Gulf Construction Online - Sigma gets to the soul of a building

Renovation

Sigma paints ... durable even in coastal areas.

Sigma gets to the soul of a building

01 March 2009

IN A bid to ensure long-lasting beauty in buildings, Sigma Paints, a leader in the paints and coatings manufacturing sector, is looking “beyond colours” – as its slogan indicates – and emphasising the need for smart knowledgeable care of today’s structures.

Ira Linea von Witte, the PR and communications manager of the Dammam-based Sigma Paints Saudi Arabia, believes that buildings are like human beings, where the quality of nutrition can determine the speed of aging.
“The protective properties of paint are determined by the quality of raw materials. Yet, as quality nourishment alone does not ensure long-lasting beauty and health, quality paint alone does not guarantee beauty and protection for your assets,” she points out.
“Durable protection is obtained only through a combination of apt measures, which result in a well-specified, properly-prepared and carefully-applied high quality paint system. Just as a healthy nutrition regime requires knowledge, good specification requires a comprehension of the properties of the paint.”
Von Witte emphasises that the paint system specified must be suitable for the conditions of exposure, adding that external and internal exposure conditions must be kept in mind when selecting a protective system.

External exposure
“Coastal areas can be very humid and the air there is highly saline. Towns and cities are becoming increasingly polluted with fumes from the heavy traffic while industrial areas are excessively polluted. All of these elements along with humidity, exposure to the sun, and abrasion from sand and dust, must be considered when specifying a paint system. The more extreme the exposure conditions, the more durable the paint system must be,” she says.
Looking at exposure to the elements on the micro level, Mike Murphy, DTS manager at Sigma Paints says: “Foundations and the substructure of buildings can be exposed to high levels of moisture particularly where there is a high water table, or where the construction is on reclaimed land.
“Subsoil areas are also prone to temperature extremes, and in Europe and some Middle Eastern mountain areas, ground frost can become an issue too. The specified system must be able to resist both moisture penetration and, dependent upon the climate, tolerate fluctuating temperatures. Areas at and just above ground level are subjected to extremes, often being exposed to both wet and dry conditions – wet from ground water permeating through the porous substrate material, from surface water after rainfall or from garden irrigation, and then dry from the heat of the sun. It is for this reason that most paint failures can be observed just above ground level,” he explains.
The system specified for this area must be able to withstand wet and dry conditions.
Meanwhile, external elements such as upper walls are, generally, exposed to the prevailing macro conditions. Flat roof areas are exposed to wet and dry conditions and the system specified must be able to withstand standing water.

Internal exposure
Turning to conditions in interiors of buildings, he says: “As buildings differ considerably in their functionality – they can be industrial, commercial, institutional or domestic – the conditions of internal exposure must be clearly identified if an accurate specification is to be provided. For instance, systems suitable for factory interiors may differ from those for commercial offices or areas of food production. Even within a villa, the areas and systems may differ, as bathrooms and kitchens require different systems from bedrooms and lounges.”
Hence, consideration must be given to the individual requirements of each building at the micro level. “For example, general ceiling areas present the least challenge in terms of specification, as there is little danger of impact or abrasion, and there is no requirement for washing. These area, therefore, are termed as low-traffic areas. Kitchen and bathroom ceilings, however, are exposed to high levels of condensation and steam and should be classified as wet areas, calling for higher quality paint systems.”
Wall areas in individual rooms or spaces should be catergorised by the level of wear that would be expected – low traffic signifying the least amount of expected impact, abrasion and cleaning required; medium or high traffic areas needing the greatest resistance. The paint system specified must match the function of the space and should be able to withstand the expected level of wear, he says.
However, Murphy cautions that the specification given, in many instances, is outdated or unsuitable for exposure conditions. “The surface is poorly prepared and the coatings hastily applied, which inevitably leads to failure of the paint system. Consequently, the building loses some of its charm,” he states.
Unfortunately, paint is often looked upon as an area where cost savings can be made in many construction projects around the Middle East. “However, when all the construction material costs are considered, paint represents only a fraction of overall costs. Yet this tiny proportion is the final touch to fine architecture. It can either mar or make the architectural masterpiece,” he says.
“A beautiful building deserves a quality paint system, and once it has been given the proper painting TLC (tender loving care), the soul of the building shines through the well-specified layers of paints,” von Witte concludes.