Few things can make your painted surface look aged and old as well as fading can. The unevenness in color can be unsightly especially when it’s very noticeable. But why does this happen anyway? We can explain.
Why the Color of Your Paint is Fading
Look up! The biggest culprit to color fading in paint is… the sun! Sunlight has ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV rays penetrate the molecular structure of the colorants causing it to break or alter which you then see as fading or discoloration.
All paint coatings exposed to the sun will fade over time. Where they differ is in how fast their color fades. Lightfastness is how well your paint—particularly the pigments or colorants in it (a.k.a. the stuff that gives it color)—can resist fading due to UV exposure. Knowing what the sun can do to a paint’s color, below are additional factors that contribute to faster color fading in paint.
Interior Paints Applied on Exteriors
Manufacturers formulate paint products so that they possess qualities suitable to where they’re meant to be used. Interior paint products were not manufactured to be used on exteriors. So, when they’re exposed to excessive UV light, it can cause paint problems including fading, chalking, blistering, and more. Exterior paints, on the other hand, were made to be more durable and withstand outside elements better including a lot of sun and a lot of rain.
Darker Colored Paints
Because darker colors absorb more heat, they also tend to fade faster than lighter-colored ones. So, when painting exteriors, such as the façade of your home, it’s usually recommended that you go for lighter hues such as whites and off-whites as they have a greater chance of looking fresher for longer.
Paints with Organic Pigments
There are two main types of pigment used in paint—organic and inorganic. Organic pigments can create vibrant paint colors but their lightfastness can vary. So, though their colors are vivid, they may not keep this quality for very long when exposed to the sun. Inorganic pigments, meanwhile, often have duller colors than their organic counterpart. Their advantage is that they have excellent lightfastness.
What to Do About Fading
Fading happens eventually to all paints as they age especially so with bright colored coatings. This shouldn’t stop you though from picking whatever color you want for your home! Combat fading with excellent quality paint products and a repaint every so often. Here are some options.
For your exteriors, Boysen Acrytex is well-known and sought-after by homeowners for its long-term durability even when exposed to harsh weather conditions—including the Philippines’ harsh summer sun and tropical storms. Boysen Acrytex comes in white but can be tinted to achieve other colors using Boysen Acytex Tinting Colors.
For rooms in the home that also get a lot of sun, Boysen Permacoat Latex is a go-to. It can be used for both exterior and interior paint projects and comes in a wide range of readily available colors. There are more than a thousand more you can have mixed at a Boysen Mix and Match station as well.
As Boysen Wallguard is also recommended for the exteriors of medium to high-rise buildings, you can bet that it’s reliable for your home too. It’s a new breed of latex paint that’s specifically formulated to keep surfaces protected and beautiful for longer with little maintenance needed on your part. It will be a while before you see fading, cracking, and peeling. And it’s also excellent at resisting dirt and mildew.
Fading is inevitable. It’s bound to happen. But, we hope your home’s colors stay vibrant and matingkad for a long, long time! Happy painting!
For questions or inquiries on Boysen products, send an email to ask@myboysen.com or call (02) 8363-9738 local 413 to 418.
