Description
Atlas Salta Base White 10 l from the silicone masonry paints range is the white-base, self-cleaning, vapour-permeable silicone facade paint, tintable to 400 SAH colours, classified V2 (vapour permeability) and W3 (water permeability) to EN 1062-1:2004, with primer-free application on fresh thin-coat renders from five days after rendering and 40 to 80 m² coverage per coat per 10-litre bucket.
Where Atlas Salta Base White Performs Best — UK Applications
Atlas Salta Base White is a silicone-polymer masonry paint classified V2 vapour-permeable and W3 weather-resistant to EN 1062-1:2004, formulated for the white and lighter end of the 400-colour SAH palette. It delivers the Pearl Effect self-cleaning surface and the breathing-and-shedding combination that lets a UK facade release internal moisture while sheeting driven rain off the surface with the dirt it carries.
The product is the right white base when a specification calls for light SAH colours, the surface is a rendered or plastered exterior in sound condition, and the elevation is exposed to UK weather patterns that punish rigid paints. For mid-tone and darker SAH colours — charcoal, slate, deep earth tones — the grey-base sibling delivers better pigment depth and typically reduces the number of coats to reach full saturation.
Why Trade Specifiers Choose Atlas Salta Base White
- Self-cleaning Pearl Effect surface: the microscopically smooth silicone film resists dirt adhesion, so rainwater lifts dust, algae spores, and atmospheric pollutants as it sheets off — keeping the facade looking freshly painted for years without manual washing.
- Built-in Bio Protection against algae and fungi: low water absorption combined with silicone surface chemistry discourages biological colonisation, a real advantage on north-facing and sheltered UK elevations where growth is most persistent.
- Primer-free on fresh renders: the first coat acts as its own primer on mineral thin-coat renders from five days after render application, removing a full work stage and the associated material cost on large-area projects.
- Vapour-permeable with W3 weather resistance: Sd value below 0.14 m (V2) lets moisture escape from the masonry behind, while W3 keeps liquid water on the surface — the breathing-and-shedding combination that defines well-formulated silicone paints.
- Elastic film handles thermal movement: the flexible silicone-polymer binder absorbs the seasonal temperature swings that micro-crack rigid paints, extending re-coat intervals on UK facades.
- 400 SAH colours from one base: tintable across the full Atlas SAH palette so any shade specified by the architect or planning officer can be matched without custom mixing.
- 0 °C application with Atlas Eskimo: adding the Atlas Eskimo accelerator extends the safe working window down to 0 °C and 80% relative humidity, keeping winter painting programmes on schedule.
Selection Guide — Find Your Atlas Salta Route in 30 Seconds
Identify the SAH colour group your project is specifying, read across to the matching base, and confirm the standout spec fits the substrate and weather window before ordering.
| Your Specification | Right Base | Standout Spec |
|---|---|---|
| White, off-white, or light pastel SAH colour on rendered facade | Atlas Salta Base White 10 l (this product) | 4.0–7.0 m²/l · V2 · W3 · primer-free on fresh renders |
| Mid-tone or darker SAH colour requiring deeper pigment loading | Atlas Salta Base Grey 10 l | Grey base · better opacity on charcoal, slate, deep earth tones |
| Highly absorbent or older substrate before painting | Atlas Uni-Grunt 10 kg or another primer from the primers range | Surface consolidation · 100 m² · streak-free finish |
| Winter application below +5 °C | Salta Base White + Atlas Eskimo accelerator | 0 °C application · 80% RH tolerance · winter programme |
Technical Specifications — Atlas Salta Base White Data
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Binder type | Modified silicone-polymer dispersion (silicone resin + siloxanes) |
| Pack size | 10 litres (approx. 15 kg) |
| Colour base | White (tintable to 400 SAH colours) |
| Density | Approx. 1.45 kg/dm³ |
| VOC content | 39.9 g/l (EU limit 40 g/l) |
| Gloss level (EN 1062-1) | G3 — matt |
| Dry film thickness (EN 1062-1) | E3 — 100 to 200 µm |
| Grain size (EN 1062-1) | S1 — fine (< 100 µm) |
| Water vapour permeability (EN 1062-1) | V2 — medium (Sd < 0.14 m) |
| Water permeability (EN 1062-1) | W3 — low (< 0.1 kg/m²·h⁰·⁵) |
