Acrylic urethane is used to coat wooden floors.
Acrylic urethane is a material used as a protective coating. There are several different forms, and it is often used as a paint or a finish for items highly susceptible to damage, such as floors or boat hulls. The strong coating is the result of a chemical reaction.
Uses
Acrylic urethane is a material used to provide protective coatings for a number of different materials and applications. It is primarily used to coat automobiles and protect floors but is also used for wooden furniture and flooring, boat hulls, city water towers, fire escapes, handrails, industrial maintenance topcoats and as a general purpose metal coating. It is appealing as a coating because it is durable, resists scratching and cracking, is chemically resistant and comes in many colors and sheens.
Application
Acrylic urethane coatings require surface preparation before application because of relatively low adhesion. Often, they are applied over an epoxy primer. Sometimes surfaces are sanded before the application of an acrylic urethane coating to increase the adhesion. It can also be applied over water-based paints, which is useful for household applications. They are typically sprayed onto surfaces for an even coat but are easily brushed on, as well. Tools used with acrylic urethanes can be cleaned with water.
Chemistry
Acrylic urethane usually consists of two parts, an acrylic polyol solution, which is the acrylic part, and a polyisocyanate, though specific compositions can vary. Together, they form a substance that is a hybrid between acrylics and urethanes, which have different properties. The two react with each other to form the acrylic urethane coating. Acrylic urethanes may also contain solvents, which are materials that the solids are dissolved in. These solvents evaporate away once the coating has been applied. Acrylic urethanes may also contain colorants to add color to the final coat.
Curing
Although the solvent in an acrylic urethane evaporates, the coating itself is created through the process of the acrylic polyol and polyisocyanate reacting with one another to form a solid surface. Typically, acrylic urethane is mixed with an activator to start the curing process although acrylic urethanes with a different chemical composition that cure upon exposure to light are available. Because it is a chemical reaction, there are many ways to change the curing time. Chemicals that make the curing process slower or faster can be mixed into the acrylic urethane. In addition, the temperature changes the cure time, with acrylic urethanes curing more quickly in high heat.
