Unique Waterborne Alternatives to Traditional Solvent-based Coatings for Industrial Wood Applications

By Laurie Morris

Solvent-based varnishes and lacquers have been the coatings of choice for industrial wood applications for many years. These coatings can provide an attractive durable finish that is cost effective. Kitchen cabinet and furniture manufacturers choose these coatings because they are fast drying, they are easily repaired, they tolerate climate differences well, and they are extremely forgiving. Some of these coatings have good chemical and water resistance as well as good wear resistance.

The disadvantage of these chemistries is the high volatile organic compounds (VOC), the extreme flammability, the odor, which causes poor indoor air quality, the formaldehyde emissions, and the pot life incurred when the conversion varnish is catalyzed with an acid catalyst. Due to increasing regulations, more environmentally friendly alternatives are now being considered. Waterborne (WB) acrylics, polyurethane dispersions (PUDs), and WB UV coatings are becoming more common for use in industrial wood applications because they have excellent resistance and mechanical properties, excellent application properties, and very low solvent emissions.

Self-crosslinking acrylics have very good durability and moderately fast drying times. PUDs have very good abrasion and wear resistance. WB UV chemistry is gaining market share over traditional solvent-based chemistry because it enables the end user to increase production efficiency and maintain a smaller manufacturing footprint.