| Coverage — mineral renders (e.g. Cermit SN) | ~0.25 l/m² (≈ 4.0 m²/l) per coat |
| Coverage — dispersion renders (e.g. SAH) | ~0.20 l/m² (≈ 5.0 m²/l) per coat |
| Coverage — traditional plasters | ~0.15 l/m² (≈ 7.0–8.0 m²/l) per coat |
| Application temperature | +5 °C to +30 °C (from 0 °C with Atlas Eskimo) |
| Drying time | 2 to 6 hours at +20 °C / 50% RH |
| Recoat time | ~6 hours at +20 °C / 50% RH |
| Application method | Roller, brush, or airless spray |
| Shelf life | 12 months from production (sealed, +5 °C to +30 °C) |
| Standard | EN 1062-1:2004 |
| System approvals | ATLAS ETA 06/0081, ATLAS ROKER ETA 06/0173, ATLAS ETICS FPC-ITB-0562/Z |
How to Apply Atlas Salta Base White — Coverage, Coats, and Conditions
Atlas Salta is supplied ready to use and applied in two coats by medium-pile roller, brush, or airless spray. The honest working number on a 1.5 mm grain silicone render is 4.0 m²/l per coat — so a 10-litre bucket delivers approximately 40 m² in a single pass, and a two-coat finish on a typical 60 m² UK semi-detached front elevation needs roughly three buckets in total.
On fresh thin-coat mineral renders, the first coat is diluted with a maximum of 0.20 l of water per 10 l of paint and applied directly to the substrate from five days after render application, provided curing conditions have stayed above +5 °C. That first coat performs the primer function, and the second follows after approximately six hours, applied undiluted and worked perpendicular to the first to fill texture valleys completely.
On cured dispersion and silicone renders, allow a minimum seven-day cure before painting and apply both coats undiluted. Traditional cement-lime plasters need two to four weeks of full curing, but reward the wait with coverage of 7.0–8.0 m² per litre on smoother surfaces. For older, chalky, or highly absorbent substrates, priming with a product from the render primers range consolidates the surface and delivers consistent colour development.
For the full step-by-step roller technique, wet-on-wet sequencing, dilution ratios, and weather-window decisions, the silicone masonry paint application guide covers the complete process. For projects weighing silicone against an acrylic alternative, the silicone paint vs acrylic comparison sets out the performance differences across breathability, self-cleaning, and long-term durability.
Installation Notes — Conditions, Drying, and Finishing
Plan technological breaks at natural building lines — corners, downpipe runs, colour transitions — so each elevation is completed wet-on-wet without dry edges showing through the final coat. Protect freshly painted surfaces from direct sunlight, wind, and rain during application and for at least 24 hours afterwards — a discipline that pays back in uniform colour development across the whole elevation.
The paint forms a surface crust within approximately two hours at +20 °C / 50% RH and reaches full water resistance after six hours. For best result on old renders or plasters, allow at least 48 hours of dry weather after the last rainfall before starting so the silicone binder can key properly. Mixing all buckets intended for a single elevation together before opening guarantees colour homogeneity — a safeguard against batch-to-batch variation that becomes visible on large wall areas under raking afternoon light.
Pro Tips From UK Installers Using Atlas Salta
- Calculate coverage at the rougher end of the spectrum. Plan for 4.0 m²/l on 1.5 mm grain silicone render rather than the optimistic 5.0 m²/l for smooth dispersion finishes — that way a 10-litre bucket delivers a reliable 40 m² per coat and the order quantity is right first time.
- Prime older substrates every time, regardless of the self-priming claim. Primer-free first coats hold up on fresh renders with a proper five-day cure, but on older, chalky, or repainted surfaces a half-day of priming delivers a streak-free finish that no amount of paint work can recover after the fact.
- Photograph the SAH code label on each bucket before opening. The permanent record protects against any "that's not the colour I picked" conversation at handover, and marking the elevation plan with the batch number prevents accidental mixing of separately tinted buckets across elevations.
- Start each elevation in early morning to use the full six-hour recoat window. First coat at 7–8 am means the recoat is ready by early afternoon, and the overnight hours provide undisturbed cure time before the next elevation begins.
