The Way Finishes CURE

All the products used in finishing cure by one of two types – evaporative and reactive. Each type cures differently. A finish cures by changing from a liquid to a solid on the wood.

EVAPORATIVE FINISHES

Evaporative finishes are made-up of solids that have been dissolved in a solvent. These are made-up of long, strand-like molecules that pack together and unite when all the solvent present in the solution evaporates. A thin solution can be achieved by increasing the solvent dilution which also means the less the solvent added, the thicker the resulting solution. When all the solvent evaporates only the solid contents are left. These solids are the same as what they were before they were dissolved. They then transforms from solid flakes into a film on the wood.

The strands are intertwined when soft and they’re interlocked and form a continuous film when dried; but nothing bonds the strands together, re-introducing of solvents will soften the strands. Evaporative finishes can change back and forth between liquid and solid by the introduction or evaporation of the solvent. 

Applying a coat of evaporative finish over an existing cured coat will dissolve the underlying coat. The solvent puts the strands back into a solution, so the coats fuse making one thicker layer. 

Evaporative finishes cure from the bottom up. The solvent at the bottom travels through the film layer which then makes the top layer the last part to cure. When the top becomes hard, you can be sure the film is cured all the way through.

REACTIVE FINISHES

Reactive finishes crosslink when they cure. As the thinner evaporates, the resin molecules move closer together resulting into a chemical reaction that links the molecules together forming a network. Reintroduction of the thinner doesn't break the bonds that are formed. This chemical reaction is referred to as crosslinking or polymerization.

Reactive finishes don't bond chemically between coats once the previous coat has cured. The film formed won't fuse to the previous coat. Making fine scratches by sanding promotes the new coat to lock or adhere mechanically. Also, sanding dusts must be removed because it won't be dissolved into the new coat. 

There are two categories of reactive finishes those that cure by reacting with oxygen and those that cure by reacting with a chemical catalyst. 

For oxygen dependent curing, the application of coatings must be kept thin. Oxygen makes contact with the external part of the coating then through the bottom of the film. It cures from the top down. Once the top cures and forms a skin, oxygen is inhibited from penetrating to cure the rest of the coat. Thick coats take much longer to cure all the way through.

For catalyst curing, it cures from the bottom to top. The solvent that carries the material will travel from bottom to top; which then allows the molecules to crosslink.

COMPARISON

The main difference between EVAPORATIVE and REACTIVE finish is whether or not the molecules are cross-linked. Crosslinking makes the produced film more resistant to heat, scratch, solvents, acids and alkalis and making it less penetrable. There's little space between cross-linked molecules for liquids or water vapor gases to pass through.

The strong bonds of cross-linked molecules produce a durable film but for the same reason the coat produced is difficult to repair. A new coat of finish won't dissolve the previous coat; a visible line will separate a repair from the original finish. There are few solvents and chemicals that can dissolve the film.

Evaporative finishes are not cross-linked, they are easiest to scratch, dissolve and penetrate. An advantage with evaporative finishes is that it would be easier to repair since a number of solvents and chemicals can separate the molecules. A disadvantage would be that the un-cross-linked molecules have large spaces in-between that results to water and water vapor penetration.

The real CULPRIT for our COOLING COST

          Air is everywhere. It’s a known fact that the planet is enveloped with a blanket of air called the atmosphere. Air around the world experiences different thermal conditions depending on its location in the planet. This thermal gradient or difference allows air movement – conventionally, hot air goes up; cool air goes down. Despite this natural occurring motion, air movement or air exchange can become a budget liability. Here’s how.

         Air is everywhere; it can be found on every place and every corner, big or small, given that the area is not vacuumed. Air, being compressible, can pass through holes and cracks; and this is where the budget liability comes in. Every time we open doors and windows, we allow air to circulate into the room and even to the point of having an air exchange with the environment. Consequently, the room temperature also undergoes some changes; that is why we close the windows and if possible, minimize the opening and closing of the doors for a temperature-regulated room or in layman’s term, air-conditioned room. 

