Summer is near

Painting your house this summer with premium paint

Painting the exterior of your house in the summer can be a great way to improve the look and value of your home. However, it's important to keep in mind that summer weather can be unpredictable, with high temperatures and occasional rainstorms. To ensure a successful painting project, it's important to choose a time when the weather is dry and not too hot. The best time of year being late spring and early summer. It's also important to properly prepare the surface to be painted, including cleaning, sanding, and priming, before applying the paint. With the right preparation and weather conditions, painting your home's exterior in the summer can be a rewarding and satisfying project.

Silicone Paint

Silicone masonry paint, or silicate-based masonry paint, is a highly advanced form of masonry paint that contains silicone-resins within its formulation. Silicone masonry paint is water repellent, meaning it will prevent water from absorbing into exterior walls. This, in combination with the high breathability allows it to effectively maintain a dry substrate. As water is the biggest cause of paint degradation, by keeping exterior walls dry silicone masonry paint is extremely durable, often coming with a 20+ year lifespan. Another big benefit of silicone masonry paint is that while it can be used on all substrates, it is highly compatible with silicone renders which is not the case with all masonry paints.

Due to the highly advanced technology in silicone masonry paints, they are slightly more expensive than standard masonry paints. This is because the manufacturing process with silicone masonry paint is extremely difficult. Having said this, the long-term value of not having to re-paint your house every few years is an attractive prospect for many homeowners.

Acrylic Masonry Paint

Acrylic-based masonry paint is the most common type of masonry paint available in the UK and Ireland. They are water-based formulations that contain an acrylic binder to provide weather protection. The vast majority of acrylic masonry paints fall under the weatherproof or weather resistant category as they prevent some water absorption. After a certain point, acrylic masonry paints will uptake moisture, which can then become trapped under the paint film as these paints generally have low breathability. This is due to the plastic content in the paint that prevents water vapour from easily passing through the surface.

Eventually, the paint film will be compromised by any moisture that is absorbed by the coating and the paint will peel & flake, allowing even more moisture to get into the substrate. For this reason, acrylic masonry paints come with a lifespan of 3-15 years, with 15 year lifespan estimations from some manufacturers being based on best case scenarios in terms of quality of application and level of weathering.

Remmers Color PA (Concrete Acrylic) has been specially formulated to have more advanced properties than the average off the shelf acrylic paint. These extra properties include Carbon Inhibition, Highly water-repellence, Water vapour permeable (breathable), Weather resistant, Very good hiding power, and Colour stability. Its main feature being the carbon inhibition allows it to be a first choice paint for traffic heavy areas like carparks and roadside buildings or walls. Remmers Color PA is an excellent low maintenance paint and therefore making it a cost-effective choice for many homeowners and businesses.

Crack Bridging Paint

Crack bridging paint is a type of paint that is designed to bridge or span cracks that may appear in a surface, such as walls or ceilings. These cracks can be caused by a variety of factors, including settling, temperature changes, and moisture fluctuations.

Crack bridging paint typically contains flexible additives that allow the paint to stretch and move with the underlying surface, helping to prevent cracks from reappearing or expanding. This type of paint is commonly used on surfaces that are prone to cracking, such as concrete, stucco, or masonry.

In addition to its functional benefits, crack bridging paint can also be used for decorative purposes, creating textured or patterned surfaces that can add visual interest to a room or building. It is important to note that proper preparation of the surface, including filling in existing cracks, is essential for the effective application of crack bridging paint.

Silicate Paint

Silicate paint, also known as mineral paint or potassium silicate paint, is a type of paint that is made with a potassium silicate binder, which is derived from natural minerals. It is a highly durable and long-lasting paint that is ideal for use on mineral substrates, such as concrete, stucco, and brick.

One of the unique features of silicate paint is its ability to chemically bond with the substrate, creating a strong and permanent bond. This makes it highly resistant to weathering, fading, and peeling, even in harsh environments.

Silicate paint is also highly breathable, allowing moisture to pass through it without causing damage to the substrate. This helps to prevent issues such as mould and mildew growth, which can be a problem with other types of paint.

One thing to keep in mind is that silicate paint is not compatible with all substrates, and it can be more difficult to apply than traditional latex or oil-based paints. It also has a matte finish and limited colour options, which may not be suitable for all applications. However, for those looking for a highly durable and long-lasting paint for mineral substrates, silicate paint is an excellent choice.

Limewash

Mineral paints such as limewash are a very traditional form of exterior paint that has been used on properties for hundreds of years. While highly breathable & able to give heritage buildings an authentic finish, it does not offer the level of durability of modern masonry paints meaning it is often reapplied every few years. The issue with limewash, though, is that it needs to be reapplied every few years or so. For this reason, silicone masonry paint has replaced limewash as the go-to masonry paint for heritage buildings.