Coating for wall construction

Abstract

A coating for wall construction is provided whereby a level 5 finish may be obtained without the need for a finishing coat or final skim coat. The coating may be applied to drywall elements prior to installation and is compatible with jointing materials such that a substantially homogeneous surface may be obtained after the drywall elements are assembled with jointing material and the jointing material is dried. The coating formulation includes a noncellulosic thickener, a binder, a mineral filler and water. A method for the construction of interior walls and a construction assembly for interior walls is further provided.

1 . A coating formulation for drywall application comprising water, a binder, a filler comprising at least about 60% by weight CaCO 3 , and a noncellulosic thickener.  
   
   
       2 . The coating formulation of  claim 1 , further comprising a dispersant.  
   
   
       3 . The coating formulation of  claim 2 , further comprising about 0.1 to about 20% by weight anti-cracking agent and about 0.1 to about 5% by weight workability agent.  
   
   
       4 . The coating formulation of  claim 3 , wherein the anti-cracking agent is mica and the workability agent is clay.  
   
   
       5 . The coating formulation of  claim 3 , wherein the binder is present in an amount of about 0.5 to about 15% by weight, the dispersant is present in an amount of about 0.5 to about 15% by weight and the thickener is present in an amount of about 0.05 to about 50% by weight.  
   
   
       6 . The coating formulation of  claim 2 , wherein the binder is a latex binder.  
   
   
       7 . The coating formulation of  claim 6 , wherein the binder is an acrylic latex binder.  
   
   
       8 . The coating formulation of  claim 7 , wherein the acrylic latex is present in an amount of about 0.5 to about 15% by weight, the dispersant is present in an amount of about 0.5 to about 15% by weight and the thickener is present in an amount of about 0.05 to about 50% by weight.  
   
   
       9 . The coating formulation of  claim 2 , wherein the dispersant comprises a sodium polyacrylate.  
   
   
       10 . The coating formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the thickener comprises a copolymer of an acrylic acid and an acrylic ester.  
   
   
       11 . The coating formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the filler comprises at least about 75% by weight CaCO 3 .  
   
   
       12 . The coating formulation of  claim 3 , wherein the filler comprises at least about 75% by weight CaCO 3 .  
   
   
       13 . The coating formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the filler further comprises magnesium carbonate, dolomite, gypsum, anhydrite, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       14 . A coating formulation for drywall application comprising: 
 about 0.5 to about 15% by weight of a latex binder,    about 40 to about 70% by weight of a filler comprising at least about 60% by weight CaCO 3 ,    about 0.5 to about 15% by weight of a dispersant,    about 0.05 to about 50% by weight of a noncellulosic thickener, and    water in an amount sufficient to provide a viscosity for the formulation of about 300 to about 450 cps.    
   
   
       15 . The coating formulation of  claim 14 , further comprising about 0.1 to about 20% by weight anti-cracking agent and about 0.1 to about 5% by weight workability agent.  
   
   
       16 . The coating formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the anti-cracking agent is mica and the workability agent is clay.  
   
   
       17 . The coating formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the dispersant comprises a sodium polyacrylate.  
   
   
       18 . The coating formulation of  claim 14 , wherein the formulation comprises about 1.0 to about 4.0% by weight of a latex binder, 
 about 45 to about 65% by weight of a filler comprising at least about 75% by weight CaCO 3 ,    about 2.0 to about 9.0% by weight of a dispersant,    about 0.1 to about 5.0% by weight of a noncellulosic thickener    
   
   
       19 . The coating formulation of  claim 14 , wherein the latex binder comprises an acrylic latex binder.  
   
   
       20 . The coating formulation of  claim 14 , wherein the thickener comprises a copolymer of an acrylic acid and an acrylic ester.  
   
   
       21 . The coating formulation of  claim 14 , wherein the filler comprises at least about 75% by weight CaCO 3 .  
   
   
       22 . The coating formulation of  claim 15 , wherein the filler comprises at least about 75% by weight CaCO 3 .  
   
