Aluminum is a wonderful product for dog crates and superior to plastic dog kennels and wooden dog kennels.   Aluminum is strong, lightweight, cool, non-absorbent, and will not rust.  Unfinished aluminum will tarnish and oxidize causing residue to rub off and discolor your dog and your clothing and there are a variety of methods available to prevent coat rub off such as anodozing and powdercoating   All aluminum finishes can scratch if treated roughly.  Raw untreated aluminum crates used to be simply painted on the inside to prevent the residue from rubbing off on your dog but this quickly wore off and you were back down to the raw aluminum.   Powdercoating is a process in which the metal is painted and the thick surface is baked on but has a tendency to chip and peel because it does not adhere well to flexible sheets of aluminum and adds weight to the metal.   Anodizing is a chemical electrical process that actually instills the finish into the metal rather than on the surface of the metal. The aluminum is placed in a tank of chemicals and dye and electrically charged for a period of time. This causes the dye to be permanently instilled into the metal.   The result is a non toxic permanent harder finish that does not add any weight to the crate, will look new year after year, and will never rub, chip or peel off. 

Anodizing has been utilized commercially for many years in aluminum products that come in contact with moisture such as airline materials and components, shower door and window trim, garden equipment, and marine equipment and is regarded as the industry standard to protect aluminum however it does add expense to the material.  We utilize a variety of finishes and guages however we recommend Anodized 050 aluminum dog crates as the workhorse of the East Coast Crates product line.

Make no mistake that anodizing continues to be the industry standard and is the most superior method to treat
and protect the aluminum for your high quality investment. 

Anodizing's Benefits

 as defined by the Aluminum Anodizing Council

The unique anodized finish is the only one in the metals industry that satisfies each of the factors that must be considered when selecting a high performance aluminum finish:

Durability. Most anodized products have an extremely long life span and offer significant economic advantages through maintenance and operating savings. Anodizing is a reacted finish that is integrated with the underlying aluminum for total bonding and unmatched adhesion.

Color Stability. Exterior anodic coatings provide good stability to ultraviolet rays, do not chip or peel, and are easily repeatable.

Ease of Maintenance. Scars and wear from fabrication, handling, installation, frequent surface dirt cleaning and usage are virtually non-existent. Rinsing or mild soap and water cleaning usually will restore an anodized surface to its original appearance. Mild abrasive cleaners can be used for more difficult deposits.

Aesthetics. Anodizing offers a large increasing number of gloss and color alternatives and minimizes or eliminates color variations. Unlike other finishes, anodizing allows the aluminum to maintain its metallic appearance.

Cost. A lower initial finishing cost combines with lower maintenance costs for greater long-term value.

Health and Safety. Anodizing is a safe process that is not harmful to human health. An anodized finish is chemically stable, will not decompose; is non-toxic; and is heat-resistant to the melting point of aluminum (1,221 degrees F.)

Since the anodizing process is a reinforcement of a naturally occurring oxide process, it is non-hazardous and produces no harmful or dangerous by-products.

Feel free to visit the Aluminum Anodizing Council for further information.