Image courtesy of AmCoat.

It’s easy to date many homes by the color of their brick. Know a 90’s home from the pink brick? How about a 60’s red brick? For many years, homeowners have been turning their dated brick homes into instant classics with one simple trick – coating the brick with Rhino Shield.

We’ve all seen it, ugly homes are instantly transformed when a classic color conceals the brick and brings fresh life to the home. In fact, it’s a trend that’s accelerated much over the last three years. But the porous nature of brick exteriors can make it hard for traditional paints to adhere properly. To enjoy long-lasting performance, expert prep work and application is critical. Mike Moore, AmCoat’s Director of Products and Applications, said coated brick can last for decades.

“Brick coated with Rhino Shield is very robust and can really improve the curb appeal of older homes,” said Moore. “But first things first – the brick must be properly cleaned before primer and topcoat can be applied. Do it right and our special ceramic elastomeric coating is engineered to bond powerfully with brick, giving you long-lasting protection.”

Engineered to outlast traditional paint, Rhino Shield is applied eight to 10 times thicker, a high-solids coating formulated with ceramic microspheres.

The porous nature of brick offers a high degree of protection for the home, allowing excess moisture to escape walls naturally. Rhino Shield’s high permeability rating provides the best moisture protection for your home while still allowing the substrate to “breathe.”

“We talk about permeability or breathability a lot on all types of homes because it’s so important to allow moisture vapor to escape,” said Moore. “This is also true with brick – our fully permeable coating helps prevent blistering and peeling because it prevents moisture retention so the brick can breathe.”

The company offers a wide variety of colors for coating brick, and even offers a clear solution that enhances the look of the existing brick and extends the life of the mortar by sealing it from the elements. It also keeps the brick cleaner, fending off mildew and algae. The available clear coating is also very popular to protect stone walls.

The coating on brick also helps prevent bio growth, a recurring maintenance concern for homeowners with brick homes. Special resin layers take mildew, algae, and fungus resistance far beyond what brick can do on its own.

“Rhino Shield’s bio resistance comes from a four-part formula that’s EPA approved and highly effective,” said Moore. “Basically, it has dynamic integrated protection against mildew, algae, and fungus – all of which can impact brick. Pair that with a time-tested, long-lasting coating and you can see why there is such high demand for our product.”

Original article was posted on www.pcimag.com and can be read in its entirety here.

As homes with metal and vinyl siding age, homeowners are often faced with costly decisions — replace the siding or continue to paint every 3- to 5- years. To achieve a long-lasting finish, preparation must be perfect and the primer and top coat must be engineered to last.

AmCoat’s Mike Moore, Director of Products and Applications, said more and more homeowners are looking to have their siding coated.

“We’re seeing an increase in coating aluminum and vinyl siding,” said Moore. “Normally the substrate is sound, it just fades and gets chalky. Homeowners are finding it’s much more cost effective to apply a long-lasting coating than to replace it. And if it’s done correctly, it can last for decades.”

An integral part of the Rhino Shield system, Adhesive Primer Sealer, or APS, has years of proven performance with all types of siding. The key, says Moore, is its adhesion and elastomeric properties.

“APS is unmatched for top coat adhesion and helps eliminate issues with peeling,” said Moore. “And installers love the recoat window of only 2 hours. And when followed with a Rhino Shield top coat, metal siding can look just like wood. It’s really hard to tell the difference.”

Moore says the key to a beautiful finish on aluminum siding is careful cleaning and pressure washing and to only apply the coating when the siding is cool to the touch.

“With careful application, the homeowner will reap many benefits,” said Moore. “For starters, APS and Rhino Shield Keep the home cooler and save on AC costs in the south because of reduced surface temperatures. Plus, our formula has built-in, long lasting bio growth inhibitors, so it stays cleaner year-round.”

Moore says coating vinyl can be tricky but that training is the key. AmCoat provides robust training for their dealers and lots of support throughout the process. While there is superior adhesion on vinyl, installers must always apply a test section because there is more variability with the different siding manufacturers. Another must — match the color of the siding or go lighter to ensure correct application and durability.

“AmCoat has made it a focus to make sure we have the best possible adhesion over metal, vinyl and other sidings,” said Moore. “But we always recommend a test section and a follow up with Rhino Shield ceramic elastomeric top coating.”

ASTM D4541 testing for APS shows superior adhesion on most building surfaces — it basically fuses with the substrate. A very cost-effective solution, it’s less than 15 cents a square foot.

