Adelaide Industrial Coatings: Different Types Of Coating Materials

You will need to engage the services of a qualified and experienced industrial coatings team in Adelaide, if you would like to get your job done right. In one of our previous articles, we shared with you how you can hire the right contractor. Here in this article, what we want to focus on is the different types of industrial coatings.

If you know what these are, you will be able to understand the importance of what your contractor is trying to communicate with you when you consult with them. As such, you will be able to make the right decision, and also communicate your desired preference with the contractor.

1. Polyurethane coatings

Polyurethane coatings are one of the most favoured coats because of their abrasion-resistant properties. Most people think that polyurethane is only used in wooden furniture, but this is far from the truth. It is also used as a topcoat for a lot of things, even for industrial purposes.

Polyurethane is scratch-free, and this is why it is best suited for indoor use—for things that are expected to be heavily used.

Here are the advantages of polyurethanes:

• They have good abrasion-resistant properties
• They can be used in high-gloss, semi-gloss, or matte finishes
• Some types of polyurethane can fight UV from the sun
• They Have low VOC formulations so it reduces health risks
• They can perform well underwater

The main disadvantage of polyurethanes is that they contain a chemical compound called isocyanate. This is a harmful carcinogen and those who apply this must wear high-grade protective equipment. Once dry however, polyurethane does not expose people to risk.

As far as price is concerned, some polyurethanes are more expensive than epoxies, but this really depends on the brand and type of polyurethane that you will use.

2. Epoxy coatings

The next most common type of industrial coating is epoxy. We all know epoxy as an adhesive, but that is only one type. There are types of paints where epoxy is the main component.

Epoxy products are a little demanding. They need hardeners to work, and not all products and brands use the same ratios. Some epoxy brands have a 1:1 ratio between the epoxy and the hardener, while some use 2:1 and even 3:1.

If the mixture ratio is incorrect, the epoxy is not going to cure. Therefore, it is best to hire an experienced industrial coatings team in Adelaide to do this job. Epoxy is wonderful because it offers a lot of benefits.

Here are the advantages of using epoxy:

• Epoxy is hard, and it is highly resistant to abrasion
• Once it has dried, it is also highly resistant to chemicals
• It performs well underwater

One big disadvantage of epoxy is yellowing. Over a long period of time, epoxy develops a yellow colour. This is because epoxy is non-UV resistant. Epoxy is a great coating to be used for indoor purposes, but not for outdoors.

Another advantage of an epoxy coating is that dye can be used to change the colour. Most epoxies are manufactured in crystal clear form.

3. Zinc-rich coatings

Sometimes, this is referred to as organic coatings. They also contain either polyurethane or epoxy binders. Some zinc-rich coatings are inorganic, which means that they have other binders such as silicates.

What makes zinc a good coating product is that they offer galvanic protection. Zinc is mostly used on metal surfaces because of its ability to protect the metal from oxidation. What happens is that it is the zinc that corrodes, rather than the metal that it protects. As such, you can simply apply a new coat once the zinc coating that protects the metal surface has corroded.

Here are the advantages of using zinc-rich coatings:

• Zinc is also resistant to abrasion
• Zinc protects the metal underneath, so it can be used outdoors and even for plumbing systems
• Zinc is highly durable

One of the issues with zinc is that after applying it, it requires another layer of topcoat above it, or it will corrode easily. The surface preparation is also meticulous. The metal must be properly sanded. Zinc does not work great with chemicals, so we cannot recommend it as a coating for surfaces that are subject to chemical exposure.

How to choose the right Adelaide industrial coatings contractor

Now that you know the most common types of coatings, we need to discuss how you can best choose the most appropriate industrial coatings contractor in Adelaide, to work with. Below are some of our tips.

• License – only work with licensed contractor. Licenses are issued by the government to those who have passed the requirements. A licensed contractor is a legitimate contractor, and you are assured that they will do their jobs in compliance with the Building Code of Australia.

• Experience – choose a contractor who has been in the industry for a while. This ensures that your project is not going to be an experiment. We at Australian Construction have been in this industry for over 20 years.

• Reputation – the last thing you need to check is the contractor’ dependability. Ask around your area to find out who the best contractors are. You can also check online for feedback and reviews. One such website where you can find reviews is Trustpilot.

Use these tips as a guide—make yourself a checklist. If the contractor you are collaborating with now does not meet these conditions, you have to start looking somewhere else. Or, you can give us a call at Australian Construction so that we can provide you with better guidance.

Summary: Adelaide Industrial Coatings

Choose the right type of industrial coating to ensure that it lasts. Give us a call at Australian Construction, and our industrial coatings team in Adelaide will be more than happy to be of service to you!

The first thing we will do is to discuss your needs over the phone. From there, we can schedule a site visit, so we can assess how much work is required. Once this is done, our engineers will work on a draft of the quote, which we will provide to you shortly thereafter.

The quote will show you the coverage of the project, what industrial coatings will be used, and how much the entire project will cost. We can discuss the details further and make amendments if you so wish afterwards. Contact our friendly team today!