        But do you know that doors and windows only constitute 11% and 10% of your cooling cost, respectively? Yes, it is. This is according to the research conducted by Mosby Building Arts; and they found out that the greatest contributor that affects our cooling cost is AIR LEAKAGE or AIR INFILTRATION - it contributes an average of 40%.

         Air leakage is an infiltration of air through gaps and joints located among floors, walls and ceilings. These locations can become a point of entry that allows an exchange of air; and the exchange is temperature driven which means hot air comes into the house. Because of this our air conditioning system would have to work all day long just to maintain the room’s temperature. As a result, life span of the unit is shortened and at the same time energy cost goes up. And this is when air movement becomes a liability.

         How could we eliminate air leakage?

        The only way to eliminate this leakage is to air seal the house; and not just any ordinary air sealing materials. The material should be comprised of about 90-95% closed structure making it impenetrable by air or moisture; and at the same time should be an effective insulating material.

      And no other materials best fit the description – no other than ECOFOAM polyurethane foam. This is a spray-applied-insulating polyurethane foam that has an R-value of 7 per inch. And it is composed of more than 90% closed cell making it an effective air and moisture barrier. And since this is spray applied, you will be guaranteed of 100% adhesion to the substrate and a seamless finish. Aside from that, ECOFOAM has the ability to seep into small cracks and gaps and effectively seals it.

So worry no more. With ECOFOAM, air-sealing job is a piece of cake.

INSULATION – Its origin and evolution

We've used cork, asbestos, glass, plastic, foam and even mud to do it. Yes, when you look at the history of insulation, in all its myriad forms, we can see just how far we've come. The use of insulation to regulate temperatures and protect buildings can be traced from the ancient civilizations all the way to the modern times in a state of constant evolution.

Ancient Egyptian Brick Makers

The Ancient Egyptians used insulation to keep their desert homes and buildings cool and their linen clothing warmer in the cooler winter months. They added papyrus linings to their loincloths and skirts to keep warm in winter and they built their homes of thick brick, designed to help keep out the sun's scorching heat in summer.

Greek slaves weaving asbestos into cloth

And then there was the discovery of fireproof asbestos and the Ancient Greeks knew about it; in fact they named it. The material’s flame-resistant properties gave it a bit of mystical appeal to the Greeks. They had a common name for it, too – crysotile – which means “gold cloth”. They used it to dress their imported slaves, as well as for the wicks of their eternal temple flames, and the funeral dress of kings. The Greeks were the first to go on record as noting that asbestos caused a “lung sickness” in the slaves who worked with it and wore it.

 

The ancient Romans; as they always look-out for the next best thingalso pushed the evolution of insulation. The Romans, famed for their engineering prowess, even began to install indoor heated water systems. By insulating the heated water pipes with cork; which were usually installed directly under floors, the Romans were able to pipe hot water directly into the building without fear of overheating the flooring and the other areas adjacent to the pipes. 

 

Until the Vikings learned to mix horse and cattle dung, mud and straw; named as daub, in order to seal their homes and endure the harsh Northern European climate. The Vikings even began to cover their interior walls with heavy layers of sheepskin as a means to retain heat. It soon became popular to cover interior walls with large, thick woven tapestries among the wealthy in Europe as stone-built houses became a fashion in the middle Ages. These imposing structures tended to be drafty, damp and cold. And so these cloths would be hung on the interior walls, partly to block out the drafts and partly to soak up the dampness. The Europeans also began to cover floor with tightly-packed rushes as a way to retain heat. Rushes on the floors also helped to keep things a bit warmer underfoot. 

During the Industrial Revolution, insulation continued to evolve. Despite the ancient Greeks warnings about its dangers, asbestos became popular once again. Steam-powered technology meant lots of hot pipes to carry the steam to where it was needed.  These hot steam supply pipes could be made safer for workers by wrapping them in asbestos. With the invention of the steam locomotive, the demand for asbestos exploded. Suddenly fireboxes, boilers, pipes and even boxcars and breaks were wrapped in the heat retarding, flame-resistant fibers. 

