We have proudly partnered with the SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center) based in Venice, CA in the development of MuralShield for the long-term protection and conservation of fine art acrylic and aerosol murals. SPARC is responsible for the preservation and maintenance of many large and important historic murals and have been advising artists, cities, and public planners since 1976.
We have proudly partnered with SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center) based in Venice, CA in the development of MuralShield for the long-term protection and conservation of fine art acrylic and aerosol murals.
SPARC has been responsible for preserving and maintaining many large and historically significant murals, providing guidance to artists, cities, and public planners since 1976.
MuralShield™ is a conservation-grade coating that works as a consolidating protective barrier, strengthening paint binders and adhesion. It offers protection against environmental damage caused by weather, UV sunlight, cleaning chemicals, pollutants, and water damage.
For graffiti protection, we apply World's Best Graffiti Coating over MuralShield, allowing for the non-damaging removal of graffiti vandalism.
This method of using both coatings together is designed to comply with conservation standards to preserve and protect public art vulnerable to vandalism and environmental wear.
The final outcome will be a highly maintainable, durable, vibrant mural.
MuralShield will build up to a gloss finish. Subsequently, the application of 2-3 coats of World's Best graffiti Coating will create a beautiful satin finish.
MuralShield is compatible with artist-grade acrylic paints, fine art aerosols, collage-based, or digitally printed murals. Compatible substrates include building structures such as uncoated concrete, wood, signage-grade panels, most exterior insulated finishing systems (EIFS) and stuccos, CMU block walls, brick walls (depending on the brick condition), painted, and coated surfaces. MuralShield can also be used to prepare concrete, CMU, stucco, painted, or unpainted walls for painting. Use MuralShield only after the wall is cleaned and thoroughly dry.
MuralShield™ is generally applied upon completion of a new work or restoration of an existing mural.
World's Best Graffiti Coating is a 'sacrificial coating' and must be reapplied every time a repair is done. This allows you to clean the mural safely using our removal products as well as providing access to the original artwork so that changes or touch-ups can be made as needed.
MuralShield™ is a solvent based product and is best sprayed rather than brushed or rolled. You can use a conventional airless sprayer, HVLP ( High Volume Low pressure) spray gun, or acetone rated pump up sprayer. We can supply the Sprayers Plus20 ACT Acetone Sprayer if needed. These are convenient and easy to use especially in areas where you don't have access to power.
For murals that contain solvent based spray paints and even on freshly painted acrylics it is always best to lightly mist coat MuralShield first and then build up at least 2 subsequent coats. This helps seal the mural and protect against paint runs. If using a handheld sprayer make sure you are pumping it up enough and adequately atomizing the product before commencing application.
Always test first in inconspicuous areas before attempting full scale application.
Protect and Restore
Our Coating Technology
See application of MuralShield greatly enhancing color on this older mural ("to Protect & Servce" by Nina Olabisi) Video Courtesy of SPARC.
Graffiti Removal from Mural Protected with MuralShield and World's Best Graffiti Coating. Courtesy of Mural Rescue Portland.
MuralShieldis flammable: Do not apply MuralShield near any potential source of ignition. Keep away from heat and open flame. Use only outdoors or in well-ventilated areas using a facemask or respirator. Avoid applying in populated areas.
Personal Protection: Wear gloves and protective goggles to avoid skin and eye contact. Utilize either work clothes or a disposable protective suit, to avoid garment damage or accidental spillage.
Use adequate solvent-rated masks or respirator. We recommend solvent or paint stripping rated masks with a cartridge based re-breather.
UHILL Walls, Durham North Carolina is an amazing public art project that features over 40,000 square ...
Muralshield is best sprayed using HVLP, airless or a pump up acetone rated sprayer.
2 Gal Acetone Sprayer
Suitable For MuralShield
$98.00
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Yes - In most cases our coating will adhere to almost any pre-coated surface. It will not enhance the appearance, nor will the wall ‘breathe’ any better once its applied.
