Epoxy and Urethane Coatings
In a previous blog, we contrasted the advantages and disadvantages of epoxy and urethane coatings. We’ll now delve deeper into some of the varieties of coatings within these two categories and touch upon the pros and cons of each.
- Amine Epoxies Commercial Painting
These produce a very hard film with tenacious adhesion. They stand up well to chemicals, acid, moisture and corrosion, and are often reserved for the most challenging projects, such as offshore steel structures. The material has a strong, irritating odor, a short pot life and may discolor or chalk. - Polyamide Epoxies Commercial Painting
Versatile, resilient and flexible, these epoxies have a longer pot life and superior weather resistance than do the amines, but are less resistant to acid and solvent. Use these to protect against water and alkalis, but not in situations where you need a quick cure time. They are often used to coat structural steel, storage tanks, tank linings and wastewater plants. - Amidoamine Epoxies Commercial Painting
The result of mixing polyamines and fatty acids, these epoxies are intermediate between the amine and polyamide varieties. They are tough and feature good resistance to water and corrosion. They also retain gloss well, but have only fair color retention. Amidoamine epoxies make good barrier coatings and are popular coatings for power plants, refineries and bridges. - Phenolics/Novolacs Commercial Painting
These coatings have a variety of formulations that are resistant to chemicals and solvents. They offer high resistance to heat and abrasion, but require a longer cure time and may discolor or become brittle. Often used to coat tank linings and environments exposed to strong chemicals. - Siloxane Epoxies Commercial Painting
Fast-curing epoxies that resist stain and acids while retaining good color and gloss. These are popular for high-performance industrial applications that need hard, abrasion resistant films. Resistant to heat and solvent is only fair. - Coal Tar Epoxies Commercial Painting
Adding coal tar to epoxy resin yields a coating that forms a thick film and resists fresh and salt water. It’s also inexpensive You can’t use these near potable water or where you want a color other than black. - Water-Based Epoxies Commercial Painting
These are made from non-yellowing acrylics to form hard finishes that are resistant to staining, abrasion, chemicals, solvents, and cleaning agents. They offer easy cleanup, but should not be used on rusty or ferrous metals without priming. - Epoxy Esters Commercial Painting
A mix of alky and epoxy resin, these form coatings that dry quickly and provide a durable, hard film. They are easy to work with, resist water and protect against alkalis better than regular alkyds do. They aren’t great for resisting solvents and weathering, and may quickly lose their gloss. - Waterbased Urethane Enamels Commercial Painting
Urethane coatings provide excellent gloss and color retention, with low VOCs, and good resistance to chemicals, impacts and abrasion. They clean up easily and come in a wide variety of colors. These are available in one- and two-component formulations. You should not clean WB-urethane surfaces with hydrocarbon solvents. - Aliphatic Urethanes Commercial Painting
These coatings provide good UV protection and perform well in cold or humid environments. The resist yellowing, chalking, chemicals and abrasion, and adhere well to many surfaces, especially concrete. These are also useful for marine applications.
PennCoat, Inc. has been providing industrial painting, commercial painting, epoxy flooring, and polished concrete services for nearly 30 years. Our experienced installers are trained and equipped with the proper knowledge and tools to ensure that every installation is installed efficiently and safely. PennCoat, Inc. provides service to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware. And we cover York, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Chester, Montgomery, Baltimore, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Bucks, Berks, and other counties in the surrounding area.