New England Condominium: October, 2003

Keeping up with the Times
Based on "micro-Clad" technology featuring very, very finely and precisely manufactured resins, AcryliCLAD house paint has recently arrived on the house-painting scene. Previously used only in commercial applications, the paint's claim to fame is a 12-year warranty on both material and labor.

Application is limited to members of the National Alliance of Professional Painters, and Mark Havens, president of that organization, said the manufacturer requires applicators to return to the property 15 months after painting for a mandatory inspection and evaluation. Since labor accounts for some 80 percent of the cost of painting, the product's 12-year warranty - which extends the normal painting cycle by 5 or more years - is a key benefit. And that Duron benefit, which is extended to the home or association, not the developer, is under-written by Wassau Insurance.

Clark Hill of Clark's Finishes in Seabrook, NH, is among the painters approved for application by Duron, AcryliCLAD's manufacturer. "In my years in the business, I haven't seen any other residential product with this kind of warranty," Hill said. "In the long run, it makes sense to use a higher-quality product; you actually end up with a lower cost per year." Because of its composition, the paint handles the expansions and contractions that can play havoc with some less expensive coatings. AcryliCLAD is more expensive that many traditional paints - and since it goes on more thickly, more product gets used on a job. "But," Hill said, "we're not coming back every few years to paint again."

Paint dates back to ancient times, with pigments coming direct from the ground. And until about fifty years ago, not much had changed in the world of paints. But recent years have seen the march of progress.

Akzo Nobel, a world leader in coating manufacturing, has introduced the Sikkens line of decorative wood coatings based on today's technologies. And they're good on more than wood. "People are going to composite decks because they're maintenance-free products," said Tim Stephens of Akzo Nobel, manufacturer of the Sikkens line. "But what if they don't come in a color you like?" The answer, he said, is the Sikkens paints, which can be applied to the composite wood products - whether they're just installed, or have faded and weathered.

With a little surface preparation, the paints that are manufactured in Pontiac, Michigan can be applied over oil or water-based coatings and require only one coat - with no priming needed. Fewer coats, less cost. It's a mantra that cost-conscious Boards are likely to be chanting for years to come.