UKAS accredited testing
Independently tested & certified
When it comes to protecting your home, trust matters. That’s why we don’t just make claims – we back them with independent testing, so you can feel confident you’re making the right investment for your home’s future and peace of mind that it will stand the test of time.
The gold standard
Backed by independent testing
In an industry full of marketing jargon, paint performance claims are often vague or unvalidated. That’s why we ensure every claim we make is backed by rigorous independent testing, so you don’t have to take our word for it.
We believe in openly disclosing the true performance of our paint and the results of testing in order to provide you with definitive, objective information so that you can make an informed decision about what’s best for your home. That is why we took our masonry products, Emperor Masonry Paint and Emperor Masonry Creme, to a UKAS Accredited, world-leading independent testing laboratory for a series of performance tests.
The testing process
Put to the test
UKAS accredited laboratory
UKAS is the National Accreditation Body for the United Kingdom which is appointed by government to accredit organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services. UKAS accredited testing laboratories independently test products to internationally recognised standards for transparent and impartial results.
The testing involved measuring four key performance areas of Emperor Masonry Paint and Creme:
1. The performance after 25 years of accelerated weathering
2. The breathability (water vapour diffusion)
3. The ability to reduce water absorption (water vapour resistance)
4. The thermal insulating properties
Replicating real word conditions
The methodology
A single skin brick wall was constructed and split into three parts; one part coated with Emperor Masonry Paint, one part coated with Emperor Masonry Creme and one part left untreated as a control wall.
The wall was placed within a hygrothermal chamber that allowed the laboratory to subject the wall to various weathering cycles to simulate naturally occurring conditions that would amount to the equivalent of 25 years. As part of the process, temperature readings were taken before, during and after the accelerated weathering test and samples were taken to analyse the water vapour diffusion and the water vapour resistance.
The test findings
Water vapour diffusion
Breathability
The testing confirmed that Emperor Masonry Paint and Emperor Masonry Creme are highly breathable, with SD values of just 0.01 and 0.03 respectively. To put that in context, generally by British Standards any material with an SD value below 0.5 is considered breathable. The SD values of Emperor Paint products in contrast were found to be comparable to the breathability of traditional limewash.
BS EN ISO 7783:2011 Quality Standard: Passed
Water vapour resistance
Water absorption
Water absorption testing showed that bricks coated with our products absorbed dramatically less water than uncoated bricks. While uncoated bricks saw moisture levels rise by 11.12%, bricks treated with Emperor Masonry Paint only increased by 0.74%, and those treated with Emperor Masonry Creme by just 0.41%. This represents a reduction in water absorption of up to 96.3%.
BS EN ISO 12572 Quality Standard: Passed
External thermal insulation composite
Thermal performance
Bricks coated with our products were found to be more energy efficient than uncoated bricks. The test found that the uncoated bricks were on average 6⁰C colder when compared to the Emperor coated bricks. This is because the Emperor Masonry Paint and Emperor Masonry Creme kept the bricks dry which reduced thermal bridging and resulted in a warmer wall.
EAD 040083-00-0404 Quality Standard: Passed
25 year hygrothermal performance
25 year durability
On completion of the weathering test, the bricks that were coated with Emperor Masonry Paint and Emperor Masonry Creme showed no deterioration either in performance or aesthetic appearance. This meant there was no evidence of cracking, delamination, irreversible deformation or water penetration. This confirmed Emperor Paint products have a 25 years of proven performance, with results indicating the products are likely to last even longer.
EAD 090062-00-0404 Quality Standard: Passed
Read more about our testing & certifications
Our Testing Hub
Read a comprehensive summary of all of our extensive independent testing results and industry leading certifications.
Declare LBC Red List Approved
With transparency at the core of who we are, we are proud to be the first UK paint company to join the Declare program.
BBA Approved
We are extremely proud that Emperor Masonry Paint has been awarded the BBA Agrément Certificate, a mark of excellence based on national and European standards.