CONCRETE COATINGS

The paints and coatings industry offers an increasing number of different technologies, each possessing their own benefits and drawbacks. In a sea of possibility, several solutions float to the top, and have proven themselves as high-performing, cost-effective, and long-lasting in almost any coatings project. Chief among them are polyurea and polyurethane, two sister materials with similar but distinct physical properties that together can be used to create robust coatings systems. For concrete coatings, they’re the ultimate choice for full-surface protection, functioning as both a waterproofing layer and a durable protective coating.

Polyurethane was the first of the two materials to be developed, and is generally cheaper and more flexible than its polyurea counterpart. Additionally, polyurea can be applied as a spray foam, which has seen its widespread use as building insulation and soundproofing material, but can serve just as well to protect concrete surfaces from water, chemical exposures, and UV radiation. Polyurea was developed more recently, and stemmed from a demand for a material similar to polyurethane, but with superior moisture resistance and faster curing times. Polyurea is exactly that; it’s easy to apply in wet or humid environments, and cures within minutes after application to reduce operational downtime. If that wasn’t enough, polyurea is also stronger and more resistant than polyurethane, making it prized in countless different applications, from truck bedliners to military blast mitigation.