What are the Differences between Exterior Paints and Industrial Coatings?

Have you ever wondered, “What is the difference between exterior paints and industrial coatings?”

Not the weightiest philosophical inquiry, I reckon, but important nonetheless when you need to protect your property and assets.

Long story short: the key differences between exterior paints and industrial coatings lie in their intended application, durability requirements, performance needs, chemical formulation, preparations steps, and (you guessed it) cost.

If you’re interested in looking into the distinctions between exterior paints and industrial coatings more deeply, here are some aspects of each:

Exterior Paints

Purpose:

• Designed for residential or commercial buildings (such as homes, offices, and storefronts).
• Used primarily for aesthetic appeal and basic weather protection.

Key Features:

• Easier to apply than industrial coatings (typically using a brush, roller, or sprayer).
• Provides ultraviolet (UV) resistance, color retention, and moisture protection.
• Usually acrylic- or latex-based for environmental friendliness and ease of use.
• Not formulated to handle extended periods of extreme weather conditions or chemical exposures.

Exterior Paint Application Examples:

• House siding, retail storefronts, trim, fences, decks, sheds, handrails, and garage doors.

Industrial Coatings

Purpose:

• Designed for harsh environments where surfaces need to withstand chemical exposure, high heat, abrasion, water corrosion, or heavy wear.
• Focuses more on protection than appearance (although aesthetic appeal can be a secondary benefit to industrial coatings, too. Think of pipes covered in company brand colors or a logo-bearing water tower).

Key Features:

• Formulated with epoxies, polyurethanes, polyureas (a type of polymer), or fluoropolymers for toughness.
• Often requires professional application and extensive surface preparation (e.g., sandblasting, priming, and/or electrostatic application – a technique that uses electrical charges to make the coating material adhere more efficiently to conductive surfaces with more precision and reduced overspray).
• Includes anti-corrosion, anti-slip, chemical-resistant, or fire-resistant properties.

Industrial Coatings Applications:

• Oil & gas pipelines, steel structures, metal awnings, water tanks, bridges, factories, heavy-traffic warehouses, exposed stairways, lab cabinets, recreational equipment, and machinery.

Now, you have a few distinctions between exterior paints and industrial coatings to consider for your own project. And you’ll be happy to know Trusted Coatings has decades of experience preparing residential, commercial, and industrial surfaces to professionally apply both paints and coatings. Please contact us with any questions you may have.