Many of these pre-treated walls are concrete, pre-cast or in situ constructed. Porous stonework may often be coated or impregnated with a sealant to protect them from rain thus preventing mildew and mold growth.
Yes - In most cases our coating will adhere to almost any pre-coated surface. It will not enhance the appearance, nor will the wall ‘breathe’ any better once its applied.
Many of these pre-treated walls are concrete, pre-cast or in situ constructed. Porous stonework may often be coated or impregnated with a sealant to protect them from rain thus preventing mildew and mold growth.
If, whilst applying World's Best Graffiti Coating you find that the surface underneath is causing our coating to ‘bead’ or even repel ‘like water off a duck’s back’, follow the technique described below.
Apply a light coat first, and when it begins to dry, brush the newly coated surface with a soft broom or wide brush to spread it out evenly. Once this is done you will find the next coat, and any subsequent coats, can be applied more thickly without further brushing required. Once World's Best Graffiti Coating is applied, any subsequent removals will be made easy.
The types of coatings / sealers we have encountered before applying World's Best Graffiti Coating are siloxanes, polyurethanes, epoxy and hard enamels.
NOTE: If the coating underneath is beginning to fail, it may give the impression that it is our coating that has failed. Fortunately you can always remove World's Best Graffiti Coating if needed.
For most porous surfaces, 4G Surface Guard can be applied first as an impregnating sealer, followed by one coat of World's Best Graffiti Coating. This method offers superior protection and allows you to remove any graffiti with hot water alone.
Worlds Best Graffiti Coating is a 'film forming' SACRIFICIAL product that provides durable long lasting graffiti protection. It is a flexible paraffin wax emulsion that allows building surfaces to breathe. It is generally totally matte in finish and virtually invisible. Because it is film forming, it offers the best type of graffiti protection making it very quick and easy to remove any subsequent graffiti.
When using Worlds Best Graffiti Coating, the surface must be re-protected following graffiti removal which can be done immediately to a damp (not wet) surface. Worlds Best Graffiti Coating is not generally specified on horizontal surfaces as it does not have enough abrasion resistance to withstand foot and wheel traffic.
Correctly applied and depending on conditions, life expectancy is approximately 5-7 years.
4G Surface Guard is an impregnation rather than a a film forming sealant. It leaves the substrate fully vapor permeable. Once cured, 4G Surface Guard is invisible to the human eye and does not change the surface friction making it more suitable for HORIZONTAL surfaces.
Correctly applied and depending on conditions, life expectancy is approximately 10 years.
For maximum graffiti resistance on walls you can first use 4G Surface Guard followed by a single coat of World's Best Graffiti Coating. This allows you to remove any subsequent graffiti with hot water alone and will preserve and protect the building surface, for many years to come.
Case Study for World's Best Graffiti Coating and 4G Surface Guard done at Los Angeles City Hall, Los Angeles, California.
Although it’s possible to remove larger graffiti from a painted surface, it is often far quicker and easier to simply color match and paint over. Smaller graffiti can be easily removed with our Sensitive Surface Graffiti Remover or Graffiti ‘Safewipes’, without the need for specialized protective coatings. Some inks, dyes, boot polish and especially red spray cans can occasionally stain/burn into paintwork. These types of stains can be removed with Feltpen Fadeout.
]]>Our first golden rule of graffiti protection is - The best coating for paint is paint.
Although it’s possible to remove larger graffiti from a painted surface, it is often far quicker and easier to simply color match and paint over. Smaller graffiti can be easily removed with our Sensitive Surface Graffiti Remover or Graffiti ‘Safewipes’, without the need for specialized protective coatings. Some inks, dyes, boot polish and especially red spray cans can occasionally stain/burn into paintwork. These types of stains can be removed with Feltpen Fadeout.
For removing larger graffiti from larger painted walls see How to Remove Graffiti from a Mural Protected with MuralShield
For detailed mural protection instructions see How to Protect and Preserve Murals
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Graffiti Removal from painted wall made easy by our protection system - World's Best Graffiti Coating and, for public art protection, MuralShield.
