Why Does Paint Fade Faster on a Sunny Facade?

Because the sun's ultraviolet rays break down the binder and pigments of the paint over time. South and west facades take the sun all day, so the same paint goes dull and fades sooner there than on a north facade.

Four things that speed up fading

• Dark, vivid colours: bright shades with organic pigments are more sensitive to light.
• Weak binder: in cheap paint the binder breaks down quickly and leaves the pigment exposed on the surface.
• Thin coats: paint that is thinned or applied in a single coat wears sooner.
• Heat: breakdown is faster on a surface heated by the sun.

What is chalking?

The degraded binder can no longer hold the pigment; a white or coloured powder stays on your hand when you rub the wall. Chalking announces fading and the time to repaint.

How can fading be slowed?

1. Choose a sun-resistant exterior paint with a good-quality binder.
2. Prefer colours with mineral pigments, such as earth tones.
3. Stay with light and mid tones on south and west facades.
4. Have the paint applied unthinned, in two full coats.

Can only the faded facade be painted?

It can, but the new paint will look different from the other facades. Because the difference stops at the corner of the building it usually does not bother anyone; painting half of one facade does show.

Does a north facade never wear?

It does not fade, but because it stays damp it grows moss and mould. Erdağ Yapı assesses each facade according to its own problem; details are on our exterior facade paint page.