New coatings and color trends

Humanity seems to be getting back on track after a few tough years, and one of the most visible signs of recovery is an abundance of happier, brighter, and more impactful shades in the coatings we use to color our world.

But joyful tones aren’t the only things happening in finishing. Other strong themes are hygiene and environmental responsibility. The former may be reactive in the wake of Covid 19, while the latter is most definitely proactive – this January, the U.N. released an upbeat prognosis saying that the planet’s ozone layer is recovering nicely, thanks to international cooperation. To misquote Monty Python, it might be time to look on the brighter side of life.

Last year, AkzoNobel (akzonobel.com) reintroduced its antimicrobial Interpon AM range, which is typically used on surfaces in hygiene conscious environments such as hospitals, schools, and public transport. But another variation of Interpon from the Dutch manufacturer is turning more heads as it opens the door to advances in powder coating for wood. The company’s Interpon W is a protective coating that enables heat-sensitive substrates such as wood and wood-based products to be coated and cured in minutes. AkzoNobel notes that “the curing technology is customizable and affordable for even smaller businesses looking to convert to powder coatings”. To that end, the company has created a team of tech people to help shops design and customize a powder-coating line, and has created a website to give shop owners more info at hss.interpon.com/us.

Staying with the hygiene theme, Healthy Wood (healthy-woodmilesi.com) is a line of polyurethane, acrylic, UV, nitrocellulose, and waterborne wood varnishes from Milesi that are intended for interior surfaces. The line also includes self-sealers and topcoats for exteriors, and together they deliver some innovative sanitizing features. The company says that lab tests following ISO 22196 regulations show that bacterial growth is reduced by more than 99.9 percent on surfaces coated with these products. They can be used in kitchens, bathrooms, children’s bedrooms, and public spaces such as restaurants. The coatings feature sanitizing particles integrated directly in their formulation, allowing a perfectly homogenous distribution within the product. Entire coated surfaces remain consistently resistant to bacterial growth and, as the particles don’t evaporate, their sanitizing action lasts forever, even on surfaces cleaned with particularly aggressive cleaning agents.

Living Well is a paint collection from Sherwin Williams (sherwin-williams.com) that includes two versions of the company’s SuperPaint product. One has air purifying technology and the other has sanitizing properties. The company says that the air purifying paint “contributes to better indoor air quality by reducing VOC levels from potential sources such as carpets, cabinets and fabrics. It also helps rooms stay fresher, longer, with odor eliminating technology that breaks down unwanted household odors.”

In a now historic industry-wide trend, the decades-long move toward safer and less impactful waterborne coatings continues to gather pace.

Last fall, M.L. Campbell (mlcampbell.com) introduced a clear version of its Arroyo 1K waterborne topcoat, and the manufacturer notes that the product is environmentally conscious without sacrificing a shop’s throughput. This is a single-component, hybrid, water-based urethane system for interior use. Developed to apply easily, Arroyo reduces waste while improving productivity by eliminating additional mixing steps. It’s ready to spray with no reduction or catalyzation required, has an unlimited application window with no pot-life restrictions, and shows very good stability and fastness for both even and repeatable color, according to the company.

Chemcraft (chemcraft.com), a division of AkzoNobel, has introduced a new waterborne system called Acquaduro, which features new 2K polyurethane technology for exceptional chemical and water resistance as well as low VOC, HAPs and odor benefits, according to the company. It is available in pigmented and clear versions.

BASF (basf.com) has developed a way to offer two of the building blocks of responsible coatings, neopentyl glycol (NPG) and propionic acid, with a zero-carbon footprint. Produced at the company’s Ludwigshafen Verbund site in Germany, the products are available globally as NPG ZeroPCF and PA ZeroPCF. NPG is basic to powder coating and besides emitting minimal to zero VOCs, the process also reduces processing times and energy requirements. By applying NPG ZeroPCF, the carbon footprint of powder-coating resins can be reduced significantly. This can help manufacturers in the furniture industry achieve its Scope 3 CO2 emission reduction targets. Scope 3 emissions are not directly produced by a manufacturer itself, but are caused by the company’s business activities up and down its value chain (by, for example, its suppliers and customers). Due to its high chemical and thermal stability, NPG has proven itself as a building block to produce polyester and alkyd resins for various coatings and plastics. BASF’s zero footprint is being achieved by using renewable raw materials in a balanced biomass approach.

Decovery is a family of plant-based resins from the Dutch company DSM (dsm.com). The Decovery portfolio includes products with as much as 49% plant-based content. The company says that “waterborne paints are still largely fossil based. DSM has created a revolutionary technology to replace these fossil-based components with renewable materials, lowering the environmental footprint… without sacrificing performance.”

Color palettes can change quickly in the retail kitchen market, and custom cabinetmakers need to be aware where things are headed so they can offer clients a palette of contemporary choices. A good way to track trends is to check out the websites of the major manufacturers and keep abreast of the current year’s colors.

This year’s new trends seem to be pointing away from the grays, tans, and earth tones that manufacturers said gave people comfort during the pandemic years. We’re seeing splashes of vibrancy that suggest an upbeat market, and there’s strong evidence that the mood is translating into more colorful kitchens.

PPG Paints says that its 2023 color of the year, Vining Ivy (PPG1148-6), is “an enchanting deep aqua representing contemporary and traditional styles, perfectly marrying a touch of the past and a taste of the future.” It’s a deep, shaded, Caribbean aqua with a turquoise undertone that “can be considered quite traditional, classic, or elegant. This hue works in a variety of decorating styles – pair it with warm metal and wood finishes”. And in a nod to post-pandemic buying habits, PPG has also launched getpaint.com, which allows customers to buy paint online and have it delivered to the jobsite. They’re not alone in this.

