Unfortunately, graffiti can happen to even the best of buildings. So whether you have interior or exterior lightweight stone cladding applications, you\’ll want to consider steps you can take to protect against graffiti of all types and sizes. There are quite a few stone sealer and graffiti-control products on the market; ProSoCo, Inc. being one of the bigger ones. Applying stone sealer helps to reduce moisture absorption with StoneLite®. Dust can settle on the stone panel surface and subsequently be absorbed into porous stones (like limestone) along with moisture. A stone sealer can therefore reduce dust and dirt absorption.
In addition, graffiti-control products add a film to the stone panel surface. This film allows for easier removal of graffiti through the process of either a hot-water power wash or with methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). Be sure to look at the product information for the graffiti control you choose; but generally speaking, graffiti control should be removed and reapplied about ever four or five years.
These graffiti-control products can be preventative, sacrificial or non-sacrificial. Many graffiti control products are preventative; meaning they not only allow for cleaning graffiti from stone panels but they also don\’t allow spray paint, permanent markers, ink, or various other paints to not adhere to the stone surface as well as it would without graffiti control. As far as sacrificial versus non-sacrificial graffiti controls are concerned, the difference is pretty straight forward. Sacrificial products may allow for easier removal, but the graffiti control needs to be reapplied after graffiti removal. Non-sacrificial products don\’t require graffiti control to be reapplied after graffiti removal, but the removal process may be more arduous.
No matter which product you go with, many of the graffiti removal products on the market will tell you the same thing: When graffiti happens, the most important thing is to remove it quickly. The existence of graffiti on a building only inspires and encourages further graffiti, making quick removal the best thing a building owner/operator can do to discourage graffiti.
