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A kiosk’s appearance is crucial

February 11, 2011 by Kurt Myrick — Technical Engineer, Phoenix Kiosk

OK, so you've got the software squared away and you know what your kiosk hardware looks like. Perhaps the easiest thing to overlook is the appearance of your kiosk. There are plenty of options to consider, and I recommend that you take sufficient time to weigh them all carefully. You could end up owning a kiosk with exceptional functionality, but one that doesn't invite users or effectively promote your message and brand.

It's important to consider the exterior, including possible coatings, overlays and color options for your kiosk.

Powder Coating vs. Spray Painting /Wet Liquid Coating

Companies shopping for kiosks are often unfamiliar with the differences between powder coating and liquid coating (usually with paint). Powder coating is essentially exactly what it sounds like. It is applied through a "spray" mechanism as a free-flowing, dry powder.

Units are often prepared for powder coating so the coating can be applied electrostatically before it is cured at nearly 400 degrees for 10 minutes or longer. This allows the powder coating to form a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint.

Although newer gun designs for spray paint have decreased bounceback and uneven finishes, the issue of durability remains. Powder coating is typically the best choice for surface finishing on kiosks, especially if the kiosk will be exposed to sunlight, water, solvents, chemicals, outside elements or heavy use. Phoenix Kiosk does not liquid coat any of its units due to environmental and durability concerns.

When compared to wet painting/traditional liquid coating processes, powder coating offers the following benefits:

• Better adhesion to the surface
• A much thicker coating, without running or sagging
• A high-specification coating that is relatively hard, abrasion resistant (depending on the specification) and tough
• Zero or near-zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• A more uniform appearance with fewer anomalies between horizontally coated surfaces and vertically coated surfaces
• Less hazardous waste, and 98 percent of overspray can be recovered

Some companies allow clients to use two or more colors of powder coat on their kiosks, in order to make the kiosk stand out that much more.

Overlay Options

Overlays provide a more textured appearance as compared to the flatter, one-color powder coatings or paint coatings. Overlays are available in steel (i.e. brushed stainless steel) finishes, wood finishes, and acrylic finishes.

The look and feel of the overlay is completely up to the kiosk owner, depending upon the kiosk's software application and audience, whether or not the company brand/colors will be incorporated into the kiosk, and in many cases, personal preference.

Steel Overlays

There are numerous steel overlays that are available to provide a more industrial feel. These brushed steel overlays differ from "steel" acrylic overlays in that they do not have the flashy patterns. They are a little more reserved. Therefore, they can be utilized with a wide variety of applications, and in numerous settings. (The apples are there to provide contrast.)

Wood Overlays

Many people may consider wood overlays to be out of date, but there are applications for which wood overlays can be effective. For instance, inside a museum for a nature exhibit, or in an indoor environment at a wildlife park, etc. Wood and most other overlays are not durable enough for the outdoors. There are numerous choices for wood surface finishes.

Acrylic Overlays

It’s hard to tell an acrylic overlay from real steel, and the patterns that are available are sure tomake kiosks stand out due to their reflective, metal-like appearance. Popular patterns include Linen, Radial, Shards, Diamond Plate, Confetti and Sand Drift.

Cost Comparison for Kiosk Finishes

Let’s jump right into the cost difference between the kiosk finishes. Spray/Wet Liquid Paint is going to be the cheapest, which some kiosk companies will not offer as it is generally inferior to the other finishes. Powder Coating comes standard on most kiosks. Acrylic and Wood tend to be a little less expensive than the Metal overlays.  

Multi-Color Options

As mentioned above, companies may be able to utilize two or more colors of powder coat on their kiosks to give them a unique look and feel, depending on the kiosk supplier. We provide clients with the ability to fully customize their kiosk by making each of the following parts a different color: the base, the side blades, the keyboard, the doors and kiosk body itself.

Don’t be afraid to get creative in order to draw the largest audience possible to your kiosk. Sometimes an eye-catching, or even bizarre, color scheme can make all the difference when it comes to increasing kiosk traffic and the associated leads and business that may come with it.

Branding a Kiosk

Company branding is always an option to consider for any new kiosk. In addition to incorporating a company logo on the front of their kiosk (and on their software application), it would be wise for acompany to utilize a kiosk supplier that provides a wide range of color options. Most kiosk suppliers will allow you to customize a color batch of powder coating as well, at an additional cost of course.

There are additional, unique ways to brand a company through a kiosk. Company logos can be custom made into full or partial cut vinyl wraps, and reverse applied to an acrylic sheet, giving depth to the overlay and ensuring the image will never be damaged. Here is an example of a different way to display your company logo with a light (or Glow Logo) that shines through a cut space in the front of the kiosk: (The company logo is essentially back lit for an extra, eye-catching effect)

Summary

The factors to consider when choosing the finishes and colors for your kiosk are many, including your kiosk application and audience, your ultimate goals for the kiosk, the environment in which the kiosk will be placed, and branding. There are literally hundreds of options when it comes to the final appearance of your kiosk, and each option should be considered carefully so that the kiosk can be as effective as possible.

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