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Ask the Expert: How Can I Extend the Life of My Building’s Facade?

By May 1, 2019

  • [Photo: Courtesy of APV Engineered Coatings]

Here’s how APV Engineered Coatings’ NeverFade stands the test of time and weather.

Photo: Courtesy of APV Engineered Coatings

NeverFade eliminated the need for this house in Sanibel Island, Florida, to have to be pressure washed annually. [Photo: Courtesy of APV Engineered Coatings]

Lon Bauer

Extending the life of a building’s facade is no easy task. The climate in which a structure is located, environmental damage from harsh UV rays, windblown sand, frigid winters, and other factors can all necessitate frequent re-coating. Chemical and thermal factors come into play, too. But NeverFade® coatings from APV Engineered Coatings are a game changer for metal and non-metal surfaces alike, performing consistently well on stucco, brick, cement, awnings, window profiles, roofs, and more. Developed using Kynar Aquatec® PVDF, its standout qualities include resistance to color-fading, chalking, mildew, mold, and dirt pickup. APV’s product development manager Lon Bauer explains how.

Depending on the region where a building is located, from hot and sunny to cold with frequent precipitation, you may need to re-paint every several years. And that can get expensive. With APV’s NeverFade, which comes with an uncommon 15-year color fade warranty, you’ll only need to paint once. That’s the product’s true value, and there are plenty of success stories.

Photo: Courtesy of APV Engineered Coatings

[Photo: Courtesy of APV Engineered Coatings]

Here’s one: Nine years ago we coated a stucco plaza in Cave Creek, Arizona, where it’s hot, dry, and dirty. The structure had originally been painted brown, but by the time its owners decided to invest in facade protection, the original surface paint had totally eroded from long-term exposure to intense UV rays, and a condition called “chalking” was apparent. In that case, we ended up applying W-1500 Primer and NeverFade Original Topcoat to bare stucco.

But here’s the real kicker: Thanks to complex inorganic pigments and the PVDF polymer technology, the building still looks beautiful, as though it was recently coated. And that’s not because it’s been cleaned. Not manually, anyway. Mere rainwater, though less than frequent in that region, rinses dirt, mold, and mildew from what’s essentially a self-cleaning surface.

Photo: Courtesy of APV Engineered Coatings

[Photo: Courtesy of APV Engineered Coatings]

Here’s another illustrative case study, also about nine years old: The owners of a residential vacation property in hot, humid, and hurricane-prone Sanibel Island, Florida had some serious issues with mold and mildew growth on their building’s stucco facade. This was their second home, and they wanted it to be as maintenance-free as possible. Eliminating the need to invest in annual pressure washing was part of that. Once again, NeverFade solved the problem—and not just for the short-term. Revisiting the property a year or so ago, it was striking to see how well the facade has aged. Striking, but unsurprising. It’s not called NeverFade for nothing.

Learn more about APV Engineered Coatings and see more gb&d coating stories.

FROM OUR MAY+JUNE 2019 ISSUE

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