Asbestos’s popularity continued unabated for decades, until researches in the 1970s rediscovered what the ancient Greeks had known all along – that ASBESTOS IS DEADLY. This put a stop to asbestos insulation nearly overnight, although it still has very limited industrial applications. With the fall of asbestos, new kinds of insulation sprung up to fill the void. Fiberglass insulation became highly popular, and was quickly established as the standard form of home insulation. Other varieties such as polystyrene; commonly called as Styrofoam sheets, and PVC wraps also became prominent.

The Modern Era…

Concerns have been raised over the potential dangers common types of insulation can pose to the environment. This has led the development of increasingly popular “GREEN” types of alternative solution. Yes! GREEN BUILDING IS MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT!

The highly fashionable method of eco-conscious modern insulation; behold, the SPRAY POLYURETHANE FOAM Insulation. It provides tightest and most thorough seal. This is viewed as particularly “green”, as it enables buildings to retain much more cold compared to that of traditional insulation, decreasing the energy demands of cooling systems which comprises at least one-third of your total energy bills. This creates a thermal envelope; just like a thermos, reducing airflow and ensuring low convective heat transfer.

In the modern Ages, thermal insulation in buildings is an important factor to achieving thermal comfort for its occupants. The effectiveness of insulation nowadays is commonly evaluated by its aged R-value. Modern building designers use Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) because they know that so far it has the highest aged R-value among other insulation materials existing in the market, aside from being environmentally friendly. It does not absorb moisture, no seams, no fasteners that can cause thermal shorts, and fills in cracks and crevices, and other features that make it the most effective in retaining its R-value over time. It is very sustainable that engineers also use it to extend the life of old buildings.

SPF is the latest evolution of insulation materials on our age.Imagine, being comfortable physically and mentally inside your perfectly insulated home despite whatever the weather outside. Ow, what type of insulation material are you using? If it is not SPF, scroll up and see what ancient era you belong. Think!

Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago. We are the product of 4.5 billion years of fortuitous, slow biological evolution. There is no reason to think that the evolutionary process has stopped. We are a transitional animal and not the climax of creation.Our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change as the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams and ensure the survival of our planet.

How can ECOFOAM make your roofing system stronger?

Most roofing systems are made up of GI sheet. Fasteners and screws are bolted in between each overlaps so as to prevent water leakage. To exaggerate a situation, imagine that your roofing is made up different sheets with spaces in between just like this photo.

                                                                                                    Photo1: Two different slabs with a space in between                                       
How can you solve this problem? Or how can you join these two slabs? Probably you’ll do it like this;

                                                        Photo 2: A brace with bolts or screws.

Putting a brace then connecting bolts or screws on both sides will do the job. But what can you do to make this arrangement more durable?

                                          Photo 3: A more durable arrangement putting wider brace and more screws (right photo).

Imagine that your roof made of GI is composed of many non-continuous materials. They may be bolted or screwed in between their overlaps yet the connection would be stronger if something will hold them together. Remember also that your GI sheet as well as your screws and bolts do corrode hence limiting the life of your connections and roofing system in a span of 1 to 2 years. With respect to typhoons and wind uplifts a need of reinforcement is necessary to obtain a stronger or a durable roofing system. 
   

You could spray polyurethane foam (ECOFOAM) on your roofing system making it strong from typhoons and wind uplifts. You could Google polyurethane foam and find out that it has a very good adhesion property. It means that you’re putting a brace and screws at the same time when you install ECOFOAM on your roofing system. Good thing with ECOFOAM is that it offers lot of advantages except that it makes your roofing system durable. These are facts and you can Google Polyurethane foam over these claims.

