Façade paint deteriorates very quickly, as it is exposed to many factors that affect durability. Seasonal refreshment means not only changing the color, but also rebuilding the protective layer. Which paint will perform well in such demanding conditions?
Deciding to renovate the facade of a detached house on your own, it is worth knowing that this is a complicated process. The very application of paint is the last stage, which precedes a number of other activities. In addition to choosing the right color, you should also check the durability of the emulsion.
Usually on the manufacturer’s website you can find a calculator that will allow you to calculate how much facade paint you will need to paint all the walls of the building.
However, if you do not have access to such a tool, all you need to do is a simple calculation. The surface of the facade of the house should be multiplied by the amount of facade paint needed to paint 1m2.
Sometimes the manufacturer indicates on the package what volume of paint is needed to paint how many meters. Then it is easier to calculate the consumption per 1m2. Just divide the number of liters by meters. The calculation will give us a result that determines how much paint is needed to paint an elevation once, and that result should be multiplied by the number of layers. This value should then be increased by 10%, just in case you have a reserve.
Remember that if two different figures are given on the package, it means that more paint is needed for a rough surface and less for a smooth one.
It all depends on the substrate you want to paint. However, there are a few basic rules – the substrate must be strong, compact and well primed.
To determine the condition of the substrate, you don’t need any special procedures, just stick a piece of adhesive tape on it and peel it off after a while. This way you can check whether the substrate is strong enough. If there are no particles of the substrate left on the tape, you can start priming with a product dedicated to façade paint. Preferably one that is compatible with the paint.
However, if the house does not have a good enough facade – you need to repair and clean it, and only then apply a primer.
As we mentioned, the facade paint should be chosen according to the substrate, as well as the smoothness. Therefore it is worth remembering what type of plaster was used for finishing the exterior wall. We can choose between silicate, cement, cement-lime, acrylic and mineral plasters.
A given paint, e.g. silicone paint, will work only on silicone plaster. The preparations harmonize with each other and the adhesion of the substrate is then much better. In addition, this combination improves the quality of the surface layer.
Another element is to specify the factors to which the facade of the building is exposed. The paint should protect the house from moisture, water, UV radiation and changing temperatures. It must also be resistant to mechanical and chemical damage. The color should match the roof or possibly the houses next door, especially if it is a terraced or semi-detached house. In addition, paints with a more intense color fade faster.
The choice of facade paint is an individual matter, and the painting of the building itself is a complicated task, so it is often better to use the support of a professional.
Main photo: Ksenia Chernaya/pexels.com
