By the significance and importance of painting the building (exterior decoration) is put on a par with the thermal insulation of the house. This is due to the fact that in this way the facade of the building is protected from external factors. In addition, its external attractiveness and personality directly depends on the exterior finish. Therefore, the choice of paints and varnishes should be taken seriously, having familiarized themselves with all their features. In this article, we describe their properties, subtleties of application and composition, as well as give recommendations on choosing this type of material.
Like most others, facade paint is a uniform suspension of pigments in binders. Depending on these two components, the properties, purpose, and scope of the paints are determined. In addition, they often include various fillers, solvents and targeted additives.
Facade paint is divided into two main types: water-soluble and organic solvents. Until recently, paints based on organic solvents were more popular. This is due to the fact that they can be used at sub-zero temperatures (especially appropriate in our climate), they are water resistant, and can also be used as facade paint on plaster, wood, etc. But, despite all the advantages, they have a significant drawback - low environmental performance. Therefore, more and more buyers prefer water-based paints that are safe in this regard.
It is worth mentioning that this type of them is characterized by high quality indicators, efficiency and a long service life. They are divided, depending on the binder, into silicate, silicone, mineral (lime), cement and acrylic facade paints. The latter have become more widespread and used in construction.
Facade paint is applied using a roller, brush or a special spray gun. After the applied composition dries, a porous opaque or film coating is formed that protects the surface from dust, moisture, light, chemical and other external influences.
When choosing paints and varnishes it is worth paying attention first of all to decorative properties - color, structure, degree of gloss, etc. The appearance of the building’s facade will directly depend on this. It is also worth considering operational performance. These include resistance to weather conditions, exposure to aggressive substances, pollutants, mechanical stress and washing. Particular attention should be paid to the durability and protective performance of the selected material. If there are additional required functionalities, they should also be taken into account. And the last one is the price of the material, based on the consumption per square meter.
In addition to the properties that the selected facade paint has, the type of surface, its biological activity and gas permeability are taken into account. It is especially necessary to pay attention to the atmospheric and climatic conditions in which the building is located, and the total amount of moisture entering the walls of the facade.