Paint Innovations: Ceramic Paints

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.