The Communicator - Volume 1, Issue 4 - (Page 19)

What’s New in Paint Products and Building Materials By David L. Hughes FOR MOST HOMES the first line of defense for protection against weather is the paint that has been used. Moisture, variations in temperature and sunlight conspire to attack the exterior of buildings, a process that may ultimately deteriorate building components. Proper protection of buildings should be considered an ongoing concern in order to maintain your home in the best possible condition over the long term. As our world becomes more environmentally conscious, those of us who work in the construction industry are learning about and working with new products everyday. These new resources include not only paint products, but also the building materials that we are applying paint products to. Over the years most of the methods of painting and construction have remained the same but materials have changed considerably. Professional contractors must keep pace with new technologies that continue to present themselves. The types of siding and trim components used in the construction of multifamily housing, including homeowner associations, have remained relatively small over the last 30 years. Wood components have primarily consisted of the ubiquitous T-111 plywood siding, as well as cedar lap, cedar shingle, redwood and hardboard siding surfaces. Stucco has been used in traditional three-coat systems as well as newer one-coat acrylic fortified stucco systems with integrated color. Paper or pulp-type siding products were used primarily on apartment projects but ultimately found their way into homeowner association projects as well. These products had inherent problems due to moisture intrusion and have been plagued with lawsuits consequently limiting their current use. Wood and stucco are still viable staples of the construction industry and make up a great deal of the components painted every year in Northern California. These products have experienced steady price increases for a variety of reasons, ranging from the substantial increase in global construction, environmental concerns, and most recently dramatic increases in fuel costs. Many of the projects built with these materials are reaching a point where the repair cost has escalated so much that complete replacement, also known as “re-siding,” becomes a viable or only option. Alternate siding products have become increasingly popular in residing and repair projects. Many of these alternate products are composites made up of cement and various additives and have been designed in many variations to mimic the look and texture of wood products, without many of their problems. Cement-based The Communicator • 19

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Communicator - Volume 1, Issue 4

The Communicator - Volume 1, Issue 4 Contents President’s Message The Art of Maintenance Deferred Maintenance – What Do We Do Now? What’s New in Paint Products and Building Materials 2008/2009 Events & Educational Calendar Welcome to CAI BayCen Index to Advertisers

The Communicator - Volume 1, Issue 4

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