Waterproof paint in high demand after heavy storms

Recent storms have raised demand for waterproof paint solutions

In the first six months of the year, Vietnam has suffered from massive storms. Most recently, Typhoon No. 6 swept through Thua Thien-Hue to Ninh Thuan and Central Highlands provinces, bringing heavy rains in the southern region. In the area near the eye of the storm, many houses were unroofed and collapsed. In the affected areas, heavy rains continued for several days causing water damage to houses and apartments.

Nam, the owner of a construction materials store in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, said, “It is the rainy season already and Typhoon No.6 wrought heavy damage to many houses. The water damage has caused structural damage to the houses, opening up cracks that allow water to seep inside the walls. After the typhoon, our store sold a lot more products, especially materials like paint and waterproofing materials that can cover the cracks.”

According to Dulux experts, most people only focus on waterproofing technology when building walls, and ignore such considerations when choosing paints, even exterior paint. However, paint is the first line of defence that prevents water from penetrating the structure, greatly increasing water resilience and preventing moss.

Currently, a number of high-end exterior paint lines on the market offer waterproofing features with durability up to eight years. For example, the technology that is often sought after by customers is Alkali Guard, which effectively prevents and protects the house from discolouration caused by moisture infiltration from the outside due to heavy rain or moisture released from inside the wall due to painting when the wall has not reached the required dryness.

Wall discolouration due to rain

Binh, a paint contractor from District 9, Ho Chi Minh City, said, “I often recommend customers to select high-class paints with good waterproofing capacity from the beginning, such as Dulux Weathershield. In the long term, these paints protect the house more effectively, especially in windy weather conditions, and they also save a lot of money on repair and maintenance as they offer better protection."

This paint line also owns smart release technology to help fight moss twice as well as normal paints products. In addition, Dulux Weathershield has a variety of volume options, especially the new 15-litre container size, giving users an additional cost-saving option for large houses.

According to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, in the remaining months of the year, a few storms will affect mainland Vietnam.

Nam said, “Even though it is still the rainy season and there is a possibility of a typhoon, many families have started preparing to waterproof their walls. Families are buying materials and are waiting for favourable weather to repair their houses to welcome the new year.”