Description
The silicone masonry paints collection at Renders World includes Atlas Salta Base White 10 l as the white-base finishing coat for exterior facade protection — a self-cleaning, vapour-permeable silicone paint that applies directly to fresh thin-coat renders without a separate primer, tintable to 400 shades within the Atlas SAH Colour Scheme. Coverage of 40 to 80 m² per coat per 10-litre bucket and a working window from +5 °C (down to 0 °C with the Atlas Eskimo accelerator) make it the white-base choice for both new-build ETICS programmes and renovation re-coating across UK facades.
Where Atlas Salta Base White Performs Best — UK Applications
Atlas Salta Base White is a 10-litre silicone-polymer masonry paint engineered for the white and lighter end of the SAH palette — its naturally bright base maximises pigment opacity on pastel and off-white tints while delivering the Pearl Effect self-cleaning surface, W3 low water permeability, and V2 vapour permeability classified to EN 1062-1:2004. It is the right white base when a facade specification calls for light SAH colours, the surface is rendered or plastered and in sound condition, and the project needs a paint that breathes freely while keeping driven rain on the outside where it sheets dirt away with it.
The white base maximises tinting opacity for pastel and off-white shades — typically the upper half of the SAH palette where the lighter pigment loading reads cleanest over a white substrate. For mid-tone and darker SAH colours such as charcoal, slate, and deep earth tones, the Atlas Salta Base Grey 10 l companion variant provides better pigment depth and typically reduces the number of coats needed to achieve full colour 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 the silicone surface chemistry discourages biological colonisation, a significant advantage on north-facing and sheltered UK elevations where growth is most persistent.
- Primer-free application on fresh renders: The first coat acts as its own primer on mineral thin-coat renders from five days after application, eliminating 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) allows moisture to escape from the masonry behind, while W3 classification 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 cause rigid paints to micro-crack and admit water, 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 when standard facade paints would have to wait.
Selection Guide — Find Your Atlas Salta Route in 30 Seconds
| 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 or Atlas Ultragrunt | Primer consolidation · 100 m² · 5 kg pack |
| Winter application below +5 °C | Salta Base White + Atlas Eskimo accelerator | 0 °C application · humidity 80% 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) |
| Recoat time | ~6 hours at +20 °C / 50% RH |
| Drying time | 2 to 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 delivered ready to use and applies in two coats by medium-pile roller, brush, or airless spray. For coverage planning on a typical UK semi-detached front elevation of 50 to 60 m², the working number on a 1.5 mm grain silicone render is around 4.0 m²/l per coat — meaning a 10-litre bucket delivers approximately 40 m² in a single pass, and a two-coat finish on 60 m² needs roughly three buckets in total.
On fresh thin-coat mineral renders, the first coat is diluted with a maximum of 0.20 l water per 10 l of paint and applied directly to the substrate from five days after render application, provided curing conditions have remained above +5 °C. This first coat performs the primer function and the second follows after approximately six hours, applied undiluted and worked perpendicular to the first to ensure full coverage of texture valleys.
On cured dispersion and silicone renders, allow a minimum seven-day cure of the render before painting and apply both coats undiluted. Traditional cement-lime plasters need two to four weeks of full curing before painting, but reward the wait with higher coverage of 7.0–8.0 m² per litre on smoother surfaces. For older, chalky, or highly absorbent substrates, priming with an Atlas primer from the render primers range consolidates the surface and delivers consistent colour development across the elevation.
For the full step-by-step roller technique, wet-on-wet sequencing across each elevation, weather windows, and dilution ratios, the silicone masonry paint application guide covers the complete process. For projects considering an acrylic alternative, the silicone paint vs acrylic comparison guide sets out the performance differences across breathability, self-cleaning behaviour, 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, which on scaffold-clad projects means keeping protective sheeting in place until the final coat has fully cured. 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 substrate moisture content is low enough for the silicone binder to key properly. Mixing all buckets intended for a single elevation together before starting guarantees colour homogeneity across the surface — a practical safeguard against the subtle batch-to-batch shade variation that can become visible on large, unbroken 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. The primer-free first coat holds up on fresh renders with a proper five-day cure in decent conditions, but on older, chalky, or repainted surfaces a half-day of priming with Atlas Uni-Grunt delivers a consistent, 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, plan Eskimo dosing per bucket rather than per project. Adding the accelerator to the working batch at the point of use ensures consistent set times 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 offers better pigment depth and opacity 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 paint vs acrylic comparison covers the 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? The Atlas Eskimo accelerator extends the working window down to 0 °C and 80% humidity, covering the majority of UK winter 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 and uniform colour, 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 any localised touch-ups, which is more efficient than running short mid-elevation and stopping for delivery.
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 the 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 and supporting the energy-performance targets set out in current UK Building Regulations.
What happens if rain falls shortly after applying Atlas Salta?
The paint forms a surface crust within approximately two hours under standard conditions (+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 before starting each elevation and timing the first coat for early morning lets the full six-hour recoat window pass in daylight, with the 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 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 and the substrate to reach a stable moisture content suitable for the silicone binder. Painting too early on any of these substrates risks colour irregularities and reduced adhesion as residual moisture displaces the paint film during cure.
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 to a condition where 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 the specific condition assessment.
Technical Documentation — Atlas Salta TDS, ETA, System Approvals