Graffiti is the illegal spraying of paint, dye, permanent inks or other substances to mark buildings, fences and surfaces open to the public. It is a community problem that drives down business revenue, lowers property values and promotes a view that it is an unsafe community.
The following ideas can help graffiti prevention and graffiti removal:
o Remove graffiti as soon as possible. Graffiti vandals move to another location once their "art" isn't displayed any longer. Graffiti is easier to remove in the first 24 hours as it hasn't been exposed to the elements for too long and hasn't had much of a chance to penetrate into the surface.
o Install video surveillance cameras
o Install lights, maybe sensor lights.
o Make access to the site harder. Install gardens with thorny plants or shrubs near to or to cover walls. Move bins from near walls as they are great climbing tools for access to roofs.
o Keep your property looking neat and clean. A property that looks neglected attracts graffiti vandalism.
o Install a sensor sprinkler system
o Take photos and report graffiti to the Police as they sometimes keep a database of graffiti in the area
o Apply a sacrificial or non-sacrificial anti-graffiti coating to the surface. An anti-graffiti coating is a transparent layer that can be applied to porous materials such as brick, limestone, concrete, etc. as well as metal. The layer of coating keeps the graffiti at the surface, not letting it penetrate into the porous surface which makes the removal of the graffiti much easier. You should choose the best coating that suits your particular situation. They are explained as follows:
Non-Sacrificial Anti-Graffiti Protective Coating
Anti Graffiti Protective Coating can be applied to any surface that vandals want to graffiti. It comes in a matt or gloss finish and can be painted, rolled or sprayed onto a surface. The coating can be clear or tinted to your required colour.
When you get graffiti on a surface that has Anti Graffiti Coating applied, it can be removed with ease by either yourself by applying warm soapy water or a mild graffiti remover, agitating the graffiti, then hosing off with water or calling in your local graffiti professional.
Sacrificial Anti-Graffiti Protective CoatingSacrificial Anti Graffiti Coatings are great for all types of surfaces. The Sacrificial Anti Graffiti Coating is easy to apply by painting, rolling or spraying. When you have been vandalized with graffiti, it is a matter of applying hot soapy water to the area that has graffiti.The graffiti will disappear as well as the coating. Letting the surface dry for 15 minutes, the Sacrificial Anti Graffiti Coating is re-applied to the area that was removed.
The difference between sacrificial and non-sacrificial anti graffiti coatings is that sacrificial is removed with hot water only and no products are required. The sacrificial coating then needs to be re-applied.
Both coatings can be applied over painted surfaces or non-painted surfaces depending on your requirements. It can be applied to most surfaces such as brick, concrete, metal, perspex, road signs, wood, etc.
All in all, the best strategy to prevent graffiti is immediate removal within 24-48 hours. Contact your local council as they usually have a graffiti prevention strategy in place.
