Acrylic paints are water-based like emulsionsEmulsion paintThe everyday water-based paint for indoor walls and ceilings. It thins with water, dries quickly, has little smell and comes in matt, satin or glossier finishes., but their acrylic resin makes them more resistant to sun, rain and changes in temperature. That is why they are used mostly on facades, balconies, parapetsParapetThe low wall around the edge of a flat roof or balcony. The joint between it and the floor is one of the most common places for leaks. and outside walls, and also indoors where a tougher finish is needed.
A good acrylic keeps its colour and does not wash off easily. It has one limit, though: it forms a fairly closed film. On walls with moisture coming from inside, such as old stone buildings or walls with rising dampRising dampMoisture from the ground that climbs up inside walls through the pores of the materials. It shows as stains, blown render and salts at the foot of walls., it can trap the vapour and blister. There, more breathable paints such as silicone-based or silicate paints are preferred.
Like any paint, it lasts only as long as the surface underneath. Loose renderRender (plaster)A layer of mortar (sand, cement or lime, and water) spread over brick or concrete to give a wall a straight, sound surface ready for paint or tiles., open cracksCrackA split or gap in render, concrete, a wall, a coating or wood. Fine cracks are usually only on the surface; ones that grow, keep reopening or run diagonally need attention. and dust are dealt with first, and the surface is usually primedPrimerThe thin first coat that goes on before the main material. It binds dust, seals the pores and helps paint or waterproofing stick firmly..
Related terms
Emulsion paintEmulsion paintThe everyday water-based paint for indoor walls and ceilings. It thins with water, dries quickly, has little smell and comes in matt, satin or glossier finishes.Elastomeric waterproof coatingElastomeric waterproof coatingA thick, rubbery waterproof paint for flat roofs, parapets and roofs. It stretches without cracking as the building expands and bridges hairline cracks.PrimerPrimerThe thin first coat that goes on before the main material. It binds dust, seals the pores and helps paint or waterproofing stick firmly.Rising dampRising dampMoisture from the ground that climbs up inside walls through the pores of the materials. It shows as stains, blown render and salts at the foot of walls.