How sunlight, temperature & moisture can affect paint |
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Let's face it. You can't control the weather. But, as a contractor,
understanding how weather can affect paint can help you make
better decisions and be a more knowledgeable resource to your
customers.
We expect a lot out of paint, especially when you consider
that a coating that is just two or three 1,000ths of an inch
thick must stand up to the ravages of nature over the course
of many years. But, this is what your customers expect and pay
for, so using a long-lasting quality paint is simply good business.
Three Enemies Of Paint:
Experts agree that the three worst enemies of paint are temperature
fluctuations, ultraviolet sun rays, and moisture. Regardless
of where your business is located, you are bound to face on
or more of these nemeses.
Perhaps the most demanding test for an exterior house paint
is temperature flucatuations experienced in freezing climates.
This is due to the potentially damaging effects of the freeze/thaw
cycle, where the temperature may drop below freezing at night,
and then rise above 32 degrees during the daytime.
The freeze/thaw process places extraordinary stress on a coating
since the substrate tends to expand and contract along with
the temperature changes. If the paint on top of the surface
isn't flexible, this stress can cause it to crack and even flake
off.
Severe temperature fluctuation occurs in the Northern U.S.
and Canada from late fall through early spring. In the Northeaster
U.S., freeze/thaw cycling is particularly frequent. A house
in this region can experience from 50 to 70 freeze/thaw cycles
during this period.
Tests performed at the Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute's
main facility in Spring House, Pennsylvania - right in the heart
of this Northeastern region - show that top quality paints made
with 100 percent acrylic binders tend to be tougher and more
flexible than ordinary paint, which allows them to expand and
contract in the face of severe temperature swings.
No Fun In The Sun
While
painting contractors in regions like Southern California, the
Southwest, and Southeast rarely have to worry about the effects
of freeze/thaw cycling, they have another enemy to contend with
- ultraviolet sun rays.
The downside to the great sunny weather in these regions is
that the sun's ultraviolet rays tend to deteriorate a paint's
binder. As the binder breaks down, pigment is released in a
powder or chalk-like form.
Heavy UV exposure can result in accelerated fading with many
paints and erosion of the paint's protective properties. Since
color fade is a touchy subject with homeowners, it's better
to be safe by choosing a paint with superior protection against
UV degradation that will leave you with satisfied customers.
Moisture Is Everywhere
Paint's
third enemy - moisture - is a particularly difficult problem,
since it appears in many forms and attacks exterior paint in
most regions of the country. Exposure to rain, snow, frost,
and high humidity can all take their toll on your paint job.
Moisture in any form can cause paint to soften and swell, leading
to blistering, cracking, peeling, or flaking. In addition, moist
conditions encourage the growth of unsightly mildew, which is
particularly common in the humid South.
Because of it's superior binder, a top quality paint adheres
to substrates better than ordinary paint and reduces the chance
of moisture-related blistering. Also, these paints typically
contain more mildewcide than lower quality paints, which helps
to prevent discoloration.
Quality Is The Solution
The constant
solution in this battle against the three enemies of paint is
to always use a top quality acrylic latex paint. Regardless
of your local weather conditions, it is good preventive medicine
for customer-related headaches.
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