Advertisement
When tasked with selecting coatings for the exterior walls of residential developments of all kinds – from golf estates and smaller complexes, to retirement facilities or holiday villages – you’ll never go wrong by casting an eye over the Plascon Professional and Premium ranges…
There is a great deal to consider when selecting a paint range for a professional project. But one of the most important aspects is probably the value-adds offered by your coatings partner – the best possible combination of assessment, specification, colour advice, training, site monitoring and reporting, alongside ongoing maintenance.
You’ll also want a comprehensive package of products and the most suitable coatings system – from preparation to topcoat – which should be tailored towards the substrate, condition of the current paintwork and the environment in which the complex is based (e.g. coastal, pollution, humidity). Both Plascon Professional and Premium products can be used, with consideration given to preference and budget.
Due to the settlement plaster cracks in new buildings, which typically appear within the first year or two, the more cost-effective Professional topcoats are an industry member’s best bet. On the other hand, when you’ve been tasked with redecoration work in a residential development, either Plascon Premium or Plascon Professional can be used; depending on preference, budget and the guarantee period required.
Advertisement
If you’re keen to do the estate or complex a great service, the matter of smooth versus textured coating needs attention before you do any further ordering. According to Upgradedhome.com, selecting a wall finish can be as vital as making that final colour choice. What’s important is that smooth versus textured walls create two completedly different visual styles.
While textured walls have proven an on-and-off trend to give dimension and personality to a structure’s design, smooth walls seem to offer a more timeless and versatile ambience. Before your body corporate, or client, makes their final decision, be sure to advise all concerned on cleanliness (smooth coatings are easier to wash); and flexibility (textured coatings can hide hairline cracks, in addition to their visual appeal).
And what about seasonal concerns? It’s widely accepted that painting any structure should best be accomplished in the correctly selected season, region dependant. According to Handymanhomes.co.za, Spring to Autumn is best for those Cape-based developments. Reasons include: longer days, more stable temperatures, and less chance of rain.
In the northern parts of South Africa, such as Gauteng, the recommendation from Cleancoatings.co.za is that winter offers the reliably dry weather that a painting team requires to get the job done. Rain is certainly way less plentiful in the colder season.
Just remember that your trade guarantee will be adjusted according to the substrate, paint system (i.e. preparation, primer, undercoat, topcoat combo) and environment in which the complex is located., If you make use of one of Plascon’s Preferred Applicators and purchase paint to a total of over R150 000, you qualify for Plascon’s Professional 360° Partnership Pledge.
This means that instead of having to fend for yourself after you’ve made a coatings purchase, Plascon then partners with you at every stage of the project. The Plascon Professional 360° Partnership Pledge offers a range of added-value services that are designed to ensure peace of mind and the best return on your client’s investment.
Plascon’s Market Manager: Professional, Carol Ras, advises that as part of the Plascon 360° Partnership Pledge, Plascon Project consultants visit a building site to track progress and workmanship, and provide comprehensive reports. “While we can’t guarantee good weather or that your latest investment will grow incrementally, we can guarantee that our Plascon 360° Partnership Pledge will improve your coating’s life cycle expectancy and save you money in the long run,” states Ras.
Last up, you’ll want to select a topcoat product that you can truly rely on in terms of quality and durability when taking on any kind of development.
“We are deeply invested in the continuous improvement of our products, by employing the best possible research and technology at our Research and Development Centre,” advises Ras. “As a result of the global insights and advances we are party to via our parent company, Kansai Paints, we are confident of being at the cutting-edge of technological developments so that it is possible for you to select the product for those exterior walls that will suit your client’s aesthetic purposes and save money through its durability.”
Plascon Professional Elastoshield could prove your go-to option for a slight stipple on exposed weather-facing walls, with its Fibre Guard™ Interlocking stretch against cracking. In the Premium Range, you can’t go wrong with Plascon Micatex with Weathertough™, for a number of important reasons. These include the fact that Polycell™ Polyfilla Fine Crack Filler is now imbedded in the product to cover hairline cracks and prevent water damage; it boasts mica for stretch and marble for strength; and the way in which its finely textured matt formulation provides sturdy yet long-lasting protection for both those day-by-day considerations and when the weather takes a seriously stormy turn.
