Waterborne Paint Trends

In order to protect the environment and provide a healthy workplace, clean air regulations and workplace rules have been enacted by the Federal government. These laws are having a direct impact on the owners of body shops and how they do business.

The most obvious effect is the reduction in the amount of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) emitted into the atmosphere. Initially, this was accomplished by reducing the amount of VOCs in paint, primers, thinners and solvents. But as we moved along in time, and the emission standards become more strict, the basic chemistry of paint products began to change. In many parts of the country, VOCs are out and water is in.

BACKGROUND ON REGULATIONS

VOC regulations are most stringent in the state of California for a simple reason. The air in Southern California is among the dirtiest in the country. While vehicles are the number one source of air pollutants, paints and solvents are estimated to contribute 12 percent to the overall VOC pollution. When Rule 1151 was passed in 1988, this brought about the widespread use of the high-volume low-pressure (HVLP) paint gun. This was done to meet the requirement that spray equipment had to achieve a minimum 65 percent transfer efficiency. But that wasn’t enough.

Rule 1151 was amended in July 2008 to regulate the VOC content of basecoats and clearcoat finishes. The original rule stated that the VOC content of these two coatings could be sandwiched to meet the standard. Typically, solvent-based basecoats emit 5 to 7 lbs/gal of VOCs. By covering the basecoat with a 2.1 lbs/gal clearcoat, the law was met. Now, the basecoat can emit no more than 3.5 lbs/gal.

Here’s where paint chemistry began to change. To meet the tighter standard, paint manufacturers used water as the carrier, or one of the exempt solvents that don’t cause smog (acetone was a popular choice). Regardless of the chemistry chosen, the basecoat didn’t emit more than 3.5 lbs/gal of these smog-causing vapors.

While body shops in most of California and all of Canada must meet the 3.5 standard, there are several areas likely to be regulated in the near future. Most of these are in the Northeast part of the country and in the Great Lakes region. Parts of Texas are also being targeted. Stay tuned.

SOME BASICS ABOUT WATERBORNE PAINT

In order to meet the 3.5 standard, water is not required to be used in paints and solvents. Exempt solvents can be used instead of water. And most paint manufacturers carry a line of compliant paints that meet the standard using solvents and not water. The main advantage to using exempt solvent paint is that the spray equipment that you currently use in your shop can be used with these coatings.
Note: waterborne paints require changes in spray equipment—more on that later. The biggest drawbacks are problems with color matching OEM finishes.

The biggest advantage to using waterborne paint is the fact that it is very environmentally friendly. This type of paint contains about 80 percent less VOCs than solvent-based paint. This results in cleaner air outside and inside your shop. In addition, you have a safer shop because your workers are inhaling far less of these harmful fumes.

Waterborne paints are also much safer than solvent-based paints. The reason is simple. This type of paint is less flammable than traditional paints, reducing the risk of fire. Furthermore, the use of waterborne paint might get you a break on your insurance rates.

Major paint manufacturers maintain that color matching, metallic control and blending characteristics meet or exceed the standards set by solvent-based paints. Also, pigment settling is not a major concern.

Up to this point, you might be asking yourself, “Why am I not using waterborne paint?” Well, as with most things in life, there are drawbacks. The main concern is equipment. While waterborne paint can be applied with conventional HVLP spray guns, these guns must be kept very clean. Dirt, oil and grease are not tolerated well by waterborne paint. Remember, too, that water can be corrosive, it is suggested that the internal parts in your spray guns be plastic and stainless steel. This will prevent the formation of rust.

While many people believe that waterborne paint does not dry as quickly as its solvent-based counterpart, this is not really true. If you don’t upgrade your ventilation equipment, well, this new paint probably won’t dry as quickly as the old stuff. But, don’t forget, there are trade-offs every time some new product is introduced. For the best results, though, the use of a down-draft spray booth should take care of any drying time issues. PPG says that many shops in California simply use inexpensive hand-held blowers to increase air flow and decrease dry times.

Storage is another concern. First of all, because of its basic chemistry (water is the main ingredient), waterborne paint can freeze. Be sure to store it in an area where this can’t happen. Also, since waterborne clearcoats aren’t widely used (and, according to many experts, this won’t happen), two storage areas need to be maintained, one for the solvents and the other for the waterborne products. Also, you’ll need to maintain separate disposal areas.

MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS

Whenever a new product is introduced in the marketplace, there are always rumors and misconceptions about what that product can and cannot do compared to the product it is replacing. This is very true in the case of waterborne paints. Let’s take a look at a few.

The first myth is that all waterborne paint is the same. This can’t be further from the truth. All 
the major paint makers agree that, while water is the main ingredient, the similarities end there. 
Other products, such as solvents and alcohol, are added that affect sprayability and performance. 
And the use of these products vary greatly from manufacturer-to-manufacturer.

Another myth is that the conversion from solvent to water-based paint will hurt production and efficiency. It has been found that this is more the result of a person’s natural resistance to change. In the long run, though, most shops realized their return on investment because of the cleaner application of waterborne paint and the high quality finishes obtained with this product.

Because of the concerns of slower drying times, Sherwin-Williams conducts a full facility analysis to address air supply equipment and potential booth updates needed to meet and exceed the expectations of its customers.

Another popular myth is that waterborne paint is difficult to spray, dry and manage compared to solvent-based paint. All paint manufacturers provide some level of training for their customers in the use and application of waterborne paint. For example, BASF has a program that will evaluate a body shop before the conversion to waterborne. This ensures that there will be no drop off in productivity and quality. Akzo Nobel, DuPont, PPG and Sherwin-Williams all have dedicated training programs for waterborne paint.

Five Chrysler Group LLC-Approved Waterborne Refinish Paint Suppliers and Their Approved Brands:

Akzo Nobel
• Sikkens Autowave MM
• Lesonal Basecoat WB

BASF
• Glasurit 90-Line
• R-M Onyx HD

DuPont
• DuPont Cromax Pro
• Spies Hecker Permahyd

PPG
• PPG Envirobase
• NEXA Aquabase Plus

Sherwin-Williams
• Sherwin-Williams AWX
• Martin Senour Vortex