While we love polyurea as much as the next person (probably more), we also think it’s unfair that it gets all the love after every new installation of a high-performance coating system. The truth is that every step of the surface preparation phase also occupies a crucial role, and without it, we’d have fewer polyurea systems, performing at lower standards, and listed at higher price points. Namely, we’re thinking about the role of roll-on primers (see what we did there), which are used as a “coating before the coating.” But why? Aren’t polyurea coatings enough on their own? Let’s explore some of the reasons why we love roll-on primers for countless different projects and applications.
4 Reasons to Use Polyurea Roll-On Primers
- Better Adhesion – Probably the number one reason to employ the help of a roll-on primer is to improve adhesion, or the connection between the coating and the substrate. By placing this intermediate primer layer, coatings have a modified surface to which they can bond more strongly than they could to the surface directly. The better the adhesion, the better the performance, so improving adhesion quality is a major advantage of polyurea roll-on primers.
- Improved Surface Sealing – Coatings are often if not always used to prevent moisture and contaminants from penetrating the internal structure beneath a substrate’s surface, which is a process typically referred to as sealing. Roll-on primers help ensure effective and long-lasting surface sealing, preemptively addressing any inadequacies upon the application of additional layers of coating materials. Otherwise, surface damage and substrate imperfections can reduce the protective potential of the main coatings system.
- Anti-Corrosion – Corrosion is a never-ending nightmare when it comes to structure or surface preservation. By virtue of surface sealing, substrates are insulated from the outside environment, including from water, moisture, and other corrosive chemicals. The main coatings layers and potential top coat layers will further assist in preventing corrosion, but roll-on primers certainly help to reduce the risk to as close to zero as possible.
- More Uniform Surfaces – One of the goals of surface preparation is to make the substrate highly uniform, or in other words, to ensure that the height of the surface is level and without debris or contamination that breaks compositional uniformity. Roll-on primers make this easy, using this new upper layer to establish a coating surface that’s uniform in every sense of the word.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does polyurea need a primer?
Surface preparation is key for a quality polyurea coating installation, which can take several forms depending on the formulation, substrate, application environment, and operational conditions. Primers represent one broad category of surface preparation, where a different coating is used to facilitate high quality adhesion, surface sealing, and surface uniformity, while also protecting against corrosion.
Can polyurea be rolled on?
Polyurea is most often applied using high-pressure spray equipment that allows expert applicators to deftly navigate complex surfaces for a fast and effective installation. However, other application methods can be used for reasons of convenience or availability, including by being rolled-on. Roll-on formulations are just as safe and effective, and simply offer an alternative to more technically challenging and resource intensive spray-on techniques.
Are polyurea roll-on primers expensive?
Polyurea primers typically constitute only a small percentage of the overall cost of a new coatings system. Compared to their impact on overall performance and longevity, and thus their reduction of the need for maintenance and repairs, their costs are often trivial, or even negative! So while they do have a modest upfront cost, they’re a rather inexpensive addition to any new system.
In Summary
Polyurea roll-on primers are an easy and cost-effective technology for preparing a surface for a new coatings installation. They can constitute as the main feature of the substrate preparation phase, helping to improve adhesion, surface sealing, and surface uniformity, while also helping to resist corrosion. Primers aren’t always necessary, but often highly beneficial, and can be easily rolled-on with many formulations for a cost-effective and convenient solution.