For maximum graffiti resistance we generally recommend World's Best Graffiti Coating on vertical walls made from natural materials.
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About World's Best Graffiti Coating
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We recommend our 4G Surface Guard for the preservation and maintenance of natural surfaces such as concrete tile and stone. It is specifically designed for any mineral surface and optimized for both FLOORS ( with maximum abrasive resistance) and WALLS (maximum graffiti resistance).
The 4G stands for Graffiti, Grease, Grime and Gum resistance, and the end result is a long lasting, invisible impregnation that is hydrophobic, oleo phobic as well as weather and UV resistant.
Application of World's Best Graffiti Coating while others apply 4G Surface Guard for Floors on the Horizontal Surfaces
4G Surface Guard will not change the appearance or slip resistant qualities of your floor. 4G Surface Guard is Ideal for use on high value and/or high traffic locations where minimizing maintenance costs and maximizing presentation is a priority.
Water based and low odor makes it suitable for indoor or outdoor use.
Our main rule of thumb before application is that your floor or wall surface look wet (with water on it). It will then accept 4G Surface Guard.
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Learn more about how LA City Hall protected their surfaces here.
Gina, LA City Hall Supervisor, talks about her experience with 4G Surface Guard.
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Choosing the right paints can be tricky because of so much variability across manufacturers. Lightfastness is not the only metric to look at when evaluating paint performance outdoors. Murals challenge paint films with more extreme conditions, many which would rarely be present for an indoor easel painting at a given time. Paint films will often experience high temperatures, exposure to moisture and humidity, moss, bacteria and fungi, while also gradually accumulating carbon monoxide and other chemical pollution in the air. Murals can be exposed to caustic materials, harsh solvents, and purposeful damage, which is why choosing the right pigments also require artists to properly prepare walls, and consolidate thoroughly.
When an artist can document their paint palette, it is important to include the manufacturing date of the paint, the maker, and any pigment information included on the packaging. For situations where the mural must absolutely last, use a reputable brand like Golden Artist Acrylics.
Economical paints often include opacifiers, formaldehyde and other harsh preservatives, and can even include inconsistent paint manufacturing, which can affect the longevity of paint binders.
Muralists will struggle to find a balanced Titanium White that has high tinting strength and is also well manufactured. It might be a surprise to some muralists that the manufacturing process of Titanium Dioxide as a paint pigment varies by source and the differences can dramatically impact the longevity of a mural.
Finding substitutes for Cadmium paints, which were historically thought to be lightfast for outdoor murals, can be a challenging task but not impossible with modern synthetic pigments. Artists will find small variations in temperature, but often the biggest difference is in the opacity of a paint. Depending on your painting style, this can be an advantage or disadvantage.
A reputable paint manufacturer will test the longevity of their pigments by conducting long term exposure tests. These tests are often available online.
SPARC's Recommended Paint Manufacturers
Golden Artist Colors - Used exclusively on SPARC Projects
Golden is the top tier paint manufacturer for murals. Their extensive pigment information and high quality materials make for the most durable murals. This paint is thick and requires extension with gloss medium. A little goes a long way, which despite its high price, once extended is comparable to other studio acrylic brands.
Choose the Heavy Body Paints line. Avoid using Fluid, High Flow or Open paint lines as they contain modifiers that may not be suitable for long term durability.
Choose Gloss Medium (Item #3510) for glazes and extending colors without affecting the paint binder. Do not use mediums that contain UV or UVLS.
Gallon containers are available. Heavy Body Paints are incredibly thick (we often invert whole open gallon containers of their paint to impress onlookers). Mix Heavy Body Paints to create a cream consistency, no more than 1:1. Our process involves scooping pure colors into separate containers to which we add medium to. Mix by hand or shake. Do not use a drill mixer. Aerating paint will cause it to cure prematurely in the container. Aerated paints will have a shorter shelf life when stored.
Liquitex
Choose their Heavy Body Acrylic Paints line. Liquitex is a reputable company with excellent pigments.
