually shipping the same week. If the window serves a bedroom, start with the egress ready sizes, all of which can be coated. Covers are available in steel and aluminum.

Looking after a coated well

Nothing routine. Rinse dirt off when you are washing the windows anyway. If the coating gets chipped down to bare metal during installation, touch it up rather than leaving it, because a chip on a horizontal edge is where water will sit.

A note on returns

Powder coated wells are finished to your order, so they are not stocked items and cannot be returned unless they arrive damaged or faulty. Our return policy sets this out. Worth being sure of the size before you order a coated well.

Common questions

Is the black finish painted on?
No. Powder coating is applied dry and cured, which gives a harder and more even finish than paint on a corrugated surface.

Does coating replace the galvanizing?
No. The steel is galvanized first and coated after forming, so the corrosion protection is still there underneath.

Why does it take one to two weeks?
Because it is done to order. Galvanized wells are stocked and go out in one to two business days.

Can I get a cover in black too?
Ask us. Covers are quoted separately and we will tell you what is possible on your size.

Does the coating cost the same on every size?
The finish is priced into each product, so the difference is shown on the page when you pick gloss black.

More on finishes and sizing is on our questions page.