| Ceramic
Paints: Not Paints for Ceramic Materials
One
of the more interesting developments in the world of
architectural coatings is the growing popularity of
ceramic paints. No, we don’t mean the glazes and
other finishes for ceramic objects such as pottery,
china, and stoneware. Rather, we are talking about latex
house and wall paints that contain a ceramic ingredient.
 Typically,
the ceramic additive is supplied in the form of microspheres
(very small, round, particles, either solid or hollow)
that wind up distributed uniformly throughout the dried
paint film.
So, what’s the big deal with “ceramic microspheres”?
According to the companies that manufacture these paints
and the firms that supply the additives, the ceramic
microspheres function as a filler that provides more
benefits than conventional pigment extenders.
First and foremost, according to many experts, the spherical
form and toughness of the ceramic material helps to
create a smoother, more continuous film than a comparable
conventional latex paint. It is difficult for anything
to penetrate a ceramic paint film; stains tend to remain
on its surface, where they can be easily wiped off.
The presence of the hard ceramic material also helps
to produce a less tacky paint surface, so dirt will
have less of a tendency to accumulate.
 Better
stain resistance and stain removal are not the only
benefits conferred by the ceramic additives. Their spherical
shape enables ceramic particles to slide past each other
in the paint, which makes for better flow and leveling.
Like conventional extenders, the ceramic microspheres
contribute to the paint’s ability to hide the
underlying substrate, and they also reduce the luster
of the paint.
One point to remember: the ceramic paints we are talking
about are not the same as “insulative coatings,”
which represent an entirely different type of specialty
coating material.
For more information on ceramic paints, see the Paint
Professional at your local store. He or she can help
you determine whether a ceramic paint meets your needs.
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