High-Performance Industrial Coatings Expand Into Architectural Coatings Market

Historically, high-performance industrial coatings were used to protect large-scale infrastructure. The coatings safeguarded elements, such as bridges and industrial concrete floors, from corrosion, abrasion, and chemicals. Now the architectural coatings market is demanding more sustainable architectural coatings with the durability and protection properties of proven industrial coatings.

Organizations such as the Master Painters Institute (MPI) and the Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC) are developing standards specifically designed to drive greater performance in commercial architectural coatings that also satisfy the different needs of this market.

Steven Reinstadtler, construction marketing manager for coatings at Bayer MaterialScience LLC, discussed the migration of industrial coatings into the architectural coatings sector when he recently presented “The Sustainable Movement of High-Performance Industrial Maintenance Coatings into Architectural Markets” at SSPC 2013.

Sustainability for the architectural coatings value chain means higher durability and solids, longer time between maintenance cycles, waterborne systems with fewer volatile organic compounds (VOC) and solvents, and lower odor. Good aesthetics are just as important. Decision makers in this market drive sustainability in the built environment, said Reinstadtler.

The resulting next-generation coatings perform with the expected durability, scrubbability, and chemical resistance possessed by industrial coatings, while also fulfilling additional architectural coatings requirements of color retention, low VOCs and odor, low sheen, and a fast return-to-service time. Several application areas have experienced a successful migration of industrial coatings into the architectural coatings market. Reinstadtler detailed their successful use in flooring, interior and exterior wall, and graffiti-resistant applications. As technologies and formulations continue to improve, industrial coatings will be further incorporated into the architectural coatings market, according to Reinstadtler.

“Industrial coatings manufacturers are developing tailored products to enhance existing industrial coatings,” he said. “This helps to address applicators’ desires to use high-performance industrial coatings in the commercial architectural coatings market.” +