Like the Rhino Shield finish coat, APS has been updated to improve performance over the years. APS is appropriate for wood, stucco, hardy, metal, vinyl and many other substrates. It’s easy to work with, has low VOCs and cleanup is quick since it’s water based. APS can be sprayed on or rolled on depending on what works best for the particular substrate.

APS is the foundation for the Rhino Shield top coat. As a premium coating, Rhino Shield offers greater profit for dealers — our typical Rhino Shield dealer earns more than $1.5 million in gross revenue with gross profits in excess of 55 percent and net profit margins of between 15 and 20 percent.

Veteran-Owned and made in the U.S.A., Rhino Shield’s elastomeric-ceramic coating goes on 8-10 times thicker than conventional paint with a long-term product warranty.

AmCoat is expanding its Rhino Shield dealer distribution network to Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City, New York City, Omaha, Buffalo, Rochester, Los Angeles, Boise, Baltimore, Richmond and more. Businesspeople in those areas who are interested in learning more about starting up a Rhino Shield dealership should email [email protected] or call (850) 424-6805.

Original article was posted on csengineermag.com and could be read in its entirety here.

Image courtesy of www.coatingsworld.com

With an increase in the number of wildfires since the late 1990s, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re using fire rated materials when building or renovating a home. Rhino Shield recognized the issue early on and has taken steps over the last 25 years to ensure its high-performance products are as safe as they possibly can be.

AmCoat’s Mike Moore, Director of Products and Applications, said they continually improve their product and that as recently as last year, Rhino Shield has been working update its formula to make its fire resilience better than ever.

“Because we paint a lot of residences with wood siding, safety is paramount,” said Moore. “And has become more important in the last 30 years with the uptick of wildfires. Throughout its history, Rhino Shield has always had a focus on having the best fire-rated architectural coating possible. And last year we upgraded the fire rating performance and Rhino Shield tested at a 5 — in the highest Class A performers.”

To break that down, ASTM-E84 is the standard test for the surface burning characteristics of building products. It measures the flame spread index. In the burn chamber the flame spread must be less than 25 with a range of 1 to 200. To be Class A, the material tested must score between 0 and 25. Rhino Shield scored a 5, in the top quintile.

“When we tested the recently upgraded coating, we were able to delay ignition significantly,” said Moore. “In fact, it took 70 percent longer for ignition to happen then before the upgrade.”

But what about smoke? That’s what causes the majority of injuries and fatalities in house fires? ASTM-E84 also measures smoke using a Smoke Developed Index with a range of 0 to 45. The Rhino Shield coating scored a 0 — no smoke was developed.

But real-world fires are what test materials, and in 2022 a home in North Carolina caught fire which became fully involved. The home next to that home had been coated with Rhino Shield. When the local fire department examined the area, they were astonished the fire did not spread to the adjacent home. When they learned that the home was protected with Rhino Shield, they told the homeowner they certain that’s what saved their home.

“The Spruce Pine fire department told us that considering the heat of the fire, they were impressed the adjacent building did not ignite,” said Moore. “When they found out the home was coated in Rhino Shield and looked into its ceramic and heat rejecting properties, they were convinced Rhino Shield helped save that home.”

This article was originally posted on www.coatingsworld.com
and can be read in its entirety here.

Image courtesy of csengineermag.com

Everyone loves the waterfront — the ocean and sunshine and sweet salty breeze can soothe the soul. But these elements can mean high maintenance to a building’s exterior and a painting cycle that’s on repeat every 3 to 5 years.

On the coast, painted walls tend to fade faster, are pummeled with wind-driven rain, are exposed to salt around the clock and are breeding grounds for bio-growth like algae and fungus.

One 7-story Destin, Florida resort nestled between Choctawhatchee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico was looking for a fresh update but wanted more longevity for their money.

Mike Moore, AmCoat’s Director of Products and Applications, said Destin West Beach and Bay Resort opted for Rhino Shield coatings to protect its structure with a beautiful tropical color scheme.

“Destin West wanted to extend their maintenance cycle for coating their exterior walls,” said Moore. “They sought out Rhino Shield because they knew that they could go longer between coatings and that our product has built-in protection against mildew, algae and fungus — which all go with being on the coast. Less painting and less cleaning add up to more savings for the facility.”

Image courtesy of csengineermag.com

Rhino Shield’s bio-package is a 4-part cocktail that’s EPA approved and very effective.

