Most institutional and commercial facilities have painted surfaces that are in rough shape. From wear and tear inflicted by occupants and visitors to the passage of time, a host of factors affect their appearance and condition, according to an article from Facilities Maintenance Decisions on the FacilitiesNet website.

To deliver paint and coating application projects that restore these areas, maintenance managers need to understand several issues before starting the job. Perhaps most importantly, managers specifying paints and coatings must consider an array of factors that affect the selection of the most appropriate paint or coating — specifically, the type and location of the substrate to which technicians will apply the coating.

“Floor substrates see more traffic than wall substrates, so going from a wall to a floor, you are increasing the potential for exposure and potential failure of that particular system that is going to be used,” says Mike Mundwiller with Benjamin Moore & Co.

“Very simply put, it’s important to identify what the substrate is — concrete, PVC, sheetrock, or previously coated. It’s also very, very important to take it a step further from what type of substrate it is to questions such as, where is this substrate located? What will it be exposed to? What are the expectations for how long the coating system will last?”

Specifying effective paints and coatings for a paint or coating application is no small task. Several factors go into the decision. To ensure an appealing appearance for facilities and long performance lives for the materials. Managers should not be afraid to ask questions. 

Read the article.