• ECOFOAM is seamless. Since it is a sprayed foam at room temperature that is, from liquid to a hard solid at normal temperature no gaps will be seen in the foam.
• ECOFOAM is self-flashing. It can serve as your flashing material since ECOFOAM can seals those cracks and crevices while foaming or a volume expansion (of the foam) happens.
• ECOFOAM has very high R value. Because Ecofoam is a Polyurethane type of foam it is inherent that the foam has a high R-value or resistance to heat. Try to look for PU foam R-value and you will be surprised that it is one of the highest. Other higher than it has a very complicated technology making it either unavailable or very expensive. Try to look ECOFOAM in Manila, Cebu or Davao and you will see that ECOFOAM is available nearby.
• ECOFOAM is sustainable. Ecofoam can even last for 20 to 50 years. Polyurethane foams are really durable. Though they are non-UV resistant but a good coating system will really make your roof last very long. Your substrate (GI roofing) will be protected from harsh environment enabling you not to change it for a very long time.

Cool Roofs and Insulation

          A number of roof innovations exist, primarily for the purpose of achieving the optimal thermal performance of a building.

INSULATION is an important factor in achieving thermal comfort for a building’s occupants, since its primary function is to resist heat flow into and out of buildings especially during hot weather; it helps keep the building cool.

COOL ROOFS has a lot of potential for energy savings. The low reflectance of the conventional roofing system causes the surface to reach anywhere between 150° to 190°F. In contrast, cool roof systems stay up to 70°F cooler during peak summer conditions. Most cool roof applications have a smooth, bright white surface that allows them to reflect solar radiation, reduce heat transfer to the interior, and save on air conditioning costs.

Most of the sunlight that falls on a white roof is reflected and passes back into space. But when sunlight falls on a dark roof most of it is absorbed and converted into much longer wavelengths which we know as heat. The atmosphere is transparent to sunlight but opaque to heat, which is why white roofs help cool the planet and dark roofs warm the planet.

 

Most of the roofs are dark-colored. In the heat of the full sun, the surface of a black roof can increase in temperature as much as 50 °C (126 °F), reaching temperatures of 70 to 90 °C (158 to 194 °F). White surfaces reflect more than half of the radiation that reaches them, while black surfaces absorb almost all.

Imagine wearing a white or a black T-shirt on a hot day. By wearing the white T-shirt you will remain cooler than if you wore a black T-shirt because it reflects more sunlight and absorbs less heat. Cool roofs like a white T-shirt; keep the internal temperature of the building cooler.

Of course, making your roof “cool” is not the only option for turning your cool roof into a building saver. Adding insulation can be very helpful as well.

 

SPRAYED POLYURETHANE FOAM (SPF) is applied as a liquid using spray equipment to fill cracks and openings. It then expands nearly 30 times its original liquid volume and dries to form a hard, closed-cell monolithic roof surface. The density of SPF is important when considering strength and thermal resistance. Most SPF roofs have densities ranging from about 2.5 pounds per cubic foot to 3 pounds per cubic foot. 3 pound density foam has an R-value of around 7.00 installed to 6.8 after time.

The R- VALUE of insulation is a measure of its resistance to heat flow; the higher the R-value the greater the insulating properties. R-value is determined by an insulation material’s make-up, thickness and density. R-values of multilayered installation can be calculated by adding together the values of the individual layers. Obviously, the more layers of insulation, the greater the R-value and insulating effect.

Sprayed Polyurethane Foam has to be protected from exposure to the sun's ultra-violet radiation and moisture. This is where the top coating comes in, it helps to protect and seal the foam from any damage.

The coating must be of elastomeric type because a polyurethane foam roof will expand and contract during the course of a day, due to temperature changes on the upper surface of the foam. The coating must be able to stretch with the foam, and return to its normal shape later. The stretching of the coating is technically called elongation. If a rigid coating is applied to the foam’s surface, serious damage can result. As the foam flexes and moves, the coating will crack or rupture, exposing it and beats its purpose.

An ELASTOMERIC type of coating with a bright WHITE color sums up the requirement for protection of the SPF and the reflecting property of a COOL ROOF system; with this, the thermal performance of a building would be optimized, having the advantages of an INSULATION MATERIAL with the benefits of a COOL ROOF.