CAR PARK CONSTRUCTION
FEATURE
frequent washing down with water. A lot of emphasis is put on anti- carbonation coatings being essential for protection of concrete from potentially damaging carbonation by providing a barrier over the concrete to stop salts and chlorides, water and carbon dioxide from penetrating into the concrete. While protection is very important, barrier coatings can be self-defeating due to their fi lm-forming properties, leading to a breakdown of the barrier itself following a moisture build-up behind the paint.
Once a barrier has been breached, there is no protection left, and redecoration and maintenance become necessary. Mineral paints penetrate into the substrate itself, creating a permanent chemical bond. They offer integral protection – not only allowing trapped moisture vapour to ‘breathe’ out, but also giving anti-carbonation protection, protecting from the ingress of harmful entities. Mineral paint coatings typically offer much longer-term protection to concrete, as well as excellent protection against the typical damage caused by the essential use of de-icing salts in car parks. Another consideration is the positive or negative effect that paint can have on lighting. Acrylic paints tend to absorb light, which means that the amount of natural or artifi cial light may be reduced simply by the type of paint used. In car parks, lighting is a really important design factor, and it’s also an important economical consideration. Dark and dingy car parks might be perceived as dangerous, particularly at night, and subsequently used less frequently. They may also fail to meet standards such as Park Mark, which could deter customers and investment opportunities.
Mineral paints offer a proactive solution to lighting considerations by being highly light- refl ective. Due to the crystalline nature of the coating and the use of earth oxide pigments, mineral paints can refl ect in excess of 80 per cent of light, maximising available natural light and reducing reliance on artifi cial lights, helping to reduce energy consumption and lighting costs.
Innovation beckons There are also some very innovative ideas that can be combined with paint to offer consumer benefi ts. New developments in mineral paint technology have enabled the photocatalytic additive, titanium dioxide, to
www.britishparking.co.uk
be added to the paint. Photocatalytic paints enable a chemical reaction that actually removes harmful nitrogen oxides from the air.
Nitrogen oxides are a by-product of engine combustion, and a specifi c risk in buildings such as car parks where there is such a high vehicle concentration. Nitrogen oxides have been proven to have a detrimental impact on human health, particularly for people with respiratory conditions such as asthma. Using this type of paint is not only ‘green’ in terms of manufacture and application, but proactively helps to improve air quality and to offset vehicle emissions. The more surface area that is painted, the better the air quality will be. Photocatalytic mineral paints also remain cleaner than conventional acrylic paints as they have no electrostatic charge, which is common in acrylic paints, and they help to break down dirt contaminants such as bacteria and mould spores on the surface.
Making the right choice really does
provide more benefi ts than simply choosing the cheapest initial option
In various discussions with people responsible for car park maintenance, it has become clear that frequent maintenance is a huge fi nancial burden and a constant concern. Redecoration can be costly, both in terms of materials and labour, but there is also the potential loss of business from having to close the car park during the redecoration process. While it is important to ensure car parks are well maintained to increase business, it is also a huge fi nancial implication, particularly if it needs to be done frequently. Ensuring proper material selection will not only provide essential benefi ts such as surface protection and light, but can also signifi cantly extend redecoration cycles, far offsetting any initial perceived higher outlay incurred by using higher specifi cation materials. Making the right choice really does provide more benefi ts than simply choosing the cheapest initial option. Paints are far more important than many people realise. Mineral paints specifi cally address an important issue as they negate the need for compromise between green issues and effectiveness, providing high- quality products that satisfy all performance requirements.
ABOUT the AUTHOR: Hannah Maiden is business development adviser, Keim Mineral Paints. For more information, visit
www.keimpaints.co.uk
NOVEMBER 2012 25
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52