About Fosroc Nitocote AG

Fosroc Nitocote AG is a non-sacrificial anti-graffiti coating supplied as a single-component, ready-to-use liquid based on silicone elastomers. Once applied it cures to a clear, flexible, semi-gloss seal that both enhances and protects the surface beneath it. Unlike sacrificial wax or polysaccharide systems that are stripped off along with the graffiti and then have to be re-applied after every clean, Nitocote AG stays in place. The cured film creates a porous yet hydrophobic barrier: it lets the masonry breathe and release trapped moisture, but stops aerosol paints, permanent markers, posters and stickers from striking permanently into the surface. When the surface is defaced, the graffiti sits on top of the coating rather than soaking into the substrate, so it lifts off with cold water alone. For small marks a wet cloth or sponge is enough; for larger areas a cold-water, low-pressure wash at roughly 80-100 bar clears the surface. Fosroc states the coating tolerates this clean-and-recoat-free cycle typically up to 20 times before protection is compromised. Because no cleaning chemicals, solvents or abrasive techniques are needed, maintenance crews can keep walls clean quickly and cheaply, which is the main reason transport authorities and institutional clients in India specify products of this class. The coating is offered in a clear grade for use on mineral building materials such as concrete and brick, and is also suitable on wood and metal. It is positioned within the wider Fosroc Nitocote protective-coatings family alongside the nano-technology variant Nitocote Nano AG and Fosroc’s water-repellent and decorative coatings. As an authorised Fosroc distributor and applicator covering Delhi NCR and pan-India, Space Arc Engineering supplies Nitocote AG with batch documentation and can advise on surface preparation, primer compatibility and applied-cost estimation for both new construction and refurbishment of existing graffiti-prone assets.

The technical insight

The performance of Nitocote AG comes from its silicone-elastomer chemistry and its film build, not from a sacrificial top layer. At 65 percent volume solids and a recommended single coat of about 300 microns wet film thickness (roughly 200 microns dry), it forms a continuous, micro-porous, low-surface-energy film. The low surface energy is what prevents paints and adhesives from keying into the surface, so they remain releasable; the porosity is what keeps the system breathable. Fosroc reports a water-vapour permeability of Sd 0.4 m to EN ISO 7783, which classifies the film as vapour-permeable rather than a sealing barrier, so it will not trap moisture and cause spalling or blistering on damp masonry. Capillary water absorption is measured at 0.003 kg/m2 to EN 1062-3, confirming the hydrophobic, water-repellent behaviour that also gives the substrate a degree of protection against driving rain and water-borne salts. Adhesion by pull-off to EN 1542 is 1.2 MPa. The system is cited against BS EN 1504-2 (surface protection of concrete) Principles 2.2 and 8.2, i.e. moisture control and increasing resistivity. Cure is moisture and temperature dependent: at 20 degrees C usable life after opening is about 1 hour, the film is tack-free in about 4 hours, anti-graffiti properties begin to develop after 24 hours, and full protection is reached at 5 to 7 days. In Indian field conditions these times shorten in summer heat and lengthen during the monsoon, so applicators should plan the protection-ready date around ambient humidity, temperature and wind rather than the lab figure.

Where it is used

• Metro, railway and bus station walls, columns and concourses
• Pedestrian subways, underpasses and flyover piers prone to tagging
• Multi-storey and basement car park walls and cores
• School, college, university and hospital boundary walls and facades
• Civic, municipal and heritage building elevations in brick or stone
• Bridge abutments, retaining walls and noise barriers
• Public toilets, bus shelters and street furniture in concrete or metal
• Commercial frontages and signage zones needing a clean, removable finish

Key advantages

• Non-sacrificial: stays in place, so the coating does not have to be re-applied after each graffiti clean
• Graffiti removed with cold water only, with no solvents, cleaning agents or abrasive methods
• Withstands typically up to 20 graffiti-removal cycles without compromising protection
• Single component and ready to use, so no on-site mixing or ratio errors
• Breathable and vapour-permeable (Sd 0.4 m), so the substrate can dry out and resist blistering
• Compatible with cathodic protection systems on reinforced concrete
• Clear, semi-gloss finish that enhances rather than hides the underlying surface
• Versatile substrate range: concrete, brick, masonry, wood and metal
• Applied by airless spray, roller or brush, suiting both large facades and detail work
• Water-repellent action (capillary absorption 0.003 kg/m2) gives added rain and salt protection

Limitations & considerations

• Clear grade only, so it gives a wet-look semi-gloss appearance rather than a decorative or colour finish
• Requires a clean, dry, sound and suitably prepared substrate; poor preparation undermines adhesion and graffiti release
• Anti-graffiti protection is not immediate: it develops from 24 hours and is only full at 5 to 7 days, so the area must be protected from defacement while curing
• Solvent-borne silicone chemistry means good ventilation and standard PPE are needed during application
• Cure times and usable life vary with humidity, temperature and wind; monsoon and high-heat conditions in India shift the working window
• Protection is finite: after repeated cleaning cycles (around 20) the coating must be re-applied to restore performance
• Not a structural repair or waterproofing membrane; it is a thin protective surface coating only
• Heavily porous or contaminated substrates may need more than one coat, increasing consumption above the theoretical 3.0 m2/L

Selection & best practice

Specifications

Industry use cases

How we position Fosroc Nitocote AG

Within Fosroc’s range, Nitocote AG is the permanent, non-sacrificial anti-graffiti option in the Nitocote protective-coatings family, sitting alongside the nano-technology variant Nitocote Nano AG and complementing Fosroc water-repellents and decorative or protective coatings such as the Dekguard and Nitocote SN/EP series used elsewhere on the same structures. On a refurbishment it typically follows Fosroc concrete-repair mortars like the Renderoc range and works over surfaces that may also carry Nitoprime primers, so it is best specified as part of a coordinated Fosroc protection system rather than in isolation. Against the wider Indian market it competes with Sika anti-graffiti coatings (the Sikagard family), MBS, Dr. Fixit and STP/Bemax protective-coating lines; sacrificial wax-type coatings from these and other suppliers cost less per litre but must be re-applied after every clean, which is why a permanent silicone-elastomer system like Nitocote AG is usually preferred for high-vandalism public assets with limited maintenance access. As an authorised Fosroc distributor and applicator across Delhi NCR and pan-India, Space Arc Engineering can supply genuine Nitocote AG with batch documentation, advise on substrate preparation and compatible primers, and help specifiers weigh it against these alternatives on a like-for-like applied-cost and lifecycle basis.

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