What is dryfall and why we use it?

Dryfall paint is an industrial product used mainly on ceilings, but also on interior walls of condominiums, stores, warehouses and other commercial and industrial buildings. There are various types (alkyd, latex, acrylic, water based, etc.), which means that it can be spread on a variety of surfaces : gypsum, aluminum, steel, ferrous metals and wood.

Dry fall advantages

That paint offers various advantages.

icône rapidité   Quick to apply

This is a product which can be applied quickly and that dries fast, which means it’s often possible to paint the ceiling of an industrial building in just one night. This way, your opening hours won’t have to be reduced and you won’t lose sales. It’s thus the ideal product for commercial buildings, including stores, restaurants, offices and such.

icône coût abordable   Affordable cost

The cost of this type of project is much less than for the replacing of a whole ceiling. Moreover, this product increases the durability of your surface.

icône qualité   Quality finish

Dry fall finish is very nice : smooth, shiny and light reflective.

icone adhérence   Good adhesion and excellent hiding power

The adhesion of this paint is excellent, which gives over 10 year’s durability to the surface. This product is also very opaque so often one coat is enough to cover the original color. This reduces the application time and labor costs.

icône pas de dégats   No mess

As the overspray dries, it does not make a mess. Indeed, these paints contain additives that make the droplets dry before they even touch the ground (in less than 10 feet). You just have to remove the sheets or vacuum clean the floor after applying the paint on the surface. It’s ideal for industrial ceilings that are more than 10 feet high.

In a house, the ceilings are normally at 2.5 meters high (8 feet), but if the climatic conditions are right, the droplets should have enough time to dry.

icône inodore   Smell-free… or almost!

Dry fall paint we use has low VOC, which means it smells almost nothing. The VOC-free paint is the best for your health and those of the people in your building.

icône poussière   Dust won’t adhere

The smooth finish does not attract dust. The surface painted with this product won’t need a lot of maintenance, which is perfect for high-traffic rooms such as public, commercial and industrial buildings. We use it most often in warehouses and in other places that become dusty easily.

How to paint a ceiling with dry fall?

To realize a paint job on a ceiling, we must follow some steps that are basically the same as for any other type of paint.

  • Even if the paint surplus becomes powder before touching the ground, we still advise you to properly cover the floors and objects around you to protect them from dust. This will greatly help for the final cleaning.
  • Then, we pressure wash the surface. If this is not possible, it’s a good idea to sand the surface using a grinder (or scratch it manually) to make it smooth and brush it to remove the dust. This will increase the adhesion of the paint and its durability.
  • Wooden surfaces need a primer, and iron surfaces could need a primer on some spots. Always verify the surface’s condition before painting it: is it broken, split, or cracked? Do the necessary reparations first, and add primer if needed.
  • We apply this paint using a paint sprayer. Only a painter who previously received the necessary training courses knows how to apply dry fall paint using this tool. It’s important to make smooth movements while keeping an appropriate distance so the coat is homogeneous. Thus the result will be smooth and without drippings.
  • After the final inspection, just pick up the canvases to leave the place clean.

Painting galvanized metal: what you need to know

Do not use alkyd dry fall paint on galvanized metal surfaces. If you do that, after a while, a saponification will occur. It’s a chemical reaction that is also known as zinc soap. In other words, the paint will detach from the surface (phenomenon called delamination) and you will need to strip it off and start all over.

The right way to do that type of job is by using a 100% acrylic paint or a two components epoxy solution.

 

Are you looking for a commercial or industrial painter for your building? Make an appointment with the best painters in Montreal.

 

Dave Beaupre

Master-painter