Flexible paint for walls and ceilings

Abstract

Wall and ceiling acrylic latex coating compositions having properties that prevent joints between adjacent wallboard panels from cracking during settling of new homes and during transportation of manufactured buildings, and otherwise prevents joint cracking from flexing, such as caused by extreme weather conditions or building settling. In another embodiment, the coating compositions can be applied directly over joints between adjacent square-edged wallboard panels to conceal the joint without using tape, wallboard “mud”, or other joint filling compositions.

1 . A wall or ceiling panel comprising a plurality of planar gypsum wall board panels disposed adjacent to each other, each panel secured to support structure on rear surfaces thereof and having front surfaces aligned in a common plane, wherein a joint between said plurality of panels is coated with a flexible latex coating composition having a viscosity of at least 50,000 cps. so that flexing of said adjacent panels does not crack said coating composition after said coating composition has dried, said coating composition comprising: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
                   
                   
               
                   
                 Wet Latex Coating Composition Component 
                 Wt. % 
               
                   
                   
               
                   
                 water 
                  10-50 
               
                   
                 humectant 
                  1-10 
               
                   
                 surfactant 
                 0.01-0.5 
               
                   
                 dispersant 
                 0.05-0.5 
               
                   
                 acrylic polymer or copolymer 
                 12.5-25  
               
                   
                   
               
           
              
              
              
             
             
              
              
              
              
              
              
             
          
         
       
     
   
   
       2 . The wall or ceiling panel of  claim 1 , further including a solid filler having a particle size in the range of about 5 μm to about 100 μm to provide a textured surface to said coating composition after said coating composition is dry. 
   
   
       3 . The wall or ceiling panel of  claim 2 , wherein the solid filler has a particle size in the range of about 5 μm to about 20 μm. 
   
   
       4 . The wall or ceiling panel of  claim 3 , wherein the solid filler has a particle size in the range of about 10 μm to about 15 μm. 
   
   
       5 . The wall or ceiling panel of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition further includes a thickener in an amount sufficient to provide the composition with a viscosity of 50,000 to 60,000 cps as measured by a Brookfield viscometer. 
   
   
       6 . The wall or ceiling panel of  claim 5 , wherein the thickener is selected from the group consisting of a cellulose thickener, a clay thickener, a polymeric thickener, and a combination thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The wall or ceiling panel of  claim 1 , wherein the wall or ceiling panel forms a portion of manufactured housing. 
   
   
       8 .- 20 . (canceled)