Shifer painting: overview of types of staining compounds + work technology

Here at "All about the Roof," welcome! This piece delves into the intriguing realm of shingle painting, examining diverse staining compound types and associated techniques. Shingles, sometimes referred to as shifers, are a vital part of many roofs because they offer protection as well as visual appeal. Painting shifers not only improves their aesthetic appeal but also shields them from the elements, extending their life.

Numerous options are available to meet varying durability requirements and aesthetic preferences when it comes to staining compounds for Shifer painting. These substances vary from clear sealants that highlight the wood’s inherent grain to opaque stains that provide strong hues and more comprehensive defense against moisture and UV radiation. Climate, preferred look, and stain type are all important considerations when selecting a stain.

Painting shifers requires a few essential steps to guarantee a long-lasting and beautiful finish. To start, the shifers must be thoroughly cleaned to get rid of all dirt, debris, and old coatings. Next, a primer or sealer may be applied to improve adhesion and provide a uniform base, depending on the stain type that was selected. The stain is then evenly applied using brushes, rollers, or sprayers to ensure full coverage and sufficient drying time in between coats.

Knowing the subtleties of shifer painting can help you make well-informed decisions, whether you’re looking to update the appearance of your house or shield your shifers from the weather. Through experimentation with various staining compounds and skillful painting techniques, you can create a roof that not only improves the curb appeal of your home but also endures over time.

Why do you need to paint slate?

The fact that the use of colors allows the slate to find the desired color is understandable. But besides decorative function, coloring compositions have more important properties. Recall that slate is a porous material, prone to the formation of microcracks. Water easily gets into them, which, with the onset of winter cold, turns into ice and begins to “tear” the fibers of the material. The same deforming processes occur when mosses and lichens grow in the pores. The problem of the premature destruction of the slate is solved by painting. Coloring compositions form a strong film on its surface, closing access to asbestos -cement water and microorganisms. As a result, deforming processes are suspended and the slate receives additional years to its operational period.

Thanks to the paint film, stained slate becomes smooth. Snowfall is effortless as the moisture from the atmosphere does not stay on it. Furthermore, any accumulated dirt on the roof can be easily cleaned with water from a hose or a car wash.

The potential harm of the slate is another issue that painting resolves. Many producers of more expensive and contemporary roofing materials have successfully cultivated the version of asbestos-cement sheets that aren’t too thick. This version of the material originated in the West. Essentially, when the slate is in use, it releases dust that contains asbestos, which is bad for human health and the environment. There is ample evidence to refute this opinion, but applying this factor to the slate will 100% protect your health and totally prevent asbestos dust from ever leaving the building.

Staining the slate thereby permits:

• increase the decorativeness of the roof;
• give asbestos -cement sheets the color with the desired degree of dullness (matte, semi -glossy, glossy);
• smooth the surface of the slate;
• protect the slate from moisture and the growth of mosses and lichens on it;
• prevent the appearance of cracks;
• block the process of chipher dusting;
• increase the durability of the slate by 1.5 times (subject to periodic renewal of the paint layer).

Shingle painting is an essential part of roof upkeep that improves the roof’s durability and aesthetic appeal. This article describes the uses and advantages of several staining compounds that are used for shingle painting. Each kind has a specific function, ranging from solid stains with bright color options to transparent sealants that maintain the beauty of natural wood. We also go into detail about the exact steps involved in painting shingles, highlighting important methods and factors to keep in mind in order to produce results that will last. Homeowners who are knowledgeable about these materials and techniques are better equipped to make informed decisions and take care of their roofs, whether they are protecting a newly installed roof or just cleaning it."

Types of shifer colors

There are numerous specifications for slate paint. We respect its resilience to exhaustion, the consequences of extreme heat and cold, and atmospheric precipitation; clutch degree using cement made of asbestos.

In any event, the first LKM that was discovered was used to paint the slate. The following choices for appropriate hues are separated out:

• acrylic paints;
• silicon (silicone);
• alkyd;
• enamel "liquid plastic".

Think about the characteristics of each kind of LKM independently.

The largest group is composed of acrylic-based materials. They have vibrant color and differing levels of dullness (they can have a glossy or matte look). Water-soluble (or water-dispersion) compositions and those on organic solvents are the two types of these compositions.

