Services: (847) 882-1188
Cleaning: (847) 305-9278
Exterior Painting Success for Your Concrete Block Building
Many commercial buildings feature concrete block exteriors. Although durable and low maintenance, concrete walls are boring and drab unless you add a coat of paint. Fresh paint gives your entire building a face lift that improves curb appeal and reflects positively on your company.
When to Repaint
How often a building needs to be painted depends on a variety of factors. Weathering and sun exposure, pollution, and normal wear and tear can all affect the lifespan of a paint job. There are a few signs that can guide you on when to schedule repainting.
Peeling Paint
The most obvious sign that it's time to paint is peeling and flaking. Paint begins to peel off of concrete block if moisture gets beneath it. The problem will only worsen, and patching over the area can make matters worse since there is still trapped moisture.
Although bare concrete due to peeled off paint doesn't damage the wall, it can increase the chances of ugly mildew growth. Plus, peeling paint reflects poorly on your company's appearance.
Faded Colors
Over time, the bright colors on your walls will fade due to UV exposure and weathering. Often this wear is uneven as those walls with more exposure fade more quickly, which can make the building look even worse. Dark colors tend to show fading more so than lighter colors. Fading may also be worse near the bottom section of a wall, particularly if there are sprinkler systems that spray against the wall and speed up the fading process.
Graffiti Issues
The best way to handle graffiti is to get rid of it as soon as possible, as one spray painted tag seems to attract more if it goes uncovered. Of course, the easiest way to remove graffiti is simply to paint over it. This may be suitable in the short term if the cover-up color can be matched to the surrounding wall, but can look less than professional if the colors can’t be matched.
Application Success
A long lasting paint job on concrete begins before the first brush touches the wall. Skipping any steps in this process can result in uneven paint, or worse, paint that peels and flakes off soon after application.
Surface Preparation
The first task your painters will tackle is thoroughly cleaning the walls. Pressure washing is the preferred method for concrete walls, as it can remove both grime and the old paint. Once cleaned, the wall must be allowed to dry thoroughly, as any moisture still in the concrete can evaporate out beneath the fresh paint. This moisture will then cause the paint to blister and peel.
Paint Selection
The type of paint and primer is very important if it is to adhere well to the concrete. Your options in paint are acid-based stains or standard paints made for concrete masonry. Acid-stains penetrate the concrete so provide a more permanent option, but they can be costly and time consuming to apply.
Standard paint allows you the opportunity to choose any color desired, including custom colors, and you can change the color easily in the future if desired. Paint must be applied with a primer coat first. Polyurethane, epoxy, and acrylic primers are all suitable for concrete.
Protective Features
Paint does more than add color to concrete—it can also protect against various issues. For a large concrete wall, a graffiti coating is one of the best protective features to add. Sacrificial coatings are simply peeled or washed away, taking the graffiti with them. They require re-application afterward. Permanent coatings are applied over the paint. These coatings prevent graffiti from sticking to the wall, so it can easily be washed off.
Contact Trend for more help with your commercial exterior painting project.
Depend on Trend Building Services for your Commercial Painting, Commercial Remodeling, Commercial Cleaning or Commercial Roof Coating needs in Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Palatine, Roselle, Itasca, Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, Chicago or any Chicago Suburb. Call Trend today to schedule your Free Estimate.
