Alkyds, polyesters and acrylics for decorative coatings, wood and industrial applications — solvent- and waterborne.
Alkyd resins dry oxidatively: the film cures through the reaction of unsaturated fatty acids with atmospheric oxygen. Oil length is the dial that sets the behaviour — long oil lengths bring workability and flexibility, short ones hardness, gloss and faster through-drying. That is why alkyds remain first choice wherever application behaviour and adhesion to the substrate count.
Polyester resins take the other route: they do not cure on their own but are crosslinked — classically with amino crosslinkers in a stoving system. That puts them and the melamine resins in our range into the same formulation. Acrylic resins in turn bring hardness, gloss retention and resistance to yellowing wherever weathered surfaces and light shades are involved. Waterborne and high-solids grades are the usual answer when a VOC target has to meet the familiar property profile.
What matters when choosing
Oil length — it governs drying, hardness and application behaviour
Solvent- or waterborne
Calculate solids content against the VOC target
For polyesters: compatibility with and ratio to the crosslinker
For acrylics: gloss retention and yellowing stability on weathered surfaces
Yellowing and weathering stability for the place of use
Check drying time in the real build-up, not on a single film
Selection guide at a glance
Type
Character
Typical use
Long-oil alkyd
Air drying, elastic, easy application
Decorative and trade paints, stains
Medium/short-oil alkyd
Harder, faster through-drying, higher gloss
Industrial coatings, primers
Saturated polyester
For stoving systems with crosslinker
Coil & can coating, industrial stoving enamels
Acrylic resin
Gloss and colour retention, yellowing-stable
Weathered and light-coloured surfaces
Waterborne / high-solid grades
Reduced VOC balance
Systems with VOC requirements
Guide values for initial orientation — our assessment as a distributor. The manufacturer's technical data sheet and trials in your own system are decisive.
Trade names in our range
Extract from our product database. Click a name — Coaty will explain the product to you.
Technical data sheets and free samples come directly from us — no detour via the manufacturer. Prices on request.