Type #1 – water acrylic paints

Include water-dispersions of coloring pigments, latexes made of acrylic copolymers, and different additives for use in aquatic environments, such as biocides and antifreeze. Water is used as a diluent in a composition that makes up no more than 5–15% of the total volume.

Acrylic paints with water:

• not toxic, do not have a pungent odor, explosive and fireproof (due to water-based);
• Easy to apply, do not form flows;
• do not require a special solvent;
• There is the possibility of using diluted paint as soil;
• dry quickly (one layer in 1-2 hours);
• increase the frost resistance of the slate;
• form a waterproof film;
• prevent the migration of asbestos dust from the slate;
• Operating service life – 5 years.

Among the most well-known and trustworthy water acrylic paints are the following:

• Alpina Dachfarbe from Caparol (Germany)-silky-dental acrylic paint, giving the slate a deep red, brown or green color. Resistant to atmospheric influences, frost -resistant.
• Tikkurila Kilpi (Finland) – elastic matte paint with a wide range. Easily applied, does not burn out in the sun for a long time and retains color intensity until the end of the service life.
• "Roofing on the slate" from "Novytkhim" (Russia) – matte paint, resistant to atmospheric influences. Forms persistent protection against the appearance of mosses, lichens, algae on the slate. Produced in 5 colors, tinting on existing systems is possible.
• AKVAGEL AK-1Sh from TM Staicolor concern Styrol (Ukraine)-dispersion paint with a matte structure. Forms a smooth film with a flat surface, from which water easily flows, dirt does not linger. Produced in red and green.

Rubber (latex) paint is a unique type of water acrylic paint. The acrylic latex, pigments, and additives are the same as those found in regular water-dispersion materials. However, latex paint differs from them in that it resembles a thick mastic that, when dried, forms an elastic film that is flexible like rubber. She completely blocks the passage of water, is impervious to cracks, and adheres strongly to porous materials like slate. The latex paint film stops the formation of new cracks and draws existing ones up to 1 mm wide. The intelligent member of this LMK group, "rubber paint," hails from Novytkhim in Russia.

In the video below, we discuss the characteristics of acrylic paints for slate using the example of a particular coating called Eurostil Nova from Supraten (Moldova):

Type #2 – acrylic paints on organic solvents

These paints are diluted using organic solvents rather than water. Acrylic resin, a synthetic latex substitute, colored pigments, additives, and an organic solvent—typically white spiteration—make up the composition. The amount of resin in such colors determines how dull they are. The glossier the dried layer of the composition is, the more of it there is.

Different paints are used on organic solvents.

• a stronger film than water-dispersion compositions;
• high water -repellent properties;
• elasticity;
• light resistance and long preservation of color intensity;
• pungent smell.

Acryl paints that have been organized are sold in limited quantities. The matte paint of Eterin from Polifarb (Ukraine) produced in red, brown, and green gamut is a result of the exceptional quality among masters. Even at the end of the operating period, the color of this paint essentially remains the same due to its resistance to wear. Paint from Krasko (Russia) called Shikril is another well-liked choice. It is distinguished by a high degree of concealment and ease of work.

Type #3 – silicon (silicone) paints

It is reasonable to say that silicon paints are the most dependable and long-lasting for slate. These are pigment and filler suspensions in silicon (silicone) connectors. Some of these paints can even seal cracks up to 2 mm thick because of the silicone content, which gives them greater elasticity!

Characteristics of silicone colors

• high strength;
• maximum elasticity, the possibility of repair work and sealing with the help of a silicone composition of sufficiently wide cracks on the slate;
• fungicidal and algicidal properties that prevent the propagation of microorganisms (in the pores and on the surface of the slate);
• high water and dirt-repellent properties;
• the possibility of exclusion from the painting process of the priming stage;
• silicones are not toxic, do not have an aggressive smell, fireproof;
• The life is 10-15 years.

Tested again and again for the production of Sillarpolimer (Ukraine) and the coloring of Shifer enamel (Ko-Shifer). It gives the slate’s upper layer an intense, long-lasting color by impregnating it. The company makes "Co-shifer" in two colors: green and red-brown, but tinting to order is an option.

