May 15, 2020

Personal hygiene and virus protection are top of mind as we navigate the pandemic. While we understand the most effective steps to slow the transmission of airborne pathogens like the coronavirus, we also know bacteria, mildew and mold can also live on surfaces in our homes for several days.

Luckily, when it comes to specifying finishes, certain materials offer antimicrobial protection, killing microorganisms or stopping their growth completely. See which products we have been specifying prior to the “great pause” so you can limit the growth of microbes and other organisms in your projects going forward.

Shown above: Artika by Silestone

Quartz Surfaces

Quartz is one of the hardest non-precious stones on earth, therefore countertops made from quartz – a mixture of ground quartz combined and a small amount of resin – are hard, etch resistant, stain resistant, scratch resistant and antimicrobial. Quartz is completely non-porous, so sealing and resealing is not necessary.

Microbicidal Paint

Sherwin-Williams’ Paint Shield is the first EPA-registered microbicidal paint that kills greater than 99.9 percent of Staph, MRSA, E. coli, VRE and Enterobacter aerogenes and provides virus protection within two hours of exposure on painted surfaces. It continues to kill 90 percent of these bacteria even after repeated contamination on painted surfaces. The effectiveness lasts for up to four years as long as the integrity of the surface is maintained.

Voice-Activated Faucets

Brizo’s VoiceIQ Technology makes life in the kitchen and bathroom easier. Just by speaking, you can turn your faucet on or off, dispense an exact amount of water or use the handwashing mode to ensure you’re following CDC handwashing guidelines. To use, simply install the Voice Activation module with a SmartTouch faucet and pair it with a connected home device such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, a power source, a Wi-Fi network and a Wi-Fi-connected device for setup. Once it’s installed, you can start handwashing mode by activating your smart device and saying, “Tell Brizo to wash hands.” The water will turn on for a five-second pre-rinse, then off for a 20-second interval to lather your hands with soap and on again for another 10-second rinse.

Above: Surface protected by Hydrotect Technology

Hydrotect Technology

Applied to Crossville Porcelain Stone tiles through a proprietary process, HYDROTECT by Crossville permanently infuses the purifying powers of antimicrobial metals, water and oxygen into an invisible tile coating that’s scientifically proven to reduce bacteria by more than 99 percent on installed surfaces. HYDROTECT-coated tile also automatically breaks down odor, stain-causing bacteria and other organic substances to help keep spaces cleaner and fresher while working into a variety of home styles.

Cork and Bamboo Flooring

One of the best types of antibacterial flooring is cork, which is not just naturally antimicrobial, but it’s also water resistant. This helps prevent the formation of mold and mildew. Similarly, bamboo flooring has an antifungal agent living in it, while cork flooring stops bacteria and microorganisms from growing. Both need to be sealed and resealed with a polyurethane coating. Continuous, nonporous flooring surfaces are the easiest to keep clean – the fewer joints, the better.

How will you provide virus protection with innovative products and finishes? Let us know on our Facebook page and on Twitter at KBB_connect.

-By Kerrie Kelley