Chemical Constituents to Look Out for When Selecting Acrylic Coating for Your Roof
Acrylic coating is a popular water-based roof paint for combating weathering and eventually prolonging the life of your roof. They provide a reliable package that offers good performance and cost effectiveness at the same time. Notably, the quality of acrylic coating produced varies among different manufacturers in the market because of the individual chemical components that they include or exclude in their product. With knowledge on various components of acrylic coating, you can judge its quality to determine if it will meet your performance expectations. Here are some of the constituent chemicals that you should look out for when buying acrylic coating:
Titanium Dioxide
Titanium dioxide is an important chemical component that you should look out for when you are buying acrylic coating. This chemical adds to the "white" element of the acrylic coating, making it reflective to the sun's radiation. This influences the overall insulation ability of the coating, which translates to the energy efficient of the roof. Moreover, you should also note that acrylic coating will be subjected to weathering because of the prolonged exposure to ultra-violet radiation. Thankfully, titanium dioxide is opaque to ultraviolet radiation and stops the harmful rays from reaching the inner substrate of the acrylic coating.
Aluminium Trihydrate
Fire safety is an important consideration when you are choosing acrylic coating. Considering that roof structure comprises other material such as wood or oil-based paint, you need to use any available means to reduce the chances of a fire spreading in case there is a breakout. Therefore, you should look out for aluminium trihydrate when you are buying acrylic coatings. The chemical is a retardant that will come in handy in case of an emergency.
Extender Pigments
Good quality acrylic coatings should have one or more extender pigments. They provide additional blockage to ultraviolet radiation, colour and resistance to fire. Moreover, they protect the coating against abrasion from elements such as dust particles. Depending on the quality of the acrylic coating that the manufacturer would like to reinforce, they will opt for various extender pigments. They are important chemical supplements for your acrylic coating. Examples of extender pigments are calcium carbonate, silica, talc powder and clay.
Preservatives
Basically, acrylic roof paint is water-based and highly susceptible to infestation by mould and other species of microorganisms. These microorganisms ruin the aesthetics of the roof coating and inhibit the effective transfer of heat from the attic (insulation). To keep the microorganisms at bay, go for an acrylic coating that has zinc oxide as a preservative.
Most manufacturers indicate the composition of the acrylic coating on the packaging. Check carefully for the above constituents before paying the price.
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