SOLUTIONS TO GRAFFITI PROBLEMS

Authorities generally agree that to reduce the chance of a wall becoming the target of repeated attacks by graffiti vandals,
it is essential that any evidence of graffiti be eliminated immediately ... within a few hours, if possible.


There are basically two approaches to reducing the graffiti problem:
(A) "Clean, Clean, Clean!",
or (B) "Paint, Paint, Paint!".
 

(A) The "Clean, Clean, Clean!" Approach

Clean (i. e., remove) all evidence of graffiti immediately by cleaning the surface. Since graffiti can be caused by many materials, including spray paint, indelible ink or felt tip markers, wax crayons, even greasy lipstick, a number of different cleaning materials must be employed to clean all the different kinds of graffiti materials off the wall surface, and some of these may be very strong cleaning chemicals or solvents. Depending on the original finish on the wall surface, these cleaning chemicals may well remove not only the graffiti, but also the original wall finish as well. Once the original wall finish is removed, this could cause additional problems if the wall surface were ever attacked by graffiti vandals again.

(B) The "Paint, Paint, Paint!" Approach

This requires covering over the graffiti markings by painting over the entire wall surface so the graffiti is hidden by the new coat of paint. Sometimes this works quite well, but other times it may not. For example, paint won't stick to greasy or waxy substances, so if the graffiti markings are caused by waxy crayons or greasy lipstick, a coat of paint will not stick and therefore will not cover the graffiti. Furthermore, some cheap, poor quality paints will not hide or cover the dark and/or vivid colors used by graffiti vandals, so more than one coat of paint may be necessary. Eventually what could happen is that you paint over succeeding layers of graffiti so often that too many layers of paint are built up on the wall, and the paint may eventually start to peel off the wall, leaving you with yet another unsightly wall surface.

No matter which approach, (A) or (B), you take to combat a graffiti problem, SOMAY can help you.

 

(A) The "Clean, Clean, Clean!" Approach

If you are using the "Clean, Clean, Clean!" Approach, then SOMAY can provide you a surface coating system that will make it somewhat easier to clean graffiti off the wall surface. This approach is appropriate when the wall surface is very smooth, i.e. as smooth as a mica table top surface. Note: If the surface is very rough, the "Clean, Clean, Clean!" Approach will not work very satisfactorily, since it would be practically impossible to clean a very rough surface.

SOMAY can offer a choice of two (2) surface coating systems that will make it easier to clean graffiti off a smooth wall surface, including

Note: Proper surface preparation, coatings application and coating curing is required for the successful use of this system. 
Once cured, practically any graffiti can be cleaned off this coating surface, without significant damage to the coating surface. 
However, this coating system cannot be applied over any water-thinned acrylic or vinyl-acrylic latex paint without a special
tie-coat, such as SOMAY/Carboline "Rustbond".

(B) The "Paint, Paint, Paint!" Approach

If your approach to battling graffiti is to immediately paint over any graffiti to blot-out the
problem, SOMAY either manufactures or distributes for other manu-facturers, practically every
conceivable kind of paint or coating. We will be pleased to serve you by supplying whatever kind
of paint you choose to use, starting from the least expensive vinyl latex paints (approx. $13.99/gal.
= approx. 4¢ per sq. ft.), when purchased "Cash & Carry" at the SOMAY PAINT FACTORY,
plus cost of surface preparation and paint application.