The industrial sector is actively looking for sustainable wood finishing alternatives. Primarily, it is the issue of environmental concerns coupled with the enforcement of tighter regulations. Below are some green choices mentione Sustainable Wood Coating Types
– Water-Based Coating: Water-based coatings are environmentally friendly, low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and are easy to wash off. The applications of these coatings are not limited to car parts; they can also be used on metal furniture and home appliances.
– Powder Coating: Powder coatings do not release any solvents or VOCs and thus are clean and safe from an eco-friendly point of view. They generate less waste compared to liquid coatings because any overspray can be collected and reused.
– High-Solids Coatings: The more solids content is in a coating, the fewer solvents and VOCs it will have. Consequently, these are a perfect solution for industrial applications requiring a robust and protective finish.
– UV-Cure Coatings: The wood finishing with UV curable coatings process is done by high energy coming from electron beams or ultraviolet radiation. Their attributes include metal corrosion protection, low energy consumption, and low energy costs, etc.
– Bio-Based Coatings: Bio-based coatings are composed of natural waxes, vegetable oils, and biodegradable biopolymers. Besides being easily decomposed, they are non-toxic, ergo are more environmentally friendly than the conventional ones.
• Benefits of Sustainable Wood Coatings
– Reduced Environmental Impact: The application of sustainable wood coatings leads to lower volatile organic compounds emissions, less waste – and the use of environmentally-friendly production methods.
– Improved Durability: These coatings, while giving minimum resistance to the attack of the abrasive forces, also tend to prolong the life of wooden products.
– Energy Efficiency: A majority of sustainable coatings are more energy efficient in the production and application stages, thus the total energy consumption is lower.
– Cost-Effective: One major characteristic of sustainable coats is that over time they will be the ones that lower energy and waste costs, thus becoming more cost-effective.
• Applications in Industry
– Furniture Making: The furniture sector is a heavily the area where these coatings are used. Here they act as a long-lasting and environmentally friendly finishing layer.
– Flooring: Coatings are applied on wood floors to protect them from normal wear and tear due to daily use and at the same time the floor’s carbon footprint is reduced.
– Cabinetry: Cabinets that are made using sustainable coatings will not only be safe from any chemical and allergen issues, but they will also be resistant and safe for the users.
• Key Players in Sustainable Wood Coatings
– Allnex: Offers wood coating products that are environmentally safe and are used in water-based and powder coatings.
– AkzoNobel: In the industrial wood coating sector offers environmentally friendly wood coatings with characteristics such as waste rate reduction, energy savings, and carbon footprint lowering, among others.
– Michelman: Manufactures highly durable water-based wood and non-wood surface products that do not compromise end-user protection.
– PPG: A company that produces sustainable coating systems for covering a wide range of industrial applications such as powders and UV-cure coatings.