Page 36 - Durabrac Catalog 2016

Painting Durabrac® Products
Tips on how to successfully paint your Durabrac® vinyl component.
Paint, when applied to a clean surface, adheres extremely well to vinyl. If you choose to paint your vinyl trim or com- ponent, the color and the type of paint you choose are extremely important factors. The best paint for vinyl is a 100% Acrylic Latex paint. It is the best for durability and fade resistance. Paint can be applied with a good quality brush or sprayed on. No special primer is needed. Wash and rinse prior to painting with a grease-cutting detergent. Dishwash- ing detergent works well to remove dirt and oily handprints. The material manufacturer states that sanding or rough- ing the surface is not necessary. The use of a soap free scouring pad to wash will lightly scratch the surface and gives the paint a rougher surface to bond to. This method also insures that stuck on dirt and foreign material will be re- moved.
When choosing a color, keep in mind that vinyl is not tolerant of extreme heat. As surface temperatures approach 140 degrees, distortion caused by the softening of the material is a possibility. This should be kept in mind if a very dark color is going to be used. The level of sun exposure and how it is going to react to the increased heat absorption should be kept in consideration.
Most paint colors are assigned an LRV (light reflective value) number expressed in percent. White has a value of 100 and black has a reflective value of 0. All other colors fall in between. Typically, the LRV number is displayed on the paint chip. Vinyl manufacturers recommend using a LRV of 55 or higher when painting PVC/Vinyl.
The location of the vinyl should be factored in when considering the LRV rating of your paint color. Individual com- ponents like porch brackets and corbels can certainly be painted darker colors due to their covered environment. The more the bracket is shaded by a wide porch or roof overhang, the darker they can be painted. On the other hand, gable brackets and sawn balusters which will see more direct sunlight should be painted in lighter colors that have a reflec- tive rating of 55 or higher. For direct sun exposure, a good rule of thumb is to consider using colors no darker than those used by vinyl siding companies.
In addition to its shaded environment, a freely attached component like a bracket or a corbel can take more heat because of its small size and the increased surface area caused by the shape of the design. A good example of increased surface area is our hollow builder components. Many have been painted very dark colors yet have remained stable. Being hollow provides for a larger surface area inside which helps dissipate heat.
For complete inventory, accurate sizes, thicknesses and frame options,
please refer to our website at www.durabrac.com.
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www.durabrac.com ~ 850.433.4981
Savannah Royale Gable Bracket painted in multiple colors.