For extending and glazing, use Liquitex Gloss Varnish. Do not use mediums that contain UV or UVLS. Large quantities and bulk discounts are available from the manufacturer.
Blick Artist Acrylics
Blick similarly has several lines of paint. Choose "Blick Artists' Paint" which is a heavy bodied paint. Contact the supplier for larger quantities and bulk discounts. This is an economical solution suitable for outdoor murals.
Utrecht Artists' Acrylic Colors
Use Utrecht's heavy body acrylic paints. Similarly, contact the supplier for larger quantities and bulk discounts. This is an economical solution for murals.
Aerosol Paints i.e. Montana, MTN, and Liquitex
Spray Paint is magical and all artist grade spray paints that we have used are compatible with MuralShield. So long as the spray paint lists their pigments, and you can follow the recommended pigments below, your mural will be more resistant to environmental stresses. These paint films are incredibly thin and will not match the performance of acrylic paints, but don't let it stop you from using them.
Spray paint is responsible for incredible advances in murals and ongoing experimentation will only further improve this amazing medium. We have to consider the environment when using spray paints and aerosols. It is a wasteful medium and manufacturers need to be responsible and responsive to the impact their product is having in landfills and ecosystems. If only there was a reusable way of atomizing paint...
Airbrush Paints
Airbrush paints are acrylic paints that have been modified with fluid mediums that can be atomized by air compression. Most of the paint manufacturers listed above also make airbrush equivalents. Thinning mediums can also be used to create your own airbrushing paints. The same information for spray paints apply here. Thin films make for reduced durability. When choosing airbrush acrylics, choose your colors based their pigments.
NOT Recommended Paint Manufacturers
Nova Color Paints
This might be controversial because so many muralists have great confidence in Nova Color Paints. Unfortunately the quality of their pigments and binders are questionable. They have unlisted additives and provide little transparency into their manufacturing processes. They have been known to recommend paints and mediums that are not suitable for long term outdoor durability. Their gloss mediums have not performed as well as previous years, which has led to some destructive surprises! Yes their paints come in a decent consistency for mural painting, and they do sell 1 and 5 gallon containers. Again, it all comes down to your budget and the expected durability of your mural. If you are going to choose Nova Color Paints, be sure to choose your colors based on durable pigments. Avoid using their gels and mediums as top coats as they will yellow outdoors.
Behr House Paints (Or any other outdoor paint bought at a home improvement or paint store)
Behr in particular should not be used as a mural paint. While it is amazing how far matched colors have come, and they are on their own durable for painting outdoor structures, the physical process of painting murals sets these paints at a disadvantage. Any water that gets into your paint will affect the durability of that paint film in the short term. This is incredibly difficult to avoid when using brushes. House paints use special chemicals to modify their opacity, consistency, and they self-shed to maintain a clean appearance. These characteristics are not suitable for fine art murals even though you get great coverage. We've all been there–whether it's a large color field or background, or even a dedication panel–try to avoid the temptation!
If your mural was painted with Behr or other house paint brands, you may see a yellow resin surface when applying too much MuralShield in one coat. Paint chemistry is wide and diverse, always test! If you see a transparent yellow dye appear, reduce the amount of MuralShield being sprayed and avoid drips. If spraying, add an extra 2 feet between the tip of the sprayer and the wall and move the wand faster over the surface to "fog coat" the mural.
Additionally, be careful to not mix house paint brands as they can have dangerous or adverse chemical reactions.
1 Shot or other Oil Based Paints
We do not recommend using 1 Shot for murals that require durability. These paints excel for sign painting and pinstriping. Advertising companies use oil based paints because of their long dry times that lend themselves to creating fluid blends and techniques that acrylic paints cannot accomplish straight out of the can. Oil based binders do not cure to form a chemically stable polymer. Heat can reactivate oil-based binders even after murals have been outdoors for years after they have been painted. This can create havoc should you need to restore an oil-based mural.
Please note that MuralShield is not designed for use over oil based paints. While it can serve as a UV protectant, the sacrificial coatings used with MuralShield is unable to protect oil based murals from tagging or other forms of vandalism.
