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Epoxy Paints 101 -

The Epoxy Paint Info Page

Your Host and Tour Guide:

Paul Oman, MS, MBA - Progressive Epoxy Polymers, Inc.

Member: NACE (National Assoc. of Corrosion Engineers), SSPC (Soc. of Protective Coatings), Dept of Defence Corrosion Exchange (www.dodcorrosionexchange.org)

"Professionals helping Professionals"

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Epoxy Paints come in lots of 'flavors.' The purpose of this page is to get you up to speed about epoxy paints and to compare the different epoxy paints offered by Progressive Epoxy Polymers (they also sell marine epoxies, underwater epoxies, epoxy putties, fillers, etc.)

What separates general purpose epoxy paints (and non-epoxy paints) for epoxy and non-epoxy floor paints, plain marine resins, or even water, is their thixotrophic properties. The term has to do with internal gelling of the paint. Thixotrophic additives, such as fumed silica, give the coating the ability to 'gel' after application. This means when applied to a vertical surface, such as a wall, the coating will be as thick at the top of the wall as it is at the bottom of the wall. Regular marine epoxy, floor paints/epoxies, and water, are non-thixotrophic and if applied to a wall would tend to flow or slump to the bottom of the wall, leaving very little of the coating near the top of the wall.

Epoxy paints, such as those offered by Progressive Epoxy Polymers, Inc., are used for marine barrier coats, equipment coating, pipelines, tanks and sumps, wastewater applications, etc.. The advantages of epoxy paints is that they can handle full time immersion, strong chemicals, and are very impermeable as well as tough. Many are solvent free so wet thickness will equal dry thickness (cracks will not reappear as the epoxy cures) and they are nearly odorless. Some can even be applied underwater. The disadvantages of epoxies are that they tend to be brittle, quickly yellow in sunlight (white becomes a creamy color, light blue becomes light green, etc.) and lose their shine in sunlight. The yellowing and loss of gloss (even chalking in some cases) is due to the affect of UV on ALL epoxies (some epoxies will yellow in days, others take weeks but they all do eventually).

The epoxy paints available from Progressive Epoxy Polymers come from several different formulators and are suitable both marine and industrial/commercial applications including barrier coats on boat hulls.

The major differences between the different epoxies are:

Color - although in large volumes (15 - 60 gallons depending upon the formulator) custom colors are usually available - but remember that epoxies yellow. Generally our epoxy paints are available only in one color, which varies from product to product.

Viscosity/fillers - solvent free epoxies tend to be somewhat thick, but all the epoxies considered here are rollable or brushable. (Progressive also sells thicker epoxies). Some are thinner than others making them slightly easier to brush or spray apply. Our FC 2100 epoxy contains both Kevlar (tm) microfibers and feldspar ceramic which complicates things if the product is to be spray applied. Generally many of these products can be applied at up to about 20 or 25 mils by brush or paint pad, however if applied by paint roller coating thickness is generally about 6-8 mils because the back side of the roller tends to lift (remove) a lot of the epoxy that the front end of the roller puts down. For more on this - CLICK HERE (www.epoxyproducts.com/roller.html) . Note that at 16 mils coverage is 100 square feet per gallon - at 8 mils it is 200 square feet per gallon.

Potlife - the amount of time after the two epoxy components are combined that they can be used before they begin to harden. Potlife is greatly affected by temperature (doubling or halfing every 18 degrees F or 10 degrees C) and by the amount and concentration of the epoxy. 12 ounces of epoxy in a cup will have a much shorter potlife than 12 ounces spread out on a floor or 3 ounces of epoxy in a cup. In really hot weather an epoxy with a long potlife may be necessary because an epoxy with a more 'normal' potlife may not provide enough working time (perhaps only 10 minutes or so). In cold conditions a 'fast' or short life epoxy may be necessary because the cold conditions will greatly slow down the epoxy reaction and stretch out the potlife considerably.

Price - this is self explanatory.

