by Brianna Crandall — October 17, 2014—Linetec’s new white paper on antimicrobial infused coatings may be of interest to FMs concerned about controlling the spread of germs in public spaces. The white paper describes the uses and advantages of antimicrobial infused coatings, as well as details the related technology, testing and specifications.
According to the paper, “The need for microbial control stems from the fact that there are an estimated 4.5 million bacterial and fungi species throughout the planet, many of which travel and migrate via the constant ebb and flow of human foot traffic through an ever-changing population of people visiting public buildings. Under the right conditions, some microbes can double in number every 30 minutes or faster.”
“The white paper is the latest addition to our educational resources available to building team members. The antimicrobial infused coatings are one of our most recent, innovative developments serving our customers, especially those working on health care facilities, educational campuses, and other public building projects,” says Jon Close, Linetec’s vice president of sales.
Antimicrobial protection is infused into select polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) finishes to inhibit the growth of stain- and odor-causing bacteria on the coating of aluminum surfaces. Linetec relies on a fluoropolymer finish containing 70% [Kynar 500 Fluorosurfactant Free (FSF) PVDF resin-based SHER-NAR 5000 Superior Performance Architectural Coating with antimicrobial protection. This three-coat system meets requirements of AAMA 2605, the most stringent specification for architectural coatings, points out Linetec.
Close adds, “Now, antimicrobial protection can be specified for high-touch, architectural metal products’ exterior and interior surfaces, such as hand rails, doors, windows, curtainwall, entrances, light shelves, panels and column covers Anywhere the growth of stain- and odor-causing bacteria is a concern, projects can benefit from this extra level of protection.”
Linetec claims to be an environmentally responsible finisher, safely capturing and destroying the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in liquid paints at the factory before arrival on the building site. These industry-leading practices reportedly complement other health-conscious and green building choices, such as using recycled aluminum content, and ensuring a long-lasting, durable and sustainable finish.
“Antimicrobial Protection for Public Building Applications,” co-authored by Linetec, The Sherwin-Williams Company, and Microban International, Ltd., is available free for download from Linetec’s Antimicrobial Protection Web page, as is more information about the company’s antimicrobial infused painted finishes and other services.
