Sto UK is set to revolutionize the UK façade market with the launch of its new StoColor Dryonic paint which allows water from rain, dew and fog to run off building façades almost instantly.
This innovative new paint uses a technology borrowed from nature which allows it to both repel water and channel it away at the same time. It is suitable for both new-build and refurbishment projects, and offers many advantages including rapid drying, great resistance to the growth of unsightly algae, plus the scope to create unique and eye-catching façades.
Inspired by special micro-textures found on the shell of the fog-basking beetle, StoColor Dryonic paint uses a special composition of binding agents and filler material to create a hydrophilic-hydrophobic micro-textured surface which instantly repels water.
It also simultaneously channels it away, leaving the façade dry in no time at all. This efficient and reliable action also ensures that microorganisms are unable to grow on the dry surface, and any staining or marking is dramatically reduced compared to a conventional façade finish.
“StoColor Dryonic represents a real milestone in the development of intelligent façade coatings, and it offers benefits to architects, building owners and contractors alike,” says Sto’s Senior Product Manager, Greg Astill.
“StoColor Dryonic works on all conventional types of substrate. It can be used on buildings with a classic monolithic construction, as well as those fitted with an external wall insulation system, and it’s compatible with all types of substrate including render, concrete, brick, metal or plastic cladding.
“It’s also available in a very comprehensive range of colours, from pastel shades through to dark intense tones, so it offers tremendous potential to create new and unusual façade appearances. StoColor Dryonic is also part of Sto’s iQ Intelligent Technology generation of paints, so you can rely on it to provide a high level of colour stability, great protection and outstanding durability.”
StoColor Dryonic can be easily applied using a paintbrush, roller or an airless spray. As well as protecting the main façade areas, this allows it to be applied easily to those difficult areas prone to algae growth, such as gutters, pipes and panels. It can even be used to ensure that inclined surfaces dry out quickly and remain cleaner for longer, and thanks to its tough, protective surface layer it is easily able to withstand everyday knocks and scrapes.
“This breakthrough opens up a whole new world of possibilities in façade design,” concludes Greg Astill. “The façade will look exactly the way the architect and planner intended it to, and it will go on looking that way for many years to come, with far less maintenance than any conventional alternative would require.”
In addition to Dryonic, Sto’s iQ Intelligent Technology paints range also includes StoLotusan – a façade coating which incorporates a special Lotus-Effect Technology that washes clean every time it rains, StoColor Photosan which actively combats environmental pollution, and StoColor X-black - a heat reflective paint used to create deep, intense coloured and insulated façades with a high level of colour stability.
