SSPC to hold one-day seminar on painting buildings

The SSPC 2012 Greencoat Show will include a full day of papers on January 31 covering issues that architects and specifiers, contractors, and facility owners/managers face in painting buildings. Papers include:

• Use of Atlas Test Cells to Assess the Performance of Coatings over CMU with Varied Permeance(Cindy O’Malley, KTA-Tator, Inc.; Chuck Duffin, Sto Corp; Steve Revnew, Sherwin-Williams) describes a test program to help determine the number of times a paint system on CMU can be repainted before the reduction in permeance causes blistering or peeling.
• An Architect's Call for Paint Standards (Walter Scarborough, HALL Building Information Group) will describe the problems architects face from insufficient or non-existent standards for architectural painting.
•Extending the Life Cycle of Coatings Applied to Commercial Buildings(Barry Law, MPI) provides methods for extending the life of coating systems through sound cleaning and painting specifications, contractor quality control, and owner Quality Assurance oversight.
• Fundamentals of Making Good Decisions in Coating Selection (Allen Zielnik, Atlas Material Testing Technology/an AMETEK company) will explain how to interpret test data, warranty claims, and marketing jargon to choose the right product for the job.
• New Architectural Coatings Technology Targeted At Stricter Hospital Infection Protocols (Steven Reinstadtler, Bayer MaterialScience) will cover requirements for and new developments in architectural coating technologies for targeted hospital environments.
• Moisture Vapor Emission Rates of Concrete Floors — Can Moisture Meters be used Instead of Anhydrous Calcium Chloride? (Kevin Brown, KTA-Tator, Inc.; George Holz, AIA) presents the data obtained from field studies that compared anhydrous calcium chloride test results with 3 different types of moisture meters.
• Hard Truths about Concrete Polishing (Joe Reardon, PROSOCO Concrete Products Group) describes the pros and cons of polished concrete floors.
• The Impact on the Painting Industry by New Building Codes and Standards for Air/Vapor Barriers (Kevin Knight, Architectural Testing) will review paint/coating failures related to thermal barriers and poor water management along with options for solutions.
• Air Barrier Testing of Concrete Masonry Assemblies and the Effect of Surface Coatings on Air Permeance (Nicholas R. Lang and Jason J. Thompson, National Concrete Masonry Association) will discuss optimal procedures for testing concrete masonry assemblies for permeance requirements.

Click here for more information on the event.

Instead of conventional primers, block fillers are often used as the first coat to fill the voids and create a surface suitable for painting. The type and grade of block has a significant effect on coating consumption: porous lightweight blocks may require twice or three times the amount of material as dense block. Even split-faced surfaces will require more material than smooth-finished block surfaces. One must note that block filler should not be used on split-face block; instead, use an alkali resistant primer and three topcoats or 4 topcoats. If using block filler on scored block, you must apply the coating evenly, particularly in the scored areas (joints).

When priming bare block, take care to completely cover and fill the surface. A “pinhole free” exterior will minimize moisture penetration from wind-driven rain. However, the rough porous texture of especially profiled block can make this exceedingly difficult to achieve. One option is to specify a “virtually pinhole-free” surface, defined as no more than 10 pinholes per block. Back rolling helps fill the irregular surfaces and provide a more even appearance.

The final coat can be applied by airless spray. Back-rolling should be done on every coat to assure even coverage; to work paint into the crevices, cracks and holes; and to create a virtually pinhole free surface that is also aesthetically pleasing. Be sure to cover the tops and bottoms: any top and bottom surfaces that are exposed due to the pointing on the mortar or the style of block must be fully coated to reduce moisture wicking into the wall. When painting profiled block, keep these tips in mind:
• Scored block: edges should be brushed with a coat of primer, and the final coat also brushed to assure all sides are sufficiently sealed
• Split face, scored, fluted: when topcoating, take care to spray from all angles and back roll, or for fluted, back brush to assure all sides are properly covered
• Note that it's easy to apply too much product when trying to cover all angles — and over-application can result in discoloration, cracking, and a reduction in the wall's ability to breathe.

— Excerpted from MPI's online training course

Revisions to MPI Standards

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