The use
of Silacote for interior and exterior masonry and gypsum board
substrate allows for the possibility of obtaining one (1) LEED
Credit under the US Green Council LEED Grading and Commissioning
System. Visit GreenSpec 4th Edition
for full information.
What is Silacote?
SILACOTE is a fully tintable
inorganic mineral silicate paint - which is the most durable of
all paint technologies for concrete and masonry protection.
What is an inorganic mineral
silicate paint?
It is a paint made from
natural mineral compounds from the earth strata, such as quartz,
different minerals and inorganic mineral colorants bound together
with a potassium silicate binder. Silicate paints are basically
inert colored rock coated on a substrate that binds chemically to
form a solid mineral and insoluble compound of paint and
substrate when used on concrete, natural stone, marble, etc..
Very long life can be expected if applied correctly to inorganic
substrates as they are chemically compatible. Traditional paints,
such as emulsions, acrylics, elastomerics, etc., are organic in
content which will breakdown and have a relatively short life.
Adhesion is by a mechanical process that fails when calcium and
other salts push off traditonal paints from the natural wetting
drying process.
What do you mean by 'fully tintable'?
Most silicate based paint systems can only
be tinted at the factory which adds additional time and expense
in making sure that you have the right color for a job before you
place the order. SILACOTE uses new technology that allows the
base paints to be tinted to the correct color using more
traditional tinting systems such as you would find in a local
hardware store. There are 282 colors available and variations of
these colors add many hundreds more. Computer matching is
possible but as there are only nine base mineral colorants there
is a limit to providing matches in every case. Unlike traditional
organic paints, that fade quickly, nullifying the color matching
step, SILACOTE is not subject to the damaging ultra violet rays
providing the client with a selected color that will be light
fast for many decades.
Where can we use Silacote?
SILACOTE is designed for use on inorganic
substrates such as concrete, masonry and other cementitious
substances. It can also be used on new gypsum wallboard providing
some health and safety benefits that traditional paints cannot
provide. It is equally at home in interior as well as exterior
environments.
Why is Silacote better than the paint
we've been using up until now?
Traditional paints create a thin film on
the surface of the concrete or plaster, and their organic based
colorants deteriorate when exposed to ultraviolet light or acid
rain, causing the colors to fade and bleach out. The old paint
film will fail in a few years; cracking and peeling off the
walls. Mold and mildew love to build up on it. If you want to put
another coat of paint on you have to strip the old paint first,
and if it should be exposed to flame it will burn, helping to
spread fires as well as toxic fumes.
SILACOTE penetrates into the inorganic
masonry substrate and petrifies, forming a micro-crystalline
structure that helps to reflect heat. As it is not a thin film
sitting on the surface, it will not crack and peel off the
structure. As the pigments used in Silacote are inorganic they
resist fading and bleaching out with exposure to the sun and acid
rain. Silacote allows the concrete structure to 'breath'
naturally, allowing water vapor to permeate. Silacote is
non-combustible - it will not burn and spread fires and toxic
fumes. And if you decide to apply a new coat of Silacote, it is
not necessary to first remove the old one.
Where can I get Silacote?
Currently Silacote is not available in
stores. Samples are
available. For more information contact info@silacote.com. For sales information contact us at sales@silacote.com
Silacote is Environmentally
Safe and is included in GreenSpec
4th Edition