Tag team

From BlackWhite magazine - issue 06, product feature

This combo of Resene products keeps unsolicited graffiti tagging from detracting from your project.

Have you ever noticed that areas that get tagged with unwanted graffiti are often vandalised again and again, either by the same tagger or a host of others? The best explanation is what’s known as the ‘Broken Windows Theory’, which hypothesises that the appearance of disorder and disarray attracts further vandalism or other crimes. The idea is that graffiti tagging left on a surface serves as visual proof that someone could get away with committing a crime in this location without anyone stopping them. In criminology, it’s said that a trifecta of things needs to be simultaneously present in order for a crime occur: a lack of guardianship, a victim and a willing assailant. Tagging that hasn’t been removed silently signals to other would-be assailants that guardianship isn’t present – that the spot isn’t watched by eyes or security cameras at least some of the time.

For those that own or maintain properties, trying to keep on top of graffiti tagging through cleaning or repainting can be a laborious nightmare. Not only are the materials commonly used by taggers notoriously difficult to remove completely without leaving at least some level of ghosting behind, continuously having to treat problematic areas is costly and time consuming. Often, its best to treat this problem at its root to try and keep graffiti from occurring in the first place.

If the design of the structure doesn’t allow for some surfaces to be viewed by passing foot traffic or through adjacent windows, one solution is to add security cameras and outdoor lights that can illuminate at-risk areas after dark – but these aren’t always reasonable or feasible remedies. Planting shrubs, trees, hedges and climbing vines against walls and fences exposed to tagging can be helpful deterrents in some areas, too. But even with a thorough approach to stopping graffiti before it happens, there will always be blind spots and taggers may still strike despite your best efforts. Plus, not all tagging occurs at ground level, either, which can cause additional headaches and costs when special equipment like scaffolding or lifts need to be hired to remedy damage done at heights.

While these tactics can help, the best solution is to use a holistic approach and pre-treat any surfaces that could be at risk with a coating that will make graffiti removal a far easier endeavour. Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield is a two pack, clear anti-graffiti coating that can be used on a variety of substrates to develop early resistance to tagging with spray paint, marker pens, lipstick, crayons, inks and more. A key thing that sets Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield apart from most other protective coatings is that it’s waterborne, which means that it can be used on more surfaces both indoors and outside, as it’s not full of solvents typically found in these types of products. It also comes in three different sheen levels – flat, semi-gloss and gloss – to help you support the look you’re after without adding undesired shininess. On cementitious and fibre cement panels, the product is also self-priming – which is helpful in circumstances where you don’t want to add an opaque coating. After 48 hours of curing, if tagging does occur, substrates protected with Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield can be cleaned using Resene Graffiti Cleaner.

Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield and Resene Graffiti Cleaner are not only helpful for surfaces that are uniform in colour or material, but also in circumstances where street art has been legally commissioned and applied. There are few things more disheartening to a mural artist after putting in days or weeks of work out in the elements in order to beautify a surface only to have it ruined by tagging. Even if there is budget and availability to have an artist return to fix a damaged mural, those mixing their own paint colours as they work might find it difficult or impossible to replicate the colours or effects beneath the tagging in a uniform manner.

Artist Melinda Butt uses Resene products to create her distinctly graphic murals, including some notable large works and others which are easily recognisable in Auckland, Northland and other parts of New Zealand. Under the moniker MIN Design, her signature style is part pop art, part Art Deco, part Bauhaus, mixed in variable amounts and knitted together with nods to architecture, retro Japanese poster art and Egyptian motifs. She discovered Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield a little over a year ago, when a project manager who commissioned her work specifically required it be used. “I was impressed with its durability and that I could get an all over semi-gloss look. Since then, I have only been using Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield as my graffiti guard of choice,” she says.

Many of the murals that Melinda has been commissioned for over the years are on toilet blocks, which can be in somewhat remote locations, or at least off the beaten path. By nature, these structures are intended to keep certain activities hidden from view – which is why toilet stalls are among the most graffiti-prone surfaces in the world. Compound this with a far-flung and unstaffed setting that doesn’t allow for constant guardianship, and it’s easy to see why toilet blocks become easy targets for taggers.

