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Where am I now? Lawlink > Stop graffiti vandalism > Preventing graffiti vandalism > Anti-graffiti/protective coatings
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Anti-graffiti/protective coatings
Sealing porous surfaces such as brick, concrete and timber with anti-graffiti/protective coatings can:
- reduce the harmful effects from graffiti paint
- make graffiti removal easier.
There are two types of anti-graffiti/protective coatings:
- Sacrificial coatings, which are removed from the surface along with the spray paint in the graffiti removal process
- Non sacrificial/permanent coatings, which generally remain on the surface when graffiti is removed and, hence, can withstand several attacks of graffiti vandalism.
Sacrificial coatings are often water based, not as toxic and generally less expensive than non sacrificial coatings.
Non-sacrificial/permanent coatings are more difficult to apply and generally more expensive. The individual components of these coatings may be toxic and if the surface is subject to repeated graffiti attacks, necessitating removal, the coating may breakdown. If abrasives are used as part of the graffiti removal process, the breakdown of the non-sacrificial/permanent coating will be inevitable.
The surface, protective coating and method used for graffiti removal need to be carefully matched. Some permanent coatings may not be appropriate for sandstone or other stone surfaces. Some solvents may remove even permanent coatings and do more damage than the graffiti. Before applying a coating, be sure to do your homework. You may even choose to seek professional advice (e.g. search for “protective coatings” on the Yellow Pages website: www.yellowpages.com.au).
For information on removing graffiti, refer to the Removing graffiti vandalism webpage.
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