- For winter programmes, dose Eskimo per bucket rather than per project. Adding the accelerator to the working batch at point of use keeps set times consistent across the elevation without one bucket setting faster than the next.
Is Atlas Salta Base White Right for Your Project?
- Ideal for your project if you are painting a rendered or plastered exterior facade in a white, off-white, or light SAH colour and want a self-cleaning, vapour-permeable silicone finish — particularly suited to new-build ETICS programmes where primer-free application on fresh renders saves a full work stage.
- Specifying a mid-tone or darker SAH colour? The Atlas Salta Base Grey 10 l companion delivers better pigment depth on charcoal, slate, and deep earth tones, typically reducing the number of coats needed for full saturation.
- Comparing silicone against acrylic masonry paint? The silicone-vs-acrylic comparison covers breathability, self-cleaning, and durability differences in detail and helps confirm the right technology for the project's exposure profile.
- Painting in winter or transitional weather? Adding the Atlas Eskimo accelerator extends the working window down to 0 °C and 80% relative humidity, covering the majority of UK winter working days outside frost events.
FAQ — Atlas Salta Base White Coverage, Compatibility, Ordering
How many litres of Atlas Salta Base White do I need for a typical UK house facade?
Coverage depends on substrate texture. On a standard 1.5 mm grain silicone render, one litre covers approximately 4.0 m² per coat, so a 10-litre bucket covers around 40 m² in a single pass. Most facades require two coats for full opacity, meaning a 60 m² front elevation needs approximately 30 litres — three buckets — in total. Ordering one extra litre per 40 m² accounts for waste, cutting-in around windows, and localised touch-ups.
Is Atlas Salta Base White an environmentally responsible choice for exterior painting?
The formulation uses only natural fillers and achieves a VOC content of 39.9 g/l, sitting at the lower edge of the EU regulatory limit and well below many conventional exterior masonry paints. The self-cleaning Pearl Effect surface means the facade stays cleaner for longer without chemical wash treatments, and Bio Protection technology discourages algae and fungal growth without added biocides.
Choosing a light or off-white tint also reflects more solar radiation, reducing thermal gain on the building envelope — a meaningful contribution to lowering summer cooling loads under current Building Regulations guidance.
What happens if rain falls shortly after applying Atlas Salta?
The paint forms a surface crust within approximately two hours at +20 °C / 50% RH and reaches full water resistance after six hours. Protecting the freshly painted surface with scaffold sheeting during application and for at least 24 hours afterwards ensures the silicone binder cures without water disruption.
On covered scaffold, most UK rain events pass without affecting the finish. Checking a three-day forecast and timing the first coat for early morning lets the full six-hour recoat window pass in daylight, with overnight hours providing additional undisturbed curing time.
Can I apply Atlas Salta in winter or cold weather?
Standard application requires a minimum substrate and air temperature of +5 °C. Adding Atlas Eskimo accelerator extends the working range down to 0 °C and relative humidity above 80%, which covers the majority of UK winter working days outside of frost events. The modified curing chemistry means paint applied in the morning at 3–5 °C reaches a handleable state by mid-afternoon, keeping multi-coat programmes moving without the week-long delays that conventional paints would require in cold weather.
How long should I wait after rendering before applying Atlas Salta?
For fresh mineral thin-coat renders such as Atlas Cermit SN, the minimum cure period before painting is five days, provided ambient temperatures have remained above +5 °C throughout. Dispersion and silicone renders need a minimum seven-day cure. Traditional cement-lime plasters require two to four weeks of full curing for the alkaline reaction to subside, so the substrate reaches a stable moisture content suitable for the silicone binder.
Can I apply Atlas Salta over an existing painted facade?
Atlas Salta applies successfully over existing sound, well-bonded paint coatings — silicate, silicone, and acrylic masonry paints all serve as suitable substrates when the existing film is intact and free from chalking, flaking, or biological growth. Where the existing coating is failing, full removal back to sound masonry and a fresh primer application restores the substrate so the silicone binder can key properly.
For mixed-condition elevations where some areas are sound and others are failing, treating the failing zones as new substrate and the sound zones as paint-on-paint typically delivers the most cost-effective result, subject to specific condition assessment.
Technical Documentation — Atlas Salta TDS and System Approvals