Sunlight, heat and moisture cost the architectural industry millions of dollars in damage every year. When a coating starts to weather from UV exposure and other natural elements, the surface gets rougher, which is the result of the film breaking down. Then, loose polymer resin and pigment appear on the surface, an effect called chalking. The continuation of chalking on a coated surface means that the coating is getting thinner and will eventually wear away completely.
To reduce the risk of chalking and fading, a coating must be formulated to withstand UV exposure, and lots of testing is needed to qualify it.
The ASTM G-155, commonly known as accelerated weathering test, uses Xenon Arc Light equipment to replicate the effects of sunlight, moisture and heat on a coated specimen. Outdoor weathering studies, in conjunction with accelerated testing, is also key to understanding the true performance of an exterior coating formulation. This takes much longer but will provide a more realistic representation of the coating’s performance.
Kynar Aquatec? PVDF polymer, the primary resin in NeverFade? Fa?ade Restoration Coatings, does not break down under harsh UV conditions. The product is also engineered with high-performance, complex inorganic pigments that are encapsulated by the polymer. The resulting formulation provides the substrate with long-term weathering properties.
