What are the advantages of using Keim Mineral paints compared to conventional paint coatings?

Keim paints have been used to paint buildings since 1876! Keim is a proven mineral paint technology. Buildings which were decorated over 100 years ago still have no visible colour fade and no breakdown of the coating itself. In this article, we’re going to be taking a closer look at Keim paints and why we think they’re a cut above the rest…

Keim Mineral Paints are natural, water-borne, silicate paints that provide an extremely durable, colourfast finish. Highly vapour permeable, they also work in harmony with the environment making them perfect for all kinds of buildings, including period properties, modern new builds and even properties that are exposed to really tough weather conditions. So let’s look at why….

They’re tough and hardwearing …

KEIM paints create a microcrystalline bond with the surface of the building which effectively means that they become an integral part of the substrate. Conventional Masonry paints are usually surface film forming coatings which sit on the surface making little to no bond with the substrate. This makes conventional paints more prone to flaking.

Did you know….

“ ...in Europe there are buildings painted with KEIM after 100 years that are still in excellent condition. Film forming coatings typically do not have this kind of life span because the bonding is adhesive”

They‘re super breathable …

As well as ensuring the paint sticks to the surface, Keim’s Microcrystalline structure also allows water vapour to pass through minute gaps between the particles of paint, preserving in excess of 96% of the original breathability of the surface after application. This is pretty amazing when you think that conventional paints tend to smother the substrate, restricting the passage of moisture which in turn can build-up behind the coating and leads to flaking paint.

Their colours don’t fade with age …

Over time, many exterior paints often fade or change colour. Keim have overcome this in by using earth oxide pigments in their paints to prevent them from fading - making them all UV stable. This means that there would be no colour difference between two buildings which were painted in the same Keim colour, even if they were painted at different times.

They stay cleaner for longer …

The presence of petrochemical additives in many conventional film forming paints creates a negative electrostatic charge on the surface of the paint which in turn attracts dust from the atmosphere. KEIM paints do not contain such additives in their paints so the rate at which dust is accumulated on the surface is much lower. They stay cleaner for longer!

They’re naturally resistant to mould and algae ...

Keim paints are naturally resistant to mould and fungal growth due to their high alkalinity, (pH is approx. 12.3 providing long term resistance to mould and fungal growth. In addition, because their paints don’t contain organic ingredients, then there is nothing for algae to feed on - again preventing any growth on the surface of the paint.

“Conventional film forming coatings are slightly more acidic than KEIM paints, they are closer to the middle of the PH scale and, being organic, provide a food source for fungus and algae spores.”

They’re not harmful to us or the environment …

Keim Paints are made from a liquid potassium silicate paint binder with natural earth oxide pigments and natural mineral fillers, such as feldspar.

In addition, Keim products are carbon neutral thanks to the use of natural raw materials and the harmless product composition. Keim paints don’t contain any solvents, are low in VOC’s and are even odour free. The majority of film forming paint coatings contain all or a combination of oil-based additives, petrochemicals, hydrocarbons and acrylics which are environmental pollutants.

They’re light reflective making colours appear brighter and crisper…

The crystalline structure of Keim paints reflects light as it hits the surface, the paint is flat matt in appearance, resulting in Keim paints appearing crisper and brighter in different lighting and weather conditions. It’s down to the crystal structure that provides excellent light reflectance. Conventional coating often absorbs a proportion of light rather than reflecting it, meaning they are not as light reflective.

They’re fire retardant …

Keim paints are inherently non-combustible and do not give off any toxic gases. Both the manufacturing process and the composition of the material create an incombustible product Conventional film forming coatings contain petrochemicals and acrylic which are more likely to burn in a fire.

Putting customers in the picture ...

Sustainability and healthy living are becoming increasingly important in the construction industry as more and more people become interested in how the products they buy are manufactured and what they’re composed of. To help make this clearer, Keim have started to create Sustainability Data Sheets for their paints making it simpler for customers to access the relevant information. So far they have published data sheets for  KEIM Granital (exterior) and KEIM Innostar (interior), with more on the way very soon !

Using the wrong paint on a building can result in quite significate issues later on, so it’s really important to establish the type of paint you need for the job before you get started (our handy  guide to exterior paints here can help you with that).

We offer a large range of suitable paints for your home: