GRAFFITI VERSUS CERAMIC FACADE PANEL - WHO WINS?

We recently dusted off our white lab coats and conducted our own in-house experiments on the KeraTwin ceramic surface coating. The results were surprising!

The German-made KeraTwin ceramic façade system has an impressive list of attributes that are particularly useful in civic infrastructure projects such as railway stations.

In these settings, the demands on building materials are high. Architects and Engineers need to specify a façade system with performance characteristics which typically include panels which…

- Won’t scratch, buckle or fade
- Offer very high-impact resistance
- Are Graffiti-resistant and easy to clean
- Can be easily removed to provide access to services behind

Agrog Buchtal KeraTwin excels in all aspects mentioned above, and with extensive independent laboratory testing and certification, has become the façade product of choice for infrastructure projects in Australia. However, we took the opportunity to conduct our own in-house experiment on the KeraTwin surface and hopefully eliminate any shadow of a doubt, after all, seeing is believing.

GRAFFITI REMOVAL IN THE REAL WORLD

Spray paint and felt tip marker graffiti

A professional graffiti removalist will typically follow three steps. 1) Apply a solvent-based anti-graffiti chemical to the stained surface. 2) Brush to loosen the graffiti 3) apply hot water under pressure. It makes sense then, that an Architect would only consider materials that withstand this cleaning procedure.

In the experiment, we replicated the application of two types of graffiti and the methodology adopted by a professional removalist to clean the stain.

EXPERIMENT METHODOLOGY

1. The ceramic façade element of a KeraTwin panel (KeraTwin unglazed with Hytect finish) was sprayed with spray paint and marked with a permanent felt tip marker
2. 48 hours lapsed before cleaning commenced
3. Solvent based cleaning chemical typically used by professional graffiti removalist was applied (see video)
4. The surface was wiped down with a soft cloth

THE RESULTS
The graffiti stain was removed with ease. No residue was left.

CONCLUSIONS
We were all pleasantly surprised at how easily the graffiti was removed. Proponents of the system were vindicated. At KLAY we don’t just supply it, we stand by it!