FAQ

Will Elite Airtight give me airtightness on the first coat?

This depends on the substrate and condition of the wall. Cracks and holes in the mortar should be filled prior to application of the coating. The test results were achieved by applying two coats at a spread rate of 3m2 per litre per coat. Therefore we recommend a two coat system.

 

Why should I paint my internal walls when I have got cladding/brickwork/insulation between the blockwork and the outside?

When you heat an interior space that has no coating on the blocks, the warm air quickly escapes into and through the blocks, therefore it takes a lot longer to heat up the interior space. If the walls are coated with Elite Airtight the interior reaches the desired temperature much quicker and it takes a lot longer for the heat to dissipate through the walls. 

 

Does Elite Airtight cover all types of concrete blocks?

Yes, Elite Airtight was designed to cover all types of concrete block - for internal use only.

 

Does Elite Airtight cover and provide an airtight finish on other substrates ?

Yes, Elite Airtight can also be used on Concrete, Plaster and Dry-lining, however we have only tested for air tightness on Blockwork - for internal use only.

 

Has Elite Airtight been fire tested?

Yes, Elite Airtight has been tested to BS476 parts 6 & 7 and achieved a Class '0' result. 

 

Is Elite Airtight washable?

Yes (allow to cure for 48 hours first) you can wipe clean the surface of the walls using a cloth and soapy water.

 

Should I use a parge coat or Elite Airtight behind plasterboard?

A traditional parge coat is a lot messier, slower to prepare and apply, and involves the movement of 7.5kg of material around the site for each square metre of wall. Elite Airtight will provide a completely airtight substrate using less materials and labour. Elite Airtight is the perfect solution for parge coating brick or blockwalls prior to dry-lining. 
 

Should I use Elite Airtight or Blockfiller?

We would suggest three reasons why Elite Airtight is a better choice:

  1. Performance - Elite Airtight has been tested for airtightness and achieved 100% pass, you don't get this with blockfiller paints or emulsion.
  2. Appearance - Elite Airtight contains significantly more solids than blockfiller paints, giving it better bridging properties on the block surface and producing a smoother final finish, which can be wiped clean.
  3. Cost - Elite Airtight costs about the same as blockfiller per litre, but can be applied to a finish at up to 60M2 per hour by a team of two. Blockfiller typically requires two or more coats to achieve a reasonable finish, adding considerably to the application time and therefore labour cost.

 

What is the application procedure?

Apply Elite Airtight with a high volume airless spray with a spray tip size of 21- 23 thou. and a fan size of 12 inches, followed by back rolling with a medium pile masonry roller to fill perforations.  Alternatively - although slower - the coating can be applied with a medium pile roller, again ensuring that the fissures and holes are filled. NB The wall should be clean, dry, grease and dust free prior to application. Click HERE to see a video of the application process.

 

Can I apply Elite Airtight to previously painted walls?

Yes, however the surface of the existing paint on the wall needs to be made good, remove flaking paint, dust, grease etc prior to application of Elite Airtight and a test should be carried out prior to full application.

 

Does Elite Airtight leave a smooth surface?

Elite Airtight contains a high level of solids (much higher than most paints and blockfillers). These remain on the surface after the coating has dried leaving a  surface that is fairly smooth to the touch (the contours of the substrate beneath will still be clearly visible). Elite Airtight doesn't leave a flat surface like plastering, but it does leave a washable surface that won't snag clothing or scratch skin, (unlike paint which needs numerous coats to achieve similar results).

 

Is the coating Vapour Permeable?

Yes, the coating will allow moisture trapped in the block to escape.

 

What about walls with efflorescence? 

The wall should be cleaned and coated with a primer sealer first. Pristine Coatings offer a primer sealer which covers 10M2 per litre and costs about £5 for 5 litres - this works out at 10p per square metre (+VAT & delivery).

 

Can Elite Airtight be tinted?

No, Elite Airtight is a very thick, high solid coating which will not mix on the tinting machines, however we do supply a topcoat which can be tinted to any RAL or BS colour code 

 

Can I paint over Elite Airtight?

Yes, if you are applying Elite Airtight to our specification you can apply our Elite Matt or Satin top coats, both are fully washable, they can be tinted to any RAL or BS colours. If you are using another manufacturers top coat, a test for compatibility should be carried out first.

 

Can I specify Elite Airtight for future construction projects?

Yes, just go to our Specification page We would be pleased to offer additional advice about any projects you would like to specify Elite Airtight for - whether new build or refurbishment.

 

Does Elite Airtight smell? (re-occupation)

There is almost no residual odour, rooms can be re-occupied the next day.

 

What about VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds)

Elite Airtight is a water based paint and is well within the 2010 VOC guidelines. Elite Airtight contains max. 29g/l.

 

What is the Light Reflectance Value of Elite Airtight?

The LRV value of Elite Airtight is 92.

 

What about sound absorption?

Elite Airtight significantly reduces the transmission of airborne sound through the walls due to the removal of the holes and cracks in the blocks and mortar. We are currently engaged in carrying out sound absorption tests and will add the actual test results as soon as we have them available.

 

Do you offer a guarantee?

Our guarantee is the same as any paint manufacturer - replacement of the product if the product is found to be defective prior to the Use By date.

Elite Airtight will perform as claimed provided application directions are followed and the condition of the substrate is appropriate for application.  

Test Report 2011
Elite Airtight Coating - EN 121142000 T
Adobe Acrobat Document 39.6 KB
Brochure & Specification 2014
Elite Airtight - Brochure & Specificatio
Adobe Acrobat Document 298.4 KB

HRS Services - Appendix

 

APPENDIX TO 109848AT REPORT ON BLOCKWORK AIR PERMEABILITY FOR

PRISTINE ELITE AIRTIGHT COATING 21.03.11

 

Where we have stated the permeability is too low to detect we can qualify this comment with the

following statement:

 

Where the air permeability is less than 0.36m3/h/m2, no exact value can be obtained due to the resolution of the instrument. This represents very low levels of air leakage and an Air Permeability no greater than 0.36m3/h/m2.

 

The Professionals Choice:

  

BREEAM - Excellent rated Environment & Sustainability Institute - Cornwall (See article in Construction News)

 

Primary School - Kidderminster achieved air leakage rate of less than 2.5m3/sq.m./hr

 

Hamilton International Offices - Carbon Neutral building - Scotland

 

£30 million new build Shotts Prison - Lanarkshire, Scotland

 

For more details of our products, please send us an email:

info@pristinecoatings.co.uk

 

Supply & Apply - Best UK Prices

If you've got interior block walls that need fast, professional painting we can offer excellent prices for the supply and application of our coatings, using our own experienced operatives, or approved contractors. Please ask for a quote anywhere in the UK.

info@pristinecoatings.co.uk

In fact we believe that we can offer the best supply and apply prices in the UK for interior painting onto block walls - just ask for a quote.