Facade paint for concrete - protection, appearance, design
On any surface, paint is primarily a protective coating. It performs the same function on concrete. But facade paint for concrete for outdoor use is also designed to give the building a more attractive appearance.
And given that the industry offers the widest choice of paint in a variety of colors, then it’s time to think about the design qualities of the work performed. Another thing is that not everyone will fit.
The choice is huge and easy to read
It is necessary to choose not even the one that is intended for "wood, drywall and concrete", but strictly for "concrete". This will be the best solution.
But this is understandable why - the requirements for operating conditions are too serious.
Requirements
Everything that nature has come up with harsh, everything the paint must withstand, and even with the margin accepted in these cases:
- minimum air temperatures - up to -50 degrees;
- maximum air temperatures, taking into account constant exposure during the full daylight hours of the day - not less than +50;
- temperature of one-time exposure to direct fire;
- sudden changes in temperature, both up and down;
- constant exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun;
- constant high humidity;
- the direct impact of rain, moreover, it means a shock character;
- hail impact;
- the impact of chemicals, here one could say sacramental - of the entire periodic table;
- constant wind loads;
- external mechanical loads of a one-time nature;
- in the end, the impact of microflora and living organisms.
In addition to the external hazards listed, the paint must:
- act on the rough coating in a binding manner, preventing the appearance of cracks and destruction of the material;
- do not fade in the sun;
- in addition, it must maintain the special properties of concrete; this is extremely important if aerated concrete is painted, which has excellent vapor permeability; the finishing used in this case should not reduce this characteristic of aerated concrete.
Helpful advice!
For any finishing of aerated concrete, it is necessary to be guided by the following rule, given its high vapor permeability.
Each subsequent layer from aerated concrete to the outside must have a greater vapor transmission coefficient.
This becomes especially relevant if the surface is first and then painted.
At the same time, the primer should have a coefficient greater than that of concrete, plaster - more than that of a primer, well, and paint for aerated concrete - have a maximum vapor transmission coefficient in this entire multilayer structure.
Otherwise, accumulation of moisture at the boundary of the layers and, thus, dangerous dampening of the finish from the inside cannot be avoided.
Work with concrete facade
Based on the presented requirements, the range of candidates to choose from is noticeably reduced, although it will still not be small.
Applicants
Among the contenders for painting concrete, the following stand out:
- polysilicon - such paint:
- has a very high wear cycle, up to 5 thousand, which is usually indicated by the manufacturer;
- allows you to create a textured surface;
- acrylic - best suited if:
- the facade was pre-primed;
- work is forced to be carried out at low temperatures;
- acrylic-silicone - these are a further development of conventional acrylic for concrete. Vapor-permeable paint for aerated concrete should not have silicone impurities and should not be applied at low temperatures, in all other cases it behaves better than simple acrylic.
Drying time and consumption
We advise you to pay special attention to two characteristics of any facade paint for concrete:
- The first is drying time.. This characteristic is especially relevant, since painting is always carried out in 2-3 layers. Moreover, each subsequent layer should be applied no earlier than the previous one has completely dried out. For all inner layers, this waiting time is usually between 2 and 5 hours, and for the last layer, at least 24 hours.
- The second one is consumption.. To begin with, all the inner layers should have a thicker consistency of the starting material. At the same time, the thinner the paint, the greater its consumption, and this axiom must be reckoned with. Moreover, concrete is characterized by increased paint consumption. Thus, the very first layer on concrete usually consumes from 5 to 7 liters per square meter. On the outer layer - from 8 to 12 liters, depending on the type of paint. (See also the article.)
conclusions
The price of the right choice of paint for is quite high. This is not only its protection and appearance, but also "internal health", given the work on the popular aerated concrete. Be sure to watch the additional video in this article, which will remind you more than once that the best choice when choosing a paint is to focus on the nature of the rough surface, which means that if you have concrete in front of you, choose a special paint for concrete, prepare the surface and apply 2-3 layers, do not less.
