Graffiti are writings, signs or drawings applied with paint, marker or scratching to walls, facades and other surfaces in public space. The word comes from the Italian “graffiare” (to scratch). Graffiti ranges from illegal scrawls and vandalism to recognised street art and murals.
Graffiti and the facade
For building owners, graffiti is mainly a maintenance problem. Paint penetrates porous materials such as brick, natural stone and concrete, which makes removal difficult. The rougher and more porous the facade, the deeper the paint soaks in.
Protection and removal
- Anti-graffiti coating — a protective layer that stops paint from soaking into the material and makes it easier to remove
- *Permanent coating* — remains in place after cleaning
- *Sacrificial coating* — is removed together with the graffiti during cleaning and reapplied
- Cleaning — with hot high-pressure water, blasting or special cleaning agents
- Overpainting — a quick but visible solution
Points of attention
- Remove graffiti quickly; fresh paint comes off more easily than dried paint
- Blasting can damage the surface and actually make it more porous
- With monuments, caution is needed; choose a method that does not harm the stone
Related Terms
- Facade
- Maintenance
- Coating
- Hydrophobing
- Natural stone maintenance
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