   
       23 . The coating formulation of  claim 14 , wherein the filler further comprises magnesium carbonate, dolomite, gypsum, anhydrite, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       24 . A construction assembly for interior walls, comprising: 
 skim coated drywall elements comprising drywall elements having at least one skim coat deposited on the drywall elements, the skim coat formed from a coating formulation comprising water, a binder, a filler comprising at least about 60% by weight CaCO 3 , and a noncellulosic thickener; and    at least one jointing material jointing the skim coated drywall elements to form a substantially plane outer surface.    
   
   
       25 . The construction assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one jointing material and the at least one skim coat form, in the dry state, a substantially homogeneous outer surface on the substantially plane outer surface.  
   
   
       26 . The construction assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the drywall elements are flat, prefabricated elements.  
   
   
       27 . The construction assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the flat, prefabricated elements are gypsum wallboard.  
   
   
       28 . The construction assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the skim coat when dry has a thickness of between about 5 and about 60 mil.  
   
   
       29 . The construction assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the substantially homogeneous outer surface comprises a level 5 finish.  
   
   
       30 . The construction assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the skim coat is formed from a coating formulation further comprising about 0.1 to about 20% by weight anti-cracking agent and about 0.1 to about 5% by weight workability agent.  
   
   
       31 . The construction assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the anti-cracking agent is mica and the workability agent is clay.  
   
   
       32 . The construction assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the coating formulation further comprises a dispersant.  
   
   
       33 . The construction assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the binder is present in an amount of about 0.5 to about 15% by weight, the dispersant is present in an amount of about 0.5 to about 15% by weight and the thickener is present in an amount of about 0.05 to about 50% by weight.  
   
   
       34 . The construction assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the binder is an acrylic latex binder.  
   
   
       35 . The construction assembly of  claim 34 , wherein the acrylic latex binder is present in an amount of about 0.5 to about 15% by weight, the dispersant is present in an amount of about 0.5 to about 15% by weight and the thickener is present in an amount of about 0.05 to about 50% by weight.  
   
   
       36 . The construction assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the dispersant comprises a sodium polyacrylate.  
   
   
       37 . The construction assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the thickener comprises a copolymer of an acrylic acid and an acrylic ester.  
   
   
       38 . A method for the construction of interior walls comprising: 
 assembling skim coated prefabricated drywall elements, wherein the skim coated prefabricated drywall elements have a coating layer formed from a coating formulation comprising water, a binder, a filler comprising at least about 60% by weight CaCO 3 , and a noncellulosic thickener, and are formed of at least one skim coat deposited on the prefabricated drywall elements by a coating device;    jointing adjacent prefabricated drywall elements with a jointing material to form joints; and    drying the jointing material.    
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the jointing material and the at least one skim coat form, in the dry state, a substantially homogeneous outer surface for the entire surface formed from the jointing material and skim coated prefabricated drywall elements.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the substantially homogeneous outer surface comprises a level 5 finish.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the skim coat when dry has a thickness of between about 5 and about 60 mil.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the skim coat is deposited on the prefabricated drywall elements by spraying during prefabrication of the drywall elements.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the skim coat is deposited after assembly of the skim coated prefabricated drywall elements.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the coating formulation further comprises about 0.1 to about 20% by weight mica and about 0.1 to about 5% by weight clay.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein coating formulation further comprises a dispersant.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the binder is an acrylic latex binder.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the acrylic latex binder is present in an amount of about 0.5 to about 15% by weight, the dispersant is present in an amount of about 0.5 to about 15% by weight and the thickener is present in an amount of about 0.05 to about 50% by weight.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the dispersant is a sodium polyacrylate.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the thickener comprises a copolymer of an acrylic acid and an acrylic ester.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the prefabricated drywall elements are gypsum wallboard.  
   
   
       51 . A flat, prefabricated drywall element comprising a core of plaster or gypsum having at least one sheet of lining paper and a coating layer formed of at least one skim coat deposited on the lining paper, the skim coat formed from a coating formulation comprising water, a binder, a filler comprising at least about 60% by weight CaCO 3 , and a noncellulosic thickener.  
   
   
       52 . The flat, prefabricated drywall element of  claim 51 , wherein the coating formulation further comprises a dispersant.  
   
   
       53 . The flat, prefabricated drywall element of  claim 51 , wherein the binder is an acrylic latex binder.