Plastics, coatings, and other materials used outdoors are exposed to harmful UV light, high temperatures, and water in the form of dew and rain, which can cause a variety of physical and chemical degradation modes.

One of the most common types of product failure experienced outdoors is color change. As an example, look at how much color change the bird feeder in the image at right has experienced in just three years. Materials exposed outdoors can also become brittle, lose strength, experience gloss loss, haze, peel, or crack.

Think of how well your product or material will last outdoors and how durability might affect its longevity and functionality. In the case of the bird feeder, it might affect a food resource for wildlife! Q-Lab offers a variety of test equipment and services to help you better understand how a wide range of products will perform outdoors. Don’t guess when you can test!