CLADDING & SHEETING
Does the climate
influence façade’s colour?
Ben Warren, managing director at Baumit, addresses the practical considerations behind colour choice,
expressing how integral it is to select a colour which can go the distance
The role of colour is not just to
create an impact – it must be
efficient. A building’s façade
falls prey to many adverse
weather conditions, testing a colour’s
durability. On this basis, the right colour
needs to be meticulously selected for its
longevity and high-performance.
For many centuries, the climate has
shaped the way certain cultures paint or
colour their buildings. In southern Spain,
white is a traditional shade selected
for its practicality; white walls saturate
the landscape as the scorching sun has
a tendency to bleach all other colours.
Under the sun’s influence, the richest
orange is transformed into the dullest
muddy colour.
Thankfully this tradition has
somewhat evolved. With new colour
nanotechnology, external façades are
no longer beholden to the weather’s
whims. Although white walls in the
Mediterranean have become quite a
cultural symbol, innovative advancements
into façade colour assure even the darkest
exteriors can endure in countries with the
most demanding climates.
So how can such technology defy
natural science? Experts in colour
façades have discovered inventive
methods to ensure external walls can
withstand adverse weather conditions
in different climates. From professional
substrate solutions to the final coat of
paint, colour experts have developed
unique technologies to reduce signs
of wear and tear caused by difficult
weather conditions.
Firstly, it is important to outline the
common signs of wear and tear, which
affect a façade’s long-term colour.
The following characteristics are the
antitheses of exterior walls, causing
extensive damage if a wall is coated with
an inefficient product:
• Sun-induced colour fading: Prolonged,
intense exposure to the sun discolours
façades, rapidly changing a bright
colour such as red to a pinky hue
• Deep cracks: Through high levels of
sun-exposure a wall’s skin can crack
or blister causing unsightly abrasions
which alter a wall’s character. For clientfacing
businesses, blemishes jeopardise
a business’s credibility, as visitors
form their first impressions based on a
company’s visual appearance
• Algal or fungal infestations: In cooler
climates, heavy rain and snow can seep
into any tiny crevices in a wall. Over a
period of time and in damp climates,
fungi grows in these perfect breeding
grounds. Moreover, once a miniscule
amount of algae embeds itself into
a crack, it can spread across a wall’s
exterior. Surely, a striking and efficient
green paint is preferential to this?
These three factors can drastically
affect the durability and the intensity
of a façade’s colour, ruining the impact
of a building’s overall exterior. Yet, an
adverse climate does not have to be
the antagonist to a building’s external
walls. Current advancements into paint’s
nanotechnology can allow companies to
be proactive instead of reactive when it
comes to protecting external façades.
Examples of these technologies are
as follows. Cooling technology contains
fade-resistant pigments designed to
reduce the amount of heat retained by
walls facing direct sunlight. Typically,
these kinds of façade products, including
Baumit’s PuraColor and GranoporColor,
are UV-resistant, ensuring complete
longevity and colour brilliance from
all angles. Whether it is red, black or
turquoise, any colour will be able to face
the most powerful sun rays.
As well as eliminating colour fade,
solutions such as PuraColor protect the
external thermal insulation composite
system (ETICS) from overheating. ETICS
is a recognised and global building
method which sets standardised
criterion for efficient, secure wall
installation. As the external façade is
the first point of contact for adverse
weather conditions, it is imperative that
products protect ETICS from harsh sun
rays and extreme water alike. These
particular kinds of advancements mean
dark shades not only retain their colour
in even the fiercest sun rays, they also
ensure the building’s overall safety is
uncompromised.
Other colour technologies are
equipped with the ability to repel
water. These solutions offer optimum
diffusion methods so the walls can
breathe and will not fall prey to the
spread of damp. Façade solutions with
a nanoporous structure act as a secure
membrane, preventing small dirt
particles from penetrating the façade
during inclement weather.
These colour technologies are
available in almost every colour in the
spectrum, meaning that practicality
no longer outweighs a desired colour
choice. Designed to ensure longevity
and high-performance, these new colour
technologies guarantee that any façade
will retain its beauty even in the rain
and snow.
w www.baumit.co.uk
A building’s
façade falls
prey to many
adverse
weather
conditions,
testing a
colour’s
durability. On
this basis, the
right colour
needs to be
meticulously
selected for
its longevity
and highperformance
30 www.rcimag.co.uk July 2018
/www.baumit.co.uk
/www.rcimag.co.uk
/www.baumit.co.uk
/www.rcimag.co.uk
