Elastomeric Coatings Stretch For More Market Share
Paint and coating applicators familiar with masonry materials generally agree that cracks in stucco are as inevitable as death and taxes.
And many are just as convinced that conventional masonry paints - while aesthetically appealing and priced to sell - won't put a dent in solving the cracking problem.
As a result, paint and coating applicators throughout the Sun Belt and elsewhere are switching to thicker wall coatings with elastic qualities that can "stretch" to span cracks that may develop and expand in masonry, and to provide an effective barrier against moisture from wind-driven rain.
The trend is reflected in industry figures that show elastomeric wall coating (EWC) sales exceeding $100 million a year, and growing at an annual rate of more than 12 percent.
Architectural and construction coatings manufacturers such as Thoro systems (a division of Harris Specialty Chemicals, Inc.) of Jacksonville, Fla., Jones-Blair Co., of Dallas, Richard's Paint of Rockledge, Fla., Sto Corp., of Atlanta, and Parex, Inc., Atlanta, all report steady gains for their elastomeric lines in both the residential and commercial segments of their businesses. This reflects what they say is a growing awareness in the field of the features, benefits and life cycle cost advantages of EWC products.
Each of these manufacturers carries EWCs with all-acrylic binders, such as those based on Rohm and Haas Company's Rhoplexr technology, in deference to the more sophisticated, quality-conscious customer base they serve.
Advantages Of All-Acrylic Binders
The manufacturers maintain that all-acrylic binders provide better color retention and are more resistant to alkalinity, a chemical condition in new stucco and other cement-based materials that attacks the paint film. All-acrylic elastomeric coatings, according to these manufacturers, are also far more effective than conventional exterior paints in curbing or reducing efflorescence, a salt-like substance that migrates through the masonry substrate, leaving a milky deposit on the coated surface.
The growing acceptance of elastomeric coatings marks a comeback of sorts for a product category that was unfairly tarnished earlier in the decade. On a number of EWC projects, the coatings were poorly specified, suggests Scott Mueller, product manager at Thoro Systems. "By the time they discovered that more than one coat was needed, it was often too late," recalls Mueller, whose EWC product line accounts for between 30 percent and 35 percent of Thoro's total coating sales.
"Pin holes soon developed in these coatings, and the architects blamed it on the product," he said. "These architects have since learned that there is nothing inherently wrong with the product, that you simply need a thickness of at least 20 mils dry to achieve the desired results."
With dry film thicknesses four to five times that of latex exterior paints, elastomeric coatings are now generally applied in two coats (a minimum of 20 mils dry) to enhance their ability to bridge cracks, to form a sturdy barrier against moisture, and to reduce the likelihood of alkalinity and efflorescence. Most manufacturers also recommend use of an alkali-resistant primer, though many applicators prefer to let the EWC basecoat serve as primer on newly patched masonry.
With their added thickness and elasticity, these coatings readily stretch across cracks in masonry surfaces which develop as the masonry expands and contracts due to daily temperature swings. And they maintain their flexibility even in very low temperatures. When temperatures return to normal and the cracks diminish in size, the coatings contract and return to their original shape without warping or wrinkling.
EWCs Score Well In Florida
Nowhere have EWCs found a more receptive audience than in Florida's retirement communities. Richard's Paint Co. of Rockledge, Fla., projects a healthy future for EWCs in Florida's condo market, where accelerated construction schedules and an inherent settling problem have served to increase demand for high-quality coatings that can respond effectively to cracks in stucco.
"The ground rules have changed somewhat for general contractors in Florida," says Eric Richard, Richard's vice president and director of marketing. "Owners of commercial buildings now have up to 15 years to sue builders and general contractors for poor or non-performance. So we want to use the best possible coatings on all our jobs."
Florida condo builders and general contractors are particularly concerned about the prospects of moisture seeping into the cracks and rusting out the steel rebars that reinforce whole sections of a building, according to Richard. Once that happens, it's not unusual for large chunks of concrete to crumble and fall away. EWCs can form an effective moisture barrier to protect these reinforcements from rust and corrosion.
Nature isn't the only culprit when it comes to cracks in stucco. Thoro Systems, which has supplied elastomeric coatings for nearly 9,000 single homes, primarily in Arizona and New Mexico, suggests that an insufficient number of expansion joints in many of today's newer buildings creates undue pressure on the walls and eventually leads to cracking of the stucco exterior.
"If you discount settling and normal temperature swings, inadequate building design is probably the chief contributor to cracking in the stucco homes we see," says Thoro's Mueller.
Curing Fresh Masonry
Most EWC manufacturers recommend that freshly applied masonry be allowed to cure for a minimum of 28 to 30 days to avoid the possibility of alkaline damage during the first year. But to be absolutely "home free," Richard's Paint recommends that an alkali-resistant primer be applied to the new masonry following the curing period.
