Okay,
so you painted that masonry wall to cover the thin surface cracks
in it, and everything looked great when you finished. It’s
only six months later, however, and the paint on top of the
cracks has already begun to rupture. Now, what do you do?
You
repaint—only not with a conventional latex paint. This
time, you want a different kind of finish: an elastomeric
wall coating (EWC). Unlike latex paint, a properly applied
EWC will last many years on a cracked masonry surface.
The
key to the outstanding performance of EWCs on cracked masonry
is exceptional flexibility. Masonry cracks undergo enormous
expansion and contraction. Typical latex paints are too rigid
to accommodate these dimensional changes without rupturing.
EWCs, in contrast, have the ability to stretch and “bridge”
thin cracks.
 EWCs
are both protective and decorative. They shield the underlying
masonry from wind-driven rain, and they give it an attractive
appearance by hiding surface imperfections and providing color.
Before
applying any EWC, make sure to repair any cracks more than
1/8" across with a high-quality acrylic or siliconized
caulk; not even an EWC can bridge gaps that wide. EWCs should
also be applied in much thicker layers than paints for best
results. Where a gallon of latex paint will cover approximately
400 to 500 square feet of surface; a gallon of EWC will cover
40 to 50 square feet.
Ask
the Paint Professional at your local store to help you pick
an EWCs for your masonry project.
BACK
TO TOP
|
