Canadian Finishing & Coatings Manufacturing Magazine September/October 2021 - 26

INDUSTRIAL FINISHING: WATERBORNE WOOD FINISHES AND STAINS
Waterborne Wood Finishes Continue
to Grow Market Coverage
W
aterborne coatings for wood have come a long
way in the past decade. Not all the technical
issues have been solved, and some might be
insoluble. These include raising the wood grain
through penetration of it by the water content, as well as the need
to prevent microorganisms becoming active in the formulations.
But most companies that have tried them have adopted them
for a broad range of applications, and are willing to deal with the
possible drawbacks.
Waterborne coatings usually contain a maximum of five
percent solvent, and along with UV coatings fall into the category
of ultra-low emissions coating systems. Some are 1K, while
others, the 2K coatings, are crosslinked using a polyurethane
hardener.
The latter, suppliers claim, are often equivalent to 2K solventbased
coatings in terms of durability. AkzoNobel Wood Coatings,
for example, offers both types in its Aqualit Color Primers, while
asserting that the 2K type can offer superior performance.
Its waterborne specialty topcoats, AkzoNobel says, offer
good transparency, good filling power, and good mechanical and
chemical resistance, especially against cream and grease. They
can be used as a 1 or 2 pack, and are easy to sand, as well as being
lightfast. Their primary areas of use are interiors, furniture,
cabinets, and especially, on stairs.
The AqualitColor AC series for topcoats offers, the company
says, good filling and hiding power, and good mechanical and
chemical resistance. It can be employed on open and closed pore
surfaces, and is lightfast.
The main areas of use are interiors, furniture, kitchens, and
cabinets, especially in bathrooms. Here, the topcoats should be
combined with an insulating sealer or primer. The binder used is
acrylic.
Quebec-based formulator Canlak was recently purchased
by funds working with SK Capital Partners, LP, a private
investment firm focused on the specialty materials, chemicals
and pharmaceuticals sectors. Canlak has been combined with
U.S.-based Valentus Specialty Chemicals, and the new operation
is intended to form a North American wood coatings firm called
Canlak Coatings, based in North Brunswick, NJ.
Normand Guindon, former CEO of Canlak Inc., remains as
Execuive Chairman of the board, with Robert Jamieson, a veteran
of the Quadrant group of companies among others, as President
and CEO of the conjoined venture.
The Canlak line of waterborne products for wood remains in
the marketplace. This includes the Aqua-Syl self-crosslinking
products. Aqua-Syl WB Series 165, as one example of this, is a
clear, acrylic self crosslinking product used for finishing kitchen
cabinets and similar woodwork.
The product is applied to a thickness of three wet mil, and
becomes dust-free in 25 to 30 minutes. It is ready to handle in 40
to 55 minutes.
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Canlak's 185-101 is an ultra clear, water-based, self
crosslinking, acrylic sealer. It can be used on various wood
substrates, reportedly providing very little grain rising, as well as
clarity levels similar to a solvent sealer.
Product 724-105 is a white water-based basecoat. This
product has been designed to be applied on hard wood, veneer
and claims to be excellent for medium-density fiberboard (MDF).
It was specifically developed to avoid swelling of the fibers and to
achieve excellent adhesion on many wood species.
" This is very economical, " Canlak states. " This formulation
has very good opacity and filling properties and is non-yellowing.
It is low in VOC, and is formaldehyde free. It is compatible with
our 165 and W490 products. "
WB Polyurethane Sealer W110 and W120 topcoat are both
one-component formulations. The former is recommended for
the finishing of flat panels, kitchen doors, moldings and all other
components fabricated from wood and MDF.
" This product was designed to gives excellent clarity and it is
very easy to sand, " Canlak says.
The W120 topcoat reportedly gives excellent durability and
chemical resistance. It is recommended for use over a variety of
wood species.
Among other products, Duro-Lak Inc. offers a range of waterbased
fire retardant architectural clear wood coatings. These
clear systems are easy to apply, the company says, and feature a
water-based sealer, but a solvent-based topcoat.
" They are fast-drying, offer excellent mar and scratch
resistance, and also good chemical resistance, " Duro-Lak says.
The fire-retardant substances are compounded into the formulas.
Katilac Coatings Inc. (KCI) has its Aqua-Elite family of oncomponent,
acrylic waterborne topcoats. These are available in
white (the AEW series) and clear (the AE series).
" Aqua-Elite topcoats are non-yellowing, non-flammable, low
VOC, and HAPs free, " KCI says. " They are specifically designed
for high demand interior wood finishing such as cabinetry and
millwork. "
KCI's AE series consists of clear coatings that are 31 percent
solids by weight, and 28 percent solids by volume. The related
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