Choosing the Right Paint for the Job

When selecting paint for a door and frame application, it’s imperative that the accessory hardware, such as gasketing, be considered. All paint manufacturers offer a variety of paints including those with antimicrobial additives. The use of antimicrobial additives in paint will lower the surface tension of the door or frame on which these paints are being used. Lowering the surface tension inhibits the ability for adhesive gaskets and other tapes to bond to the surface of the door or frame. When selecting a frame or door paint with an antimicrobial additive and selecting to use any adhesive applied product (such as Pemko Adhesive Gaskets), there will likely be an incompatibility between the adhesive gasket and the paint. Caution should be taken when attempting to pair these two products. Testing the compatibility of the paint with adhesive gaskets prior to construction is strongly advised.

Additionally, some paint manufacturers add Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) into their paint for a variety of reasons. These reasons include as a whitening agent, as an antimicrobial additive, or as a way to make a paint lower in volatile organic compound (VOC) content.

The addition of TiO2 in paints will also lower the surface tension of the opening on which these paints are used (i.e. the door or frame), and will create an incompatibility between the paint and adhesive gasketing. It is strongly suggested to avoid selecting adhesive applied gaskets when they’re to be used on paint with significant levels of TiO2. Nearly all paint manufacturers publish their Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and other technical documentation that will show the material composition in their respective paints. This is where the percent by weight of each compound, including TiO2, will be found.

When using paint advertised as “antimicrobial paint” or paint with significant levels of TiO2, it is strongly recommended to select a perimeter gasket that is screw-applied to the soffit of the frame, such as the Pemko 303_S perimeter gasket.

When it is more applicable to use an adhesive applied gasket, it is strongly recommended to select a paint without antimicrobial properties or the TiO2 additive.