The Effect of 10 Years Exterior Exposure on the Dirt Pickup Resistance and Durability of Textured Acrylic Finishes Used in Exterior Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS)

Abstract

The results of over 10 years exterior exposure show that the appearance of an acrylic textured finish used in EIF Systems can be dramatically improved by the choice of acrylic polymer from a new family of acrylic polymers. These new polymers have been found to prolong the cleanliness of these finishes relative to a standard acrylic finish. This benefit can be seen with a range of acrylic polymer compositions of varying Tg (Glass Transition Temperature). Acrylic finishes have been formulated with these new acrylic polymers with a high level of flexibility and dirt pick-up resistance that was formerly not possible with the standard acrylic finish. Besides staying cleaner longer the test results show that these new finishes retain all of the original performance properties associated with the durability of an acrylic finish, such as high adhesion, good water resistance, and excellent resistance to cracking and chalking. Exterior exposure studies have also shown that by adding an efficient mildewcide to an acrylic finish formulation, the appearance of the coating can be enhanced. The protective properties of the mildewcide have been tested under different climatic conditions.