The 2023 color of the year from Benjamin Moore (benjaminmoore.com) is Raspberry Blush (2008-30). It’s a saturated red orange “that enlivens our surroundings while awakening our senses with charismatic color. This vivacious color is unapologetic in its boldness,” according to the company.

One of the world’s largest paint producers, the Nippon Paint Group (nipponpaint-holdings.com), has a presence in North America through the Dunn Edwards Group (dunnedwards.com), and that company’s 2023 color is Terra Rosa. It’s described as “a deep, rosy-pink hue with a touch of terra-cotta influence that exudes confidence, creativity and coziness.” Again, this is a warm, joyful, upbeat pink that seems to say we’re ready to shed the pandemic years and do something fun for a change.

Going from pink to purple, Rust-Oleum (rustoleum.com) has chosen Gloss Grape as its spray paint color of the year for 2023. The company says that “this luscious shade of purple reflects creativity, well-being, and resilience.”

Axalta Coating System’s new Wood Pro app provides access to the company’s latest color trends and product information for the wood coatings market. For example, Axalta (axalta.com) has created the Wood Vibes collection, and the newest addition there is called Blossom. It keys in on flowers, and the colors run from “pastels such as muted blue, green, and soft shades of lavender to bold tonalities like earth brown, dark gray, and black.” The collection also includes light grays, whites, and warm beiges. And though it’s not intended for wood, the company’s 2023 global automotive color of the year, Techno Blue, reflects the energetic trend seen in cabinet coatings.

Behr Paint Co. (behr.com) is also sticking with muted tones for 2023. Described as a soft white hue with a warm undertone, its Blank Canvas underscores the manufacturer’s belief that people are still seeking solace. “We looked at our top-selling colors at Behr to determine the Color of the Year,” says Erika Woelfel, the company’s Vice President of Color & Creative Services, “and white paint colors were on top of the list. We were seeking a color that would inspire renewal, positivity, and a sense of calm. Blank Canvas is the most versatile shade of white, which made it an easy decision for us to select.”

Valspar is a Sherwin-Williams brand and for 2023 the company (valspar.com) has chosen a dozen pastel colors designed to emote “comfort, acceptance and joy.” Among them are Flora, which is a darker olive, and Desert Carnation which Valspar describes as a faded natural terracotta. Also new from Valspar is Defense, a new line of exterior paint and primer that provides protection through advanced beading technology to repel water and help prevent moisture damage.

Dutch Boy Paints 2023 color of the year is Rustic Greige, “a charming neutral that adds a touch of sophistication to any room and can be applied with just a single coat”. It’s a medium-toned neutral color with a slight red undertone, and it gives the illusion of being slightly washed. “Dutch Boy’s 2023 Color Trend Forecast is strongly rooted in the new ways we are experiencing life, nature and one another,” said Michelle Bangs, the company’s senior brand manager. “They’re warm yet bold, dependable yet creative, and inspirational yet soothing for mind, body and soul.”

Kelly-Moore is a Texas-based manufacturer that sells primarily to businesses. The company has an online resource at kellymooreshop.com where designers talk about recent projects and the trending colors they are using.

There are times when one still needs to use an oil instead of a water-based coating, especially in renovation work. Old Masters (myoldmasters.com) makes a 350 VOC interior oil-based clear polyurethane that is self-leveling and formulated for use on interior wood, metal, and fiberglass surfaces. It applies easily, dries quickly, and provides protection from abrasion, marring, chipping, alcohol, and water, according to the company.

Rubio Monocoat (rubiomonocoatusa.com) makes a plant-based, hard wax oil wood finish that is VOC-free, durable, matte and keeps the natural look and feel of the wood. It’s easy to apply, easy to maintain, and comes in 55 color choices. The company offers free ground shipping to the contiguous U.S. on orders over $49.

Odie’s Oil (odiesoil.com) also offers free shipping and this, too, is a hard wax oil that contains absolutely no solvents, so nothing will evaporate during the drying process. What is applied to the medium will stay in the medium, meaning a little Odie’s goes a long way – just buff a small amount into the surface, wait a bit, and buff off. It also contains no toxic chemicals, solvents, catalysts, VOCs, allergens, or hardeners, according to the company.

For shops that need to match topcoats on a stained surface, Bush Oil (bushproducts.com) forms “a durable grain-defining finish with a rich luster” that can be top-coated using conventional products such as nitrocellulose lacquers, urethanes, and rubbing varnishes, the company said.

Shops considering switching to powder-coating might want to visit Green-Fast-Cure (greenfastcure.com). The GFC process works by mixing fresh air and gas for a more effective infrared cure, which creates both time and energy savings for shops.

Grain filling can change the way a surface looks by hiding or highlighting the natural grain. Illinois-based Aqua Coat (aquacoat.com) manufactures eco-friendly water-based wood coatings, including grain and pore fillers plus stains, topcoats, seal coats, sanding sealers, and paints. Last fall, the company released a new version of its Clear Wood Grain Filler, which has higher solids, better fill, and requires fewer coats, according to the company.

For exterior coatings, ZAR Paint (zar.com) has created a new online interface for choosing colors. It can be a handy tool on the jobsite to show color ranges on a tablet or laptop to customers and contractors.

For shops that need to deal with unusual species in exterior jobs, Olympic’s Elite stain won Best Semi-Solid Stain and Sealant from Better Homes & Gardens. It’s made from a urethane-strengthened formula that protects the wood from cracking and peeling during the colder months and can be used on a variety of wood types, including less-common species such as Ipe.

And Dutch Boy Paints has introduced Exterior Stain + Sealer, available in four opacities, that delivers all-weather protection in a single coat, according to the company.  

This article was originally published in the March 2023 issue.