“Bio-protection is very important in the southeast,” said Moore. “It’s warm and humid, and keeping growth off the paint is a priority for less maintenance and a cleaner look. These walls will stay better looking longer because Destin West invested in Rhino Shield.”

And the savings go beyond extending the painting cycle — there are many other expenses other than paint and labor to consider when coating high rises.

“One major expense for these high rises is getting to the heights they need to for application,” said Moore. “Bringing out lifts, scaffolding and swing stages can be as much as the paint itself. So, with longer lasting coatings, there is a longer interval between expensive maintenance procedures.”

One standout feature for Rhino Shield is its salt tolerance. AmCoat updated its salt tolerance testing for Rhino Coat just last year.

Image courtesy of csengineermag.com

“The salt tolerance test for Rhino Shield shows the ceramic elastomeric coating has excellent performance numbers,” said Moore. “And no blistering was present. It performs so well in these coastal applications, and that’s why so many condo associations and hoteliers and restaurants along the coast are applying Rhino Shield.”

Another feature of Rhino Shield that makes it a high performer on the coast is that it’s designed to lock out wind-driven rain.

“Rhino Shield is engineered with high water resistance which helps keep out rain,” said Moore. “Water intrusion from driven rain can cause water swelling and lead to a whole host of other issues. It’s like having a protective membrane surrounding your building. It’s very effective.”

Rhino Shield application is preceded by AmCoat’s APS, a quick-drying primer sealer that lets the contractor apply the finish coat sooner saving time and money. A nationwide network of dealers means there is availability across the U.S. for expert commercial installation with contractors who are trained to keep business disruption to a minimum.

Veteran-Owned and made in the U.S.A., AmCoat products are designed for long-term protection against the elements.

AmCoat is expanding its Rhino Shield dealer distribution network to Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City, New York City, Omaha, Buffalo, Rochester, Los Angeles, Boise, Baltimore, Richmond and more. Businesspeople in those areas who are interested in learning more about starting up a Rhino Shield dealership should email [email protected] or call (850) 424-6805.

This article appeared originally on https://csengineermag.com
Original article can be read in its entirety here.

Rhino Shield’s ceramic elastomeric formula passes wind-driven rain tests and is still fully permeable.

Traditionally, thick elastomeric coatings were not permeable and were mainly used on roofs. Modern elastomeric coatings “breathe,” which lets moisture vapor escape. Rhino Shield’s ceramic elastomeric formula passes wind-driven rain tests and is still fully permeable, allowing the substrate to breathe.

Importance permeability in today’s coatings

Mike Moore, AmCoat’s director of products and applications, stressed the importance permeability in today’s coatings.

“The resin technology we employ allows for a thick, protective elastomeric coating that is fully permeable,” said Moore. “This is super important for wood and stucco. The coating must release moisture vapors to be able to prevent moisture retention which can lead to bubbling and peeling.”

Even though Rhino Shield has employs heavy mil application thickness of between 12mm and 20mm, its elastomeric permeability rating is high. AmCoat’s commitment to regularly testing and upgrading its formulas is a testament to its superior performance in the field for more than 25 years.

“We test this as a system regularly — how the primer and the top coat work together to create a water resistant but breathable coating,” said Moore. “Rhino Shield passed the wind-driven rain test with flying colors and retained a high perm rate for a ceramic elastomeric coating.”

A home’s coating is just one component of the housing envelope. Every part of the home should be contributing to a healthy house that repels water and breathes.

“Today’s coatings must repel water but still be breathable,” said Moore. “This is particularly important in residential historic homes, many of which have no vapor barrier or insulation. These homes must breathe and the big challenge is the coating.”

Why permeability is so important

Why permeability is so important:
• Impermeable coatings can fail – blister and peel
• Moisture vapors that can’t escape increase the chances of bio-growth —mold and mildew
• Trapped moisture can cause the substrate to fail

“Even with Rhino Shield, your home must have adequate venting,” said Moore. “Our dealers are trained to look for issues that could compromise a good coating and they prioritize breathability. They look at the whole home so that our coatings can perform like they are designed to.”

Moore likens Rhino Shield to clothing made with Gor-Tex.

“Modern apparel designed with Gor-Tex is a great analogy for our products,” said Moore. “Think of it like wicking as opposed to wearing plastic bag — you want to transfer moisture, so it must be permeable.”

Veteran-owned and made in the US, Rhino Shield’s elastomeric-ceramic coating goes on eight to 10 times thicker than conventional paint with a long-term product warranty.

Original article was posted on https://www.coatingsworld.com and can be read in its entirety here.