United States. Sherwin-Williams, through its Industrial Wood Coatings Division, invited industry professionals at the recent AWFS Show in Las Vegas to participate in a "Waterborne Challenge" to determine if they could distinguish between water-based and solvent-based finishes.
The Waterborne Challenge consisted of 14 panels finished in a variety of light and dark spots and in paints. Participants were asked to identify which panels had been finished with a water-based finish and which with a solvent-based finish. Of the 67 participants who took the challenge, 49% of the answers were incorrect, and only 51% of the answers were guessed correctly. No participant reached 80%, with the highest score identifying only eleven correctly.
"The outcome of the Waterborne Challenge is a good indication of what we've been saying all along – if you haven't tested water-based today, you haven't tried water-based," said Joe Kujawski, Global Marketing Director for Sherwin-Williams' Industrial Wood Coatings line. "Stores currently using solvent-based finishes are in a pleasant surprise when it comes to water-based coatings. These finishes are light years ahead of what was available even five years ago."
To support that claim, Sherwin-Williams has developed an infographic that dispels popular myths surrounding aqueous coatings.
Myth #1 – Water-based coatings are more expensive than solvent-based coatings.
Myth #2 – Finished products in an aqueous coating have a poor look and feel.
Myth #3 – Water-based coatings don't work as well as solvent-based coatings.
Myth #4 – Water-based coatings won't help you grow your business.
"Water-based technology is literally the wave of the future of wood finishing," Kujawski said. "Now is the time for manufacturers of kitchen furniture, wooden furniture and wood construction products to explore this technology."