Despite such advice, some builders choose to forego the curing period, hoping that the elastomeric coating will hold up at least through the warranty period. "It's all a matter of dollars and cents," says Richard. "The sooner a builder can declare a job completed, the sooner he can get paid and settle up with the subcontractors. At Richard's Paint, we constantly preach about the perils of taking shortcuts. If the customer isn't satisfied, everyone loses in the long run."
Most manufacturers back their EWC products against failures for at least three to five years, though some insist an all-acrylic elastomeric coating should perform well for upwards of 10 years. And when a product fails during the warranty period, they claim it's almost always a case of an applicator not following accepted surface preparation or application procedures. Consequently, EWC manufacturers agree on the importance of using contractors experienced in applying these types of coatings.
Repairing Cracks In Stucco
While any masonry surface is a potential candidate for an elastomeric coating, the rule of thumb is that any crack wider than 1/32" should first be cleaned and repaired using either an all-acrylic, elastomeric caulk or a combination of caulk and a masonry patch. Mike O'Neil, product manager for architectural coatings at Sto Corp., says his company continuously stresses the importance of using proper preparation and application techniques in its applicator training programs. "Even if there are no cracks to be filled," he says, "applicators are taught how to properly power brush and wash to remove dirt, unbound sand chalk or loose surface particles."
Proper training of applicators is the key to the future growth of the elastomeric market, agrees Bill Barker, marketing manager for wallcoating systems at Neogard Division of Jones-Blair Co. "Most failures can be traced back to improper surface preparation and application techniques," he says. "That's why we insist on working only with licensed applicators who have attended our in-house training program."
Added Life Expectancy Of All-Acrylic EWCs
Aside from the education issue, the biggest hurdle facing manufacturers of all-acrylic elastomeric wall coatings is selling the return-on-investment aspects of a products that often costs more than other types of coatings. Manufacturers such as Thoro and Sto point out that all-acrylic EWCs have a much higher life expectancy than elastomeric coatings with less durable binders. And since labor accounts for nearly 85 percent of the cost of a typical paint job, the savings from using a top-quality elastomeric coating can be significant, especially on large, multi-housing projects. By choosing an all-acrylic EWC, owners of stucco homes won't have to re-coat as often, which will save them time and money in the long run, according to Thoro's Mueller.
Quality and return-on-investment are also important issues for customers of Neogard, which sells thousands of gallons of its all-acrylic elastomeric line a year. "Sure, there are builders and contractors who shop only on price, but we're definitely seeing the pendulum swing the other way," says Neogard's Barker.
The quality and return-on-investment messages have also struck a receptive chord for Sto's burgeoning residential market in New Mexico. "Through an educational process, we've been able to turn that market completely around," says O'Neil. "The product's superior crack-bridging capabilities have convinced contractors and homeowners that they stand to gain across the board by switching from masonry paint to a textured elastomeric coating. New Mexico now represents our largest residential EWC market."
While manufacturers are looking south and west for new EWC sales opportunities, at least one manufacturer, Parex, Inc., has discovered a ready EWC market in the Upper Midwest. "Would you believe that Minneapolis is one of the biggest stucco markets in this country," says David E. Graf, Parex's director of sales. "They have three contractors up there who do nothing but repair stucco. And if its stucco, its bound to crack, regardless if it's in Arizona or Minnesota."
One of Parex's largest EWC sales was for a 10-year-old, 148,000 square-foot retirement community in Frankenmuth, Mich. Applying some 3,500 gallons of all-acrylic base and topcoat, the contractor completed the job six weeks ahead of schedule. "Although they had a good substrate to work with," says Graf, "I think the results speak well for this type of product."
Trend Toward Lighter Colors
Elastomeric coatings, like exterior paints, reflect a growing trend toward lighter, accent colors that tend to deflect heat during hot weather periods. Particularly popular throughout the Sunbelt and other key stucco markets are muted, neutral pastels such as peach, beige, coral and iris. Thoro, for example, offers 48 standard colors as well as a custom-tint program featuring 3,000 additional shades. Bucking the trend toward lighter shades is the residential market in the Southwest, which, according to Sto's O'Neil, "won't accept pastels. Typically they're looking for somewhat darker earthtones, like tans and beiges," he says.
While acknowledging a trend toward lighter pastels in residential applications, O'Neil sees darker, more corporate-type color schemes continuing to dominate the commercial segment of the coatings industry.
Regardless of color preference, coatings manufacturers say homeowners and other end users are becoming increasingly more cost and quality conscious when selecting a coating for masonry surfaces. In elastomeric coatings, they see an affordable category of products that can add extra years of trouble-free performance while providing excellent resistance against color fading, dirt and mildew.
And they're discovering that, unlike death and taxes, there's something they can do about cracking in stucco and other masonry surfaces - apply top quality elastomeric wall coatings.
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