Melinda previously tested other products to try and protect her artwork, but she found she wasn't as satisfied with their performance as she has been with Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield. “I prefer it because it's lower in VOCs and I feel it’s effective. I think it’s fairly easy to apply, but first and foremost, it’s a good deterrent for potential graffiti taggers. Because I primarily paint murals in Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen, I use the semi-gloss formula because it has a similar sheen but I also think its gloss level lets you know it has been coated with some sort of guard – so then people might not even bother trying to tag it,” she says.

“I have also noticed that it ages well. Other guards can get a tad flaky over time, and from my experience, Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield doesn’t do this. I would recommend this product to public artists, designers, architects and anyone else who is looking to protect their surfaces from damage,” she adds.

did you know?  Resene donates 100% recycled paint collected through the Resene PaintWise service to not-for-profit organisations and schools. This paint is ideal for covering tagging on areas like fences. Find out more and register online at www.resene.com/paintwise.

› For more practical tips to protect your project from unwanted tagging, check out www.graffitifree.co.nz.

Removal tips

• It’s recommended to deal with graffiti tagging as soon as possible, preferably within 24 hours. If left for longer, the marking material may cure – making it much more challenging to remove. Fast removal of graffiti also deters future graffiti. Taggers will tend to focus on areas where their tag can be seen over a long time. The lighter the surface colour the more likely that taggers will find the surface an attractive ‘canvas’.

• If you are removing graffiti for the first time, try different methods on a small area first to ensure your efforts to clean things up are not causing further damage. Try a detergent first, such as dishwashing liquid. If this doesn’t remove the tagging, move to a solvent such as Resene Graffiti Cleaner. However, note that a dedicated anti-graffiti coating such as Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield must have already been applied to ensure graffiti removal does not damage or remove your paint.

• Chemical removal can be a particularly effective method of removing permanent markers or removing graffiti from steel surfaces which do not have a dedicated anti-graffiti system.

• Keep in mind that the chemicals in graffiti removal products can be hazardous, so always wear protective clothing – including a mask – and store them out of the reach of children and pets. Check the label of the graffiti remover for information on safe use.

• Rid an unpainted wall or fence of graffiti through sanding or water-blasting. Water-blasting is very effective on unpainted surfaces, and the smoother the surface, the more easily it can be cleaned. On unsealed porous surfaces such as brick, concrete and unpolished stone, even complete removal of graffiti on the surface still leaves behind its indelible message known as ‘ghosting’. Painted walls are generally easier to keep graffiti-free because any further tags can simply be painted over in the same colour as the original. Choose standard Resene colours to ensure you’ll get a match if you do need to order more for touch-ups later on.

• Protect driveways and footpaths from paint drips and spills when painting out tagging.

• If graffiti has been painted over trees, rub the damaged areas with baking soda and rinse off thoroughly with water.

• Painting walls or fences in darker colours which cover well in one coat, such as brown and green, are most effective but may not be suitable for some surfaces. When specifying dark colours outdoors, ask for a Resene CoolColour formula to protect your substrate from UV damage.

Product tips

• During application until the product is touch dry, temperatures cannot drop below 10°C and the relative humidity must be below 85%.

• In the early stages of curing, protect the film from mechanical damage until it’s been allowed to dry fully to keep the surface looking good and help it perform as intended.

• Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield is not recommended for protecting exterior timbers or as an anti-graffiti clear over epoxy, alkyd or chlorinated rubber-based paints subject to exterior exposure. The same applies to factorycoated roofing. Appropriately primed and painted or galvanised steel can be upgraded to give control against graffiti. Check with your Resene Representative for suitable recommendations for these substrates.

• To prevent ghosting when removing marker pen, your Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield coating must have cured for a minimum of four weeks. Where possible, it’s smart to keep other protections in place for areas at risk of marker pen tagging until enough time has elapsed.

• Apply Resene Uracryl GraffitiShield where surfaces are at the highest risk, such as the first one or two storeys of a multi-storey building.

BlackWhite magazine

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