Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Types of Anti-Graffiti Coatings


Anti Graffiti Coatings is a kind of coating which is done on the top of the paint that exists already or on the facades of the building. These anti graffiti coatings prevent graffiti paints from getting stuck on to the surfaces of the walls. This saves a lot of money for the owners of the building as removing graffiti from the costs thousands of dollars every year. Although there are a lot of anti graffiti programs all over the world, vandalism is some thing which continues to be big problem. World over various companies are trying to put together a solution to develop anti graffiti coatings which would guard the buildings being vandalized by graffiti. These coatings are in the form of a paint which is applied on top of the paint that exists on the walls of the building.

There are different types of Anti graffiti coatings that are available in the market, based on the amount of graffiti on the buildings or its severity each and every one of these types would have various advantages and disadvantages as well. Following are the types of anti graffiti coatings:

Sacrificial Coatings:

These kind of anti graffiti coatings form a type of barrier on the wall or the surface, on which it is applied on, protecting it from being vandalized by graffiti. In case if the walls or the surfaces are affected by graffiti these sacrificial coatings, as the name suggests, are removed with the help of a high pressure washer. When the sacrificial coatings are removed it takes the graffiti along with it. Once it is removed the coating has to be applied on the walls or the surface again. Sacrificial anti graffiti coatings are usually inexpensive as they use clear polymer materials like waxes, acrylates and biopolymers. These kinds of polymers form weak bonds which facilitates easy removal.

Semi Sacrificial Coatings:

Semi sacrificial coatings are pretty much similar to sacrificial coatings, they act a like a shield for the walls or the surfaces on which they are applied on as a result of which the pores in the surface are well protected. When surface gets vandalized by graffiti these anti graffiti coatings can be removed with the help of a combination of solvent which will remove graffiti and a washer with high pressure. The major difference in semi sacrificial coatings from sacrificial coatings it the fact that the coating has to be applied again every alternate attack of graffiti instead every attack. The reason why the solvent is used along with the high pressure washer is to avoid the erosion of the surface which may be possible if only the washer is used.

Permanent Coatings:

Permanent anti graffiti coatings are the most expensive type of coatings, but having said that if they are applied in the right away they are required to be applied only once. These permanent coatings create a kind of protective surface which ensures that the spray paint can not bind to it. Once the surface is vandalized by graffiti you would only need a solvent which is a very simple on and some labor. The walls or the surface of building as well the anti graffiti coating will not be damaged.