Low-VOC or Waterborne Paint? Here’s the Latest News Part VIII
There is a balance to strike that at present seems a bit lofty. If the costs are not in line, then the shops and technicians that are not in states requiring low-VOC, will continue to use National Rule.
While the low-VOC formulators are dealing with their own set of challenges, waterborne chemists have the challenge of achieving durability and gloss levels in a waterborne clearcoat. Putting water as a solvent into resins that can hydrolyze and break down durability are issues. The goal is to attain “true waterborne” and not just “water reducible.”
Let’s face it, waterborne is going to require a paradigm shift both in its creation and in the shops or mobile businesses thinking. It will be most important that fear does not drive decisions and patience and open-mindedness will need to be in the forefront. As long as there is the option of low-VOC systems that feel just like the National Rule which they have always used, it will be a hard sell for waterborne. Not having to endure the extra cost or capital investment needed with waterborne is a comfortable place to dwell.
As far as the future is concerned, waterborne is seen by some as a long-term solution that will happen over time as the industry shifts towards a more truly green solution.
As it relates to productivity, the low-solvent product might dry a bit too fast for some applications such as a high-metallic job on a truck where the waterborne systems are ideal for larger jobs and allow productivity to remain intact.
What happens going forward, as it pertains to you and your business, is entirely up to you. In the meantime, no matter which system you want to use, or both, there are spray guns that could use one spray system, you will just need to do the research to discover what will work best for you.
