Four Painting Methods To Minimize Graffiti On Your Commercial Building

Graffiti can be an expensive problem. Not only does it look bad and give customers a negative impression of your business, but there is also the ongoing cost of cleanup and repair. Fortunately, there are paint techniques that can be used to help minimize the impacts of graffiti on your commercial property.

1. Sacrificial Coatings

A sacrificial coating is applied over brick, concrete, or masonry exteriors. This is a clear coating that is applied over the existing paint. If graffiti is done over this coating, it can be quickly washed off with a pressure washer. This process does remove the sacrificial coating as well as the graffiti, though, so you will need to apply a fresh layer of coating each time you clean the wall. Sacrificial coatings work well if graffiti is an infrequent issue as opposed to walls that are frequent victims of vandalism.

2. Anti-Graffiti Paint

Anti-graffiti paint is applied either as a finishing clear coat or it is tinted to the desired color for your wall. This type of paint forms a barrier, which other paint and inks can't adhere to. You can easily wash the graffiti off with a graffiti-removing cleaner, which will only affect the graffiti and not your paint. Anti-graffiti paint is more expensive than a sacrificial coating, but it can save money in the long run if your exterior is the frequent target of vandals with cans of spray paint.

3. Murals

Murals don't completely prevent graffiti, but they have been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of the vandalism. This is in part credited to the fact that most vandals want an empty canvas to showcase their own graffiti, and a mural simply doesn't provide that canvas. You can opt to have a mural painted by a local artist, or you can have a commercial painting service develop a graphic that reflects your business, your community, or both. Apply a sacrificial coating or a layer of clear anti-graffiti paint over the mural for extra insurance against vandalism.

4. Paint Color

Another simple method to deal with graffiti is to paint the wall a stock neutral color. This way, you can simply paint over the graffiti each time it occurs. Opt for a light to medium color as opposed to a dark color since lighter colors don't fade as quickly, so patch painting won't show up as much. This method works well on fences or back walls where you want a neat appearance but aren't as concerned about color.

Contact a commercial painting service for more help with your building's exterior appearance.