Towards best practice in a snail trail free exterior architectural paint

 
Snail trail is often described as a change of the appearance of a coating, caused by the migration of water soluble species to the surface of the paint and running down the freshly painted facades. Surfactants and other water soluble species present in paint formulations may be a source of snail trail. Tedious reformulation work may be needed to evaluate the trouble makers (surfactants, dispersants, defoamers, rheology modifiers) and to find suitable replacements. Even the type of binder and filler may play a role. In order to avoid laborious reformulation efforts Dow has developed specific silicone technology and expertise that results in additives and formulations that dramatically improve the resistance to the leaching of water soluble ingredients. This presentation will present analytical data on the effects of each masonry paint ingredient on surfactant leaching and advise the best practice to obtain a snail trail free exterior architectural paint.