Silicone vs. Ames® Acrylic Coating & Liquid Rubber
24th May 2023
If you have been in the market for an elastomeric and waterproof coating, then you know there are plenty of different types to choose from, but it can be boiled down to two categories: Liquid Rubber and Silicone.
So, which one is better? From an outside perspective, it can look like all coatings are created equal. However, it is about more than meets the eye. How well it adheres to the surface you are coating and how it reacts to different materials is important. No matter how good it looks when you apply the coating, you should also be looking how well it lasts and performs down the line.
Silicone:
Silicone coatings use non-water-based solvents. While this helps them cure in wetter areas more effectively, this also renders them highly flammable and have a strong odor until they have completely dried. This makes them less favorable for places people need to be in such as hospitals, hotels, and nursing homes. Silicone coatings are less elastic than comparable coatings and tend to crack and peel quickly.
While these coatings are effective against water, they get dirty and lose reflectivity up to 45% (and any energy savings) very quickly. Nothing sticks well to silicone, so once you apply silicone to a roof you will be committed to doing all maintenance and repairs in silicone.
Acrylic:
Acrylic coatings are water-based, making them lower in toxicity, easier to work with, and easier to clean up as well as the environmentally friendly option. They also have higher elongation making them longer lasting and durable in extreme weather due to their resistance to thermal shock.
Another advantage of acrylic coatings is that they can be used alone because of their durability. Many other coatings need to be used in conjunction with roof fabric, acrylic does not but longevity will be improved with it.
Acrylic is great on roofing such as tar because it will stay white and reflective. Many silicone coatings will discolor because the tar will bleed through.
Ames Coatings contain no harmful silicone chemicals and are NON-FLAMMABLE!