Waterborne acrylic coatings are typically used in applications defined as light to medium duty. For these applications, they are an excellent alternative to solventborne coatings, such as oil-based alkyds. There are a number of important differences between waterborne acrylics and solventborne coatings of which applicators and end-users should be aware. An understanding of these differences will allow an informed decision on what type of coating to use for a particular application. This section is designed to compare some of the key features of waterborne and solventborne coatings, with an emphasis on oil-based alkyds, as described in the following links:

Health, Safety and Environmental

Fundamental difference between waterborne latex and solventborne binders

Mechanism of Film Formation – a key to understanding waterborne acrylics

Effects of environmental conditions during application

Equipment considerations

Surface Preparation requirements

Return to Main Page