The green-colored EMAL OS-5103K is made at the same Silicopolymer plant and is used to stain a variety of materials, including asbestos cement, for both decorative and protective purposes. The material is more resistant to heat, acids, and alkalis, as well as chemical gases. This makes it possible for industrial enterprises to use the Emalya OS-5103K for slate painting.

Type #4 – alkyd slate paints

Paints with an alkyd slate color are made up of alkyd resins, pigments, and fillers mixed with an organic solvent. Generally speaking, alkyd enamels dry quickly, form an elastic, and are not prone to film cracking.

Alkyd slate enamel properties:

• high moisture resistance;
• increased adhesion to slate;
• resistance to atmospheric influences;
• does not require the mandatory use of the primer before painting;
• Durability – 5 years.

One possible example of superior alkyd enamel is the "rapid-drying enamel for the slate" offered by the Impuls company in Ukraine. It is distinguished by its extremely quick drying time—the layer dries in an hour at 20 °C—and by its lack of strong smell. available in the red, brown, blue, and green tones that work best on the roof. "Enamel for the roofs" is another alkyd product produced by Empils (Russia). Paint offers excellent protection as well as a broad tinting base with ten colors.

Type #5 – polymer paints "Liquid plastic"

Are pigments, additives, and polymers (polyurethane, vinyl, or polystyrene) suspended in a solvent. The paint leaves a thin layer of plastic (polymer) on the slate that can be glossy or matte when the composition dries and the solvents evaporate.

Qualities of "liquid plastic" include:

• Absolute moisture resistance (completely blocks water access to slate);
• Chemical inertia
• high drying speed;
• environmental friendliness;
• fire safety (after drying does not burn);
• resistance to burnout;
• application without preliminary priming;
• high frost resistance, as well as the possibility of applying at small negative temperatures (up to -10 ° C);
• The durability of the coating is 10-15 years.

Dependable polymer paint Denalt is the manufacturer of Liquid Plastic (Canada). This paint’s composition has a unique strength because it is made with an alkyd polyurethane base.

Another trustworthy option is "Moshael" (Belarus), which produces polymer paint PPG-1. Polystyrene, which is a component of its composition, dries to form a colorful coating that is both decorative and protective. Additionally, Polystyrol base contains "Sticolor" (Ukrainian) PS-160 TM paint. It’s an atmospheric enamel that creates a glossy, elastic surface.

A variety of colors and the possibility of tinting

The most running colors of shifer colors are red, brown, green. They appear in the assortment of most colors. At the same time, the color base of a particular material may include both 5 and 100 different colors and shades. But what to do if you want to paint the slate, for example, in a light yellow color, and there is no such shade in the assortment of the selected paint? Calting will come to the rescue. Most of the producers of paints provide for the possibility of painting their colors in any tones corresponding to color catalogs – RAL, NSC, Symphony. The tinting at the enterprise is carried out on special devices, using tinting pastes and paints.

Additionally, tinting can be done on your own by combining tinted paste with pre-purchased paint and mixing the mixture with a mixer.

The longevity and visual appeal of your roof can be greatly increased by selecting the appropriate stain for your shingles. Every stain type has advantages, whether you choose oil-based stains known for their rich color and durability or water-based stains that are known for their durability and quick drying times. Your choice will be influenced by your knowledge of the particular requirements of your roof, such as UV protection or weather resistance.

Preparation is essential when staining shingles. This include giving the surface a thorough cleaning to get rid of all the dirt, debris, and old coatings. Before beginning, make sure the shingles are dry because moisture can affect the stain’s adhesion and final appearance. A consistent finish and the greatest amount of weather resistance are guaranteed when the stain is applied evenly using a brush or sprayer.

For your stained shingles to last a long time, maintenance is necessary. Frequent touch-ups and inspections can keep small problems from growing into larger ones. Periodic reapplication may be required to preserve the intended color and protective qualities, depending on the type of stain used. You can increase the lifespan of your roof and maintain its aesthetic appeal by performing proactive maintenance.

Video on the topic

Shifer painting

How to paint slate? Process and technology!