Shipping Restrictions - Most epoxies (actually just the curing agent - part B), and all products containing solvents are considered hazmat to ship. Generally these products can be shipped 'ground' without problem or special charges, but they are nearly impossible (or too expensive) to ship, especially in small amounts, by air or outside the USA. If you need air shipment or live outside the USA consider only the non hazmat classified coatings.

It has been our experience that epoxy paints fall into several price/application groupings that may not be obvious to most end users. These groupings help explain why epoxy paint prices seem to fall all over the place.


I) ‘A TEAM’ PREMIUM EPOXIES:
These are the really good, high-end epoxies. There’s lots of ‘wiggle room’ here, but general characteristics of epoxies in this group often are: solvent-free (0% VOC); non-hazmat to ship; suitable for full time immersion, often use a cycloaliphatic curing agent; often can be applied
underwater. Might be a novolac based resin, might be potable water (NSF 61) or nuclear (DBA) approved. Applications include: tanks, pits, sumps, pilings, marine hull barrier coats, waste water, manholes. Prices: generally about $80-$125 per gallon.

II) ‘B TEAM’ EPOXIES:
Many (not all) of these epoxies contain solvents, which generally reduce the physical properties of these epoxies. They are often used as ‘tie coats’ and general maintenance applications, such as coating machinery, tanks, walls, misc. equipment, etc. Coal Tar epoxies would commonly
fall into this group. Prices generally in the $50-$75 per gallon range

III) FLOOR EPOXIES:
Generally self leveling (non-thixotropic) versions of the “B Epoxies” but can sometimes also include the “A Premium Epoxies” and priced about the same. Price: $50-$90 gallon.

IV) EPOXY RESINS/MARINE EPOXIES:
Usually solvent free epoxies from the ‘floor epoxy’ group, but without the pigments. Savings from not using the pigments (and associated blending) is probably in the order of $5 per gallon, so the ‘real’ price should be about $40-$60 per gallon, but often the marine (boating) link adds $20 to the pockets of the vendors.

V) EPOXY PRIMERS AND SEALERS:
Generally solvent thinned versions of the marine/resin epoxies, with or without pigment. The amount of solvent used might be 20% to 70%. Cheap to make and cheap in volume for contractors, but small users pay a premium for the blending, packaging, marketing, and the often ‘marine’ label. Still, coverage is excellent so the cost per square foot is still reasonable. Prices about $45 to $60 per gallon.

SPECIAL NOTE: solvent free epoxies (0% VOC) are generally considered to be self primering, (no primers needed). However, without solvents, there bond is strictly a surface event so dust, weathering, very dry surfaces (such as repaint putties) etc. can provide a less than perfect surface for them to bond with. A solvent based epoxy primer, with the solvents penetrating the surface a little bit, can provide a better, well bonded, fresh, epoxy surface for a solvent free epoxy to adhere to.

Progressive Epoxy Polymers offers three primers: CM 15™ high build, low solvent epoxy primer, --One Pack Primer (a 'oil' based phenolic primer - cannot be sold in many parts of the USA) and™ low build, low solvent epoxy primer, -- ESP 155™ low solvent penetrating clear epoxy primer).

What can go wrong when applying an epoxy floor paint - www.epoxyproducts.com/problem.html

"Everyone's Guide to Instant Epoxy Expertise" -- Come Up to Speed About Epoxies Fast --- www.epoxyproducts.com/25points4u.html

HOME PAGE - www.epoxyproducts.com

Industrial/commercial catalog - www.epoxyroducts.com/main.html

Boating/marine catalog - www.epoxyproducts.com/marine.html

International (non-USA) catalog - www.epoxyproducts.com/international.html

MULTI-SITE DIRECTORY/INDEX WITH LINKS - www.epoxyproducts.com/map.html

Knowledge is Power - We like informed consumers!

Learn the basics of epoxy at our educational EPOXY 101 page - Click Here.

Finally, email us back with your questions or comments before you buy - EMAIL HERE

More information about Progressive Epoxy Polymers, Inc. (www.epoxyproducts.com/pep.html)