About Fosroc Dekguard Incoloro

Fosroc Dekguard Incoloro (“incoloro” is Spanish/Portuguese for “colourless”) is the clear member of the well-established Dekguard family of protective and anti-carbonation coatings. Where Dekguard S and Dekguard Standard are pigmented, decorative finishes, Incoloro is formulated for situations where the client, architect or conservation brief demands that the natural texture and colour of the concrete, stone or exposed-aggregate surface remain visible. It is a single-component, solvent-based aliphatic acrylic that cures to a tough, transparent film.

The product addresses the single biggest durability problem facing reinforced concrete in India: corrosion of embedded steel. Atmospheric carbon dioxide and, in coastal belts, airborne chlorides penetrate the cover concrete over time. Carbonation lowers the pH of the concrete around the rebar, stripping away the passive oxide layer that protects the steel; chlorides attack it directly. Once corrosion starts, the expanding rust spalls the cover and the structure deteriorates rapidly. Dekguard Incoloro works as a surface barrier that dramatically slows the ingress of these aggressive agents while still allowing the structure to “breathe.”

Because it is aliphatic rather than aromatic, the acrylic resin is inherently resistant to ultraviolet degradation, so the film does not yellow or chalk as quickly as cheaper coatings under the harsh Indian sun. That makes it a sensible specification for facades, bridge elements, marine structures and heritage or architectural concrete across Delhi NCR and Pan-India projects where both protection and aesthetics matter. Space Arc Engineering supplies and applies it as an authorised Fosroc distributor and applicator.

The technical insight

The defining property of an anti-carbonation coating is its resistance to CO2 diffusion combined with high water-vapour permeability – a deliberately asymmetric barrier. A good film behaves as a large equivalent air-layer thickness for carbon dioxide (often quoted as Sd-CO2, where the European benchmark in EN 1062-6 is an Sd value of more than 50 m) yet a small equivalent air-layer thickness for water vapour (EN 7783 looks for Sd-H2O below about 4 m, ideally under 1 m). In plain terms, the coating keeps CO2 and chloride-laden moisture out but lets vapour already inside the concrete escape, so the slab does not blister or trap moisture against the rebar. Dekguard Incoloro is engineered around exactly this balance, which Fosroc describes as an excellent barrier to carbon dioxide, chloride ions, oxygen and water while remaining breathable to water vapour. The aliphatic acrylic backbone is what delivers the long-term UV and weathering stability; the solvent-based carrier gives good penetration and wetting of dense, fair-faced concrete and natural stone, which a clear coating needs in order to key properly. On more porous or chalky substrates a penetrating silane/siloxane primer (Fosroc’s Dekguard Primer or Nitoprime DG type) is normally used first to consolidate the surface and improve adhesion of the clear topcoat.

Where it is used

• Anti-carbonation protection of atmospherically exposed RCC facades and structural elements
• Marine and coastal structures – jetties, sea walls, splash-zone concrete – exposed to airborne chlorides
• Fair-faced, board-marked and architectural concrete where the natural finish must stay visible
• Exposed-aggregate, natural stone and masonry elevations
• Bridge piers, abutments, parapets and soffits requiring durable yet transparent protection
• Heritage and conservation concrete/stone where pigmented coatings are not acceptable
• Industrial and water-retaining structures needing a breathable barrier against acid gases and water

Key advantages

• Clear, colourless film preserves the natural appearance, texture and colour of the substrate
• Strong barrier to carbon dioxide and chloride ions – directly slows reinforcement corrosion and carbonation
• Breathable: allows entrapped water vapour to escape, reducing blistering and osmotic failure
• Aliphatic acrylic chemistry gives excellent UV, weathering and rain resistance with minimal yellowing
• Suitable for aggressive marine and coastal exposure conditions
• Single-component and easy to apply by brush, roller or airless spray
• Part of the proven Dekguard protective-coating system, with compatible primers and pigmented variants

Limitations & considerations

• Clear film offers no opacity, so it will not hide stains, patch repairs, colour variation or efflorescence – cosmetic defects remain visible
• Solvent-based formulation requires adequate ventilation and fire-safety precautions during application
• Not a crack-bridging coating; over actively moving or cracked concrete an elastomeric grade (e.g. Dekguard Elastic) is more appropriate
• A clear coating slightly wets-out and can darken or deepen the tone of the surface, which must be sample-checked and accepted before full application
• Substrate must be clean, sound and dry; it is a barrier coating, not a structural repair, so spalled or carbonated concrete needs repair first
• Performance depends on correct primer selection on porous substrates and on observing temperature/humidity and overcoat limits during application

Selection & best practice

Specifications

Industry use cases

How we position Fosroc Dekguard Incoloro

Within Fosroc’s own range, Dekguard Incoloro is the clear specialist of the Dekguard protective-coating family: choose it when appearance must be preserved, choose pigmented Dekguard S or Dekguard Standard for coloured, decorative anti-carbonation finishes, and choose Dekguard Elastic where crack-bridging flexibility is required. On porous substrates it pairs with a Fosroc penetrating primer (Dekguard Primer / Nitoprime DG type), and on damaged concrete it follows Renderoc repair mortars and, where corrosion is active, Nitozinc/Galvashield-type protection. Against competing brands, credible alternatives in the Indian market include Sika (Sikagard anti-carbonation and clear protective coatings), MBS/MYK (anti-carbonation systems), Dr. Fixit (Pidilite’s protective and waterproof coatings) and STP Limited – each offering comparable clear or pigmented options. Dekguard Incoloro’s particular strengths are its aliphatic-acrylic UV stability, its proven track record in marine and coastal exposure, and its fit with the wider Fosroc repair-and-protect system, which makes it a strong default where a single, compatible supply chain and a transparent finish are both priorities. Space Arc Engineering can benchmark it against these alternatives for your specific exposure class, budget and aesthetic requirement.

Related Protective Coatings products

View all Protective Coatings products →