As you would expect from a coatings manufacturer with thirty years in the business, we’ve seen pretty much everything there is to see when it comes to specifying coatings for tough modular and portable building applications.

And as a proud member of the MPBA, we regularly advise operators and asset owners on the challenges they face in protecting and preserving their units.

 

So, what are the top five challenges we help modular and portable building asset owners overcome?

 

1. Achieving batch to batch colour consistency

 

Batch to batch consistency is the most important driver of coating selection in modular buildings.

It is important to ensure a rigorous process is in place to support colour consistency. This includes having a consistent raw material that is checked and adhere to manufacturer certificates of analysis.

The size of the production batch is important too. Product viscosity, mixing characteristics and process flow rate all need to be adjusted to ensure consistent and repeatable results.

Coatings should be 100% QC tested, assessing things like density, pigment dispersion, colour and finish and viscosity.

 

2. Fluctuating drying times that cause delays

There are lots of things that affect drying times. This might be particular bottlenecks in production, the waiting on cold and wet days or the availability of warm ventilation to speed up the drying process.

 

3. Paint defects that slow up finishing

There are a wide variety of potential defects that may occur when applying coatings.

Over spraying can cause a number of problems. Pinholes may appear after application due to surface temperature, high film thickness or evaporating solvent. Bleeding and staining of white and pale colours of pre-existing pigments.

Wrinkling and lifting occurs when applying layers of synthetic coatings too quickly. Running and sagging is caused by inaccurate mixing and application. And the dreaded visual imperfection of ‘orange peel finish’ could result again from mixing and application errors.

 

4. Water spotting that could require re-coating

Often light, whitish circular spots can appear, which can either swell or indent the surface of the coating. Depending on the exposure time to moisture and the freshness of the finish, the severity can range from mild, (possible recovery when dry) to severe, requiring re-coating of the finish.

 

5. Prolonged exposure to the elements

The major considerations involve weathering, and long-term exposure of buildings to the elements, whether they are hot or cold. Some applications bring with them additional challenges in terms of water erosion and chemical corrosion too. Understanding the precise application and time span for the use of a coated modular building is paramount in the planning phase, certainly at the time of specifying the right coating.

Coating failures on residential and office modular buildings can sometimes come in the form of rusting. Rust staining occurs as a result of aggressive conditions within the structure itself which then causes the rust to run down the outside. It may also occur as a result of an incompatibility between old and newer paint types.

 

Need more guidance? Read more articles here.

 

For more on how we can help you, download our Specialist Coatings for Modular Buildings guide.

 

In this guide you will

• Discover the five biggest challenges in effectively coating modular buildings

• Unearth the key things to look for in a modular buildings coating partner

• Learn what a high-quality modular building coating portfolio includes

• See why you should consider partnering with Pronto Paints.