Never Paint Again

before after

by Greg Tasker

How ceramic-based paint can battle mildew, moisture, cracking and peeling, and keep your house looking beautiful for years to come.

Sun and water are synonymous with Michigan summers, but these elements mean wear and tear on the exterior of traditionally painted homes along the state’s lakes and rivers.

The biggest problems Michigan waterfront homeowners face are mold and mildew because of moisture, which causes paint to crack, peel and chip. The intensity of the summer sun wreaks havoc on painted structures, too—ultraviolet rays cause paint to break down, prompting cracking, peeling and fading.

More homeowners are turning away from regular latex paint to a longer-lasting alternative: ceramic-based paint, a product offered by Timeless Coatings, LLC in Brighton, Michigan. Already a popular option in the Ann Arbor area, ceramic paint is gaining traction with homeowners in the northern Lower Peninsula and along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

“We’ve been doing a lot of work on houses on the west side of the state, along Lake Michigan,” says Sheryl Mercier, part of the husband-wife team behind the company. “People don’t want to return to their summer home and have to paint every year. That’s a lot of work. Ceramic-based paint lasts a lot longer.”

Sheryl and her husband, Marc Mercier, are licensed dealers for Rhino Shield, a brand of ceramic paint. They’ve been selling the brand since they opened their business 15 years ago.

Ceramic paint, Sheryl Mercier explains, is thicker than regular latex paint and lasts years longer. Ceramic paint contains far less water than latex paint and includes ceramic microspheres instead of the inexpensive fillers found in most exterior house paints. Packed tightly together, the ceramic microspheres have pockets of air that form a protective insulation barrier, which helps insulate walls against heat, UV rays and coating breakdowns.

“If you look at our paint in a bucket, it looks like pudding. It’s very, very thick,” Mercier says. “Other paints look thin because of the amount of water in them.”

In addition, ceramic paint also includes mildicide, which prevents mold and mildew. It’s an additive not found in many paints, Mercier says. What’s more, the paint comes with a 25-year warranty against cracking, chipping and peeling.

While more expensive than traditional latex paint, ceramic paint costs about the same as vinyl siding, and using ceramicbased paint allows homeowners to maintain the natural look of their homes. In fact, Timeless Coatings has painted the exterior of historic homes for several customers in Traverse City, Mercier says.

The benefits of ceramic-based paints are many, including: • Longer lasting than regular exterior paint • Creates a waterproof barrier • No chipping or flaking • Can reduce energy costs • Reduces noise • Offers UV protection • Allows for good moisture management

“The paint fades light years slower than regular paint,” Mercier notes. “The paint also helps lower the wall surface temperature—it won’t get as hot in your home with the sun beating on the house.”

Ceramic-based paint is flexible, she adds, pointing out that as a house naturally expands and contracts, latex paint cracks and peels. Because of its elasticity, ceramic paint expands and contracts with the house so there is no cracking or peeling.

Before putting the ceramic paint on a home, the company’s crew uses primer on the surface. One or two coats of paint are added. The primer needs about four to six hours to dry; the paint takes longer to cure because it’s a softer, more elastic product.

“The primer protects the house from moisture,” Mercier says. “It’s almost like a rubber membrane around your house. It helps keep the water out.”

Customers in West Michigan and beyond have been very happy with the change from latex to ceramic paint, she says. Some have tapped Timeless Coating to boost their home’s curb appeal before a sale or to save money by not having to paint every year. One customer, she says, was tired of being in the constant loop of painting every five years and reached out to Timeless Coatings.

“The homeowners were very satisfied with the ceramic coating and are looking forward to never painting their home again,” she says.