Article Courtesy of our Partners at SPARCinLA
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First, A quick word on so called permanent anti-graffiti coatings.
Over the past 30 years we have seen many anti-graffiti coatings come onto the scene very often touting the latest and greatest technology in 'permanent' anti-graffiti coatings. They invariably promise to make cleaning graffiti easy in the future, and often come at great cost to building owners, having to be applied under the exact right circumstances, by contractors who have been trained or licensed to use the product.
First, A quick word on so called permanent anti-graffiti coatings.
Over the past 30 years we have seen many anti-graffiti coatings come onto the scene very often touting the latest and greatest technology in 'permanent' anti-graffiti coatings. They invariably promise to make cleaning graffiti easy in the future, and often come at great cost to building owners, having to be applied under the exact right circumstances, by contractors who have been trained or licensed to use the product.
These sorts of permanent coatings are usually an unnecessary expense, and in many cases are specified in totally inappropriate situations. They often change the appearance of natural building surfaces with a gloss or semi-gloss finish.
They all work to some degree at least in the initial stages, but after repetitive cleaning, continued exposure to UV sunlight, and other environmental factors such as efflorescence on buildings, they often turn cloudy, peel or delaminate in some areas.
When these sorts of coatings degrade, it can actually make it more difficult to clean graffiti in the long term. If for any reason in the future you want to remove the coating you can have a monster on your hands trying to get them off. Painting over them can be difficult, if not impossible.
With our system of products, we can remove 100% of graffiti without any difficulty on virtually all building surfaces, so in most cases we would rather see no coating applied on a wall, rather than the wrong one.
Problems are most likely going to occur in 2-3 years after applying a coating. This is why you need to carry a big stick and tread very carefully when considering applying any so-called permanent coating to a building surface.
Still, there is a genuine need for low-cost graffiti protection on certain surfaces, to ease the burden on maintenance by speeding up removals. This means protecting important building surfaces that were never intended to be painted over. These include historic or delicate buildings and sculptures, porous/ decorative feature walls and structures made from raw timber, split face rock, cinder block, lime stone and brick.
For these situations we recommend our World’s Best Graffiti Coating (WBGC)specifically designed for the protection of natural building surfaces against graffiti, pollution and grime. This amazing product is a virtually invisible and long lasting anti-graffiti coating guaranteed to work perfectly in conjunction with the World’s Best Graffiti Removers.
Unlike permanent coatings, if you ever have to remove our coating for any reason you can remove it with boiling hot water at pressure (ie: a hot water pressure washer) or ‘chemically’ using our Bare Brick, Stone & Masonry Graffiti Remover and a cold water pressure washer.
World’s Best Graffiti Coating is totally matte in finish and always leaves building surfaces looking perfectly natural, the way they were intended to look. In the event of graffiti occurring after you have applied WBGC, you can easily remove the graffiti either with hot water or using our removers WBGC can then be quickly and seamlessly reapplied for future protection, even if the wall is still damp. The coating has been tested on buildings around the world for over 20 years. It is a pleasure to apply and makes removing graffiti quick and easy every time. There are many opportunities to supply and apply this coating in new building construction, as well as ‘after’ removing graffiti from existing buildings. In fact, once the coating is applied to a building, removing graffiti is so easy, that many contractors will guarantee removals for a year or more.
The Truth about Permanent Anti-Graffiti Coating
1) The best coating for paint is paint. Although it’s possible to remove larger graffiti from a painted surface, it is often far quicker and easier to simply color match and paint over. Smaller graffiti can be easily removed with our Sensitive Surface Graffiti Remover or Graffiti ‘Safewipes’, without the need for specialized protective coatings.
2) Any coating you are thinking of specifying must be proven to work as intended, and have stood the test of time without behaving badly (which ultimately would disappoint your customer).
3) Unlike permanent coatings, if for any reason in the future you need to remove this coating from a building, you must be able to do this quickly and inexpensively without the risk of damage to the building surface.
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