What Are High Solids Polyurea Coatings? And 3 Reasons Why It Matters

2018-08-22

According to Corrosionpedia, “A high solids coating is a single- or two-component coating formulated to have higher concentrations (>65%) of solid components (binders, pigments and additives) than a conventional coating, but still maintain satisfactory coating or application properties in spite of the lower percentage of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).”

(Our coatings qualify as high solids, typically ranging from 80-100% solids, whether primers, base coats or polyurea top coats.)

1 - It’s better for the environment… and your team’s health

Because less solvent (VOCs) are present, high solids coatings are generally considered more environmentally friendly than conventional coatings. Less solvent is emitted as it dries or cures, so there are low or no volatile organics (VOCs) during application.

Typical epoxy systems, by contrast, emit toxic, strong-smelling fumes for hours after application. The fumes are dangerous to installers as well as customers in the general vicinity. VOCs emit greenhouse gases and are suspected to be carcinogenic.

2 - Less material—and labor—needed for the same result

Usually, as component solvents evaporate during the drying process, coating thickness is reduced. To compensate, more coats are added until the desired thickness is achieved.

This is not necessary with high solids. 100% solids maintain the same level of thickness from the time they are applied to the time they have dried – with >80% solids not much different. Less required coatings mean less material needed—and less labor and time to apply it.

Also, according to this US Coatings article, fewer coats mean less chance of adhesion problems between coats, reducing overall time needed for the coating process, “since there are no multi-step curing procedures in between coats.”

3 - Faster dry and cure time

This final advantage can not be stressed enough. High solids = less solvents = quick cure time.

Coatings can be walked on in a matter of hours and are ready for vehicle traffic and return to service within 24 hours. We’ve talked about how one-day installations can impact your bottom line, allowing for greater efficiency and freeing your team to move on to other projects. Your customers will like it too: reduced downtime and quick project turnarounds mean they get their floor back in service fast.

Although high solids coatings may typically have a higher per-gallon cost, the overall per-project cost is lower, between saved labor costs, single-coat application, and quick cure time. It is the more user-friendly option, with low VOCs and less client downtime.

To see whether high solids are the best fit for your project, click here to schedule a call with one of our flooring experts.