Interview for PANORAMA magazine
A member of the international holding ESKARO GROUP AB, the Estonian company ESKARO AS, which has been developing and producing general construction and special paints, varnishes, putties and other finishing materials for over a quarter of a century, annually launches 4–6 new products on the markets of the Baltic countries, Finland, Belarus, Ukraine and other countries.
2019 was also not without new products, including interior water-dispersion paint CINDERELLA with "Easy to Clean" properties.
We decided to ask an expert in the European paint industry, member of the Board of Directors of ESKARO GROUP AB, Mr. Perti Pihelström, how this paint differs from ordinary interior paints that can be washed.
- You are a recognized professional painter with fifty years of experience. Tell me, are any “breakthroughs” possible in this field? It seems that all interior paints are about the same — pigment or filler with a binder.
- Let's decide what kind of paints we are talking about. Yes, there are materials that are intended for whitewashing ceilings. There are paints for rooms where the walls, let's say, are not touched by a human hand. They have their own set of properties, the main ones being: whiteness and its long-term preservation during the operation of the coating, the ability to cover the substrate with a reasonable number of layers (coverage), and ease of application. High-quality wall paints, in addition to the listed and other special properties, should be easy to clean from dirt, at the same time have high mechanical resistance, that is, not wash off with dirt and, at least, not shine during intensive cleaning. We will talk about these paints.
- So, there are no differences, all good paints are equally good?
- Yes, you are partly right: high-quality paints of the same purpose from different manufacturers are almost the same in their required quality. But here the most interesting thing begins! The famous science fiction writer and inventor Arthur Clarke formulated the law: "Any sufficiently developed technology is no different from magic." High-quality paints can differ from each other in small things, in details, in strokes that give the paint special properties or even make it unique. This is the result of the professionalism and skill of the developers or, if you like, magic. These differences are also manifested in satisfaction with aesthetics, reliability, and the pleasure of using the paint. For example, the higher the coverage of the paint, the fewer layers the painter has to apply, and you will pay less for the work. This is also important, isn't it?
- So what about washable paints? Do they all wash the same way too?
- It is important to understand that ordinary washable paints can be washed from ordinary, simple dirt: traces of dirty hands, kitchen grease, soot, etc. And what if we are talking about well-brewed coffee, strong tea, berry juice, red wine, lipstick? And what if the children decided to please you with your watercolor portrait right on the painted wall? And what if with a felt-tip pen or colored pencils? And what to do? Do you really have to repaint the wall, wasting time, money and nerves?
- This is where CINDERELLA comes in handy?
- Exactly! This paint is made on the basis of a special high-tech binder (dispersion), which ensures ease and reliability of cleaning walls painted with this paint from the listed dirt. The dispersion "crosslinks" during drying and forms a very dense polymer layer. In addition, the paint, in addition to the white pigment, includes a very hard filler based on natural aluminosilicate.
- And what is its role?
- Due to its hardness - almost like that of ceramics - aluminosilicate gives the coating additional strength and ensures its durability and unchanging shine (no shine), no matter how many times the coating is cleaned.
- Thank you. Today, time is very expensive. As a result, quality is becoming popular.
- Recently, finishing materials with unique properties have appeared, which are based on new "breakthrough" technologies. For example, there are paints that purify indoor air from harmful volatile organics, paints that block emissions from the painted substrate (for example, tannin from wood), single-layer paints, antibacterial coatings. "Easy to Clean" paints are from the same series of materials with unique properties. Let "Cinderella" into your home, you will not regret it!
