Specialty Coating Services

Specialty coatings are formulated with advanced resins and additives that provide superior performance characteristics beyond conventional paints. They offer enhanced durability, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, and specific performance attributes tailored to challenging environments. While standard paints might last 3-5 years in typical conditions, specialty coatings can maintain their performance for 10-15+ years even in harsh industrial or high-traffic settings.

Selecting the right coating system depends on multiple factors including substrate material, environmental exposure (chemicals, UV, temperature extremes, moisture), mechanical stresses, desired appearance, and budget considerations. Our coating specialists conduct a thorough assessment of your specific requirements before recommending a system. This typically involves site inspection, understanding operational conditions, and sometimes even laboratory testing of substrates to ensure optimal coating selection.

The service life of specialty coatings varies based on the system selected and the environment. In general, high-performance epoxy systems can last 5-10 years in industrial settings, polyurethane topcoats 7-15 years in exterior applications, and polyaspartic floor coatings 7-12 years in commercial settings. Proper surface preparation, application techniques, and periodic maintenance can significantly extend these timeframes. We provide specific life expectancy estimates for each coating system we recommend.

Surface preparation is critical for specialty coating performance. Requirements vary by substrate and coating type but generally include thorough cleaning to remove contaminants, abrading to create a profile for adhesion, and sometimes chemical treatments. Concrete typically requires mechanical preparation like diamond grinding or shot blasting to achieve proper profile. Steel often requires abrasive blasting to near-white metal (SSPC-SP10). Precise preparation requirements are specified for each coating system to ensure optimal adhesion and performance.

Many modern specialty coating formulations feature reduced VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) content to meet environmental regulations and sustainability goals. We offer water-based epoxies, high-solids formulations, and solvent-free options that minimize environmental impact while maintaining performance requirements. For projects with specific environmental concerns, we can recommend green coating options that have received third-party certifications for low emissions, sustainable ingredients, or reduced environmental impact.

Return-to-service times vary significantly among coating types. Traditional epoxy systems typically require 24-72 hours before light foot traffic and 5-7 days for full chemical and mechanical resistance. Polyaspartic coatings offer rapid cure times, allowing foot traffic within 2-4 hours and vehicle traffic within 24 hours. Some specialty systems like certain polyureas can permit return to service in as little as 1-2 hours. We provide detailed cure schedules for each project and can recommend fast-cure systems when downtime must be minimized.