Every building surface needs protection from damage caused by regular use, deterioration and harmful environmental factors. According to construction experts, an efficient way of maintaining the aesthetics of buildings and ensuring their durability is by applying protective coatings. These experts recommend using water based lacquer for the most effective protection for walls.

In this article, we will discover how water based lacquers improve scratch resistance and longevity of building surfaces.

What is Water Based Lacquer?

Water based lacquer is a type of lacquer finish with water as its main solvent. Usually, conventional solvent-based lacquers use one or more VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), however water-based lacquer is designed to be eco-friendly and not harmful to the health of occupants. This is why it is mainly manufactured by mixing sustainable raw materials, such as water, resins and select additives. These ingredients are chosen because they swiftly evaporate once they are applied, and only form a strong layer of protection.

The main ingredients used to make water-based lacquers have incredible benefits.

Additives

Each additive is carefully chosen for making water-based lacquers. They are selected for their ability to enhance certain characteristics of the lacquer, such as quicker drying, strong adhesion, and better resistance to harmful UV rays.

Resins

The most commonly used resins in water-based lacquers are polyurethane, acrylic or a hybrid of both. These resins induce significant strength and durability to the protective layer.

Pigments

Though optional, sometimes pigments are added to water based lacquer to enhance aesthetics, by giving the surface vibrant colors and increasing their appeal.

Water-based lacquers are most popularly used for their ease of application, low odor, and quicker drying period. This makes the lacquer the top choice of professional builders and homeowners alike.

What are the uses of Water Based Lacquer?

Water-based lacquers are used for a variety of purposes in the construction industry, globally. Their incredible protective properties and versatile characteristics make them ideal for application on different types of surfaces, such as –

Concrete

Wood-based lacquers are most commonly used as sealants for concrete floors, pavements and even walls. The lacquer gives concrete surfaces a remarkably smooth finish and also improves the aesthetics of concrete surfaces.

Metal

Water-based lacquer also provides incredible protective to metal surfaces against deterioration from regular use, and even corrosion. Hence, these lacquers are mostly used to protect metal gates, railings, and similar fixtures.

Wood

Water based lacquer is often used to safeguard wooden structures, such as wood floors, furniture, windows and doors. These lacquers not only enhance scratch resistance and protect against moisture damage, but also enhance the aesthetics by highlighting the natural grain of the wooden items.

Decorative

At times, water-based lacquers are also used as decorative finishes. These can be either matte or glossy, and excellent to enhance the interior and exterior aesthetics of buildings. 

What are the Advantages of Water Based Lacquer?

Water-based lacquers provide more than surface protection. These are ome of the major advantages of using water-based lacquer are –

Easy to Apply

Water based lacquer is extremely easy to apply. You can choose to spray it, or apply using a roller or paintbrush. The lacquer, once applied, dries quickly and effectively decreases the downtime of construction.

Increase Durability

Water-based lacquers are manufactured using natural resins and other compounds. This helps to enhance the durability of surfaces by providing a strong, uniform protective layer against scratches, stains, etc.

Eco-friendly Solution

The water based lacquer has a significantly lower emission of VOCs. Thus, using water-based lacquer has a less harmful impact on the environment, and makes them completely safe for use on indoor surfaces. In addition, high-grade water based lacquers from reliable brands, such as Sakshi Chem Sciences Pvt. Ltd. align with modern-day eco-friendly construction regulations.

Enhanced Aesthetics

As water-based lacquers can be bought in different shades and colors, as well as finishes (matte and gloss), they are incredibly useful to enhance the aesthetic appeal of walls and ceilings. 

How Water-Based Lacquers Protect Against Scratches and Ensure Longevity?

Though concrete is durable, it still suffers damage from regular use, scratches and harsh weather conditions. However, applying a layer of water based lacquer can effectively make it scratch resistance and improve longevity of the structure by –

Increasing hardness

Water-based lacquers contain special resins that seep deep within the concrete surface to increase its hardness and make it more resistant to scratches and damage from impact.

Protective layer

Water-based lacquers applied on concrete surfaces quickly create a transparent but consistent and strong layer upon evaporating. This film of lacquer effectively protects the concrete surface against damage from chemical spills, stains and physical stress.

Conclusion

Water based lacquer is one of the most effective solutions to improve scratch resistance and longevity of concrete surfaces. They contain special ingredients that not only make the surface resistant to physical damage, but also ensure longer durability to the buildings. For best results, it is advised to buy only the best-grade water based lacquer from Sakshi Chem Sciences Pvt. Ltd., the leading brand for excellent construction chemicals in India.