The Latest Innovations in Painting and Coating We’re Most Excited About

Innovations in painting and coating take place all the time but commercial and industrial customers may not be unaware of them. Beyond adding color, painting and coating offer protection, cooling, grip, and other properties to surfaces and new technologies are taking these features to another level.

Customers may be unaware that a certain type of paint can offer an incredible feature or is better suited for a specific application which is why they must trust their contractor to select the paint that is best suited to the project, as selections are usually based on the paint’s performance ranking, durability and possible innovative properties. Also, customers should keep in mind that professional contractors must stay on top of the local laws and regulations that govern commercial, industrial and even housing industries, as well as the environmental impact of the paint or coatings used.

As one of the leading commercial and industrial painting contractors in the area, we make it a point to stay on top of painting and coating technology. Here are some of the innovations we are currently most excited about:

Smart Paint

You are well aware that smart technology is very much a part of how our homes and businesses run these days, but did you know that it also has infiltrated paint technology? Conductive paint has the ability to convert your wall into a smart device by turning it into a touchscreen. You read that right. Smart paint contains a conductive nickel grid that creates electrodes on the wall which then acts as a touchscreen and electromagnetic sensor, tracking your position, detecting objects, and responding to gesture commands. When this technology becomes commercially available, you will be able to control all of your smart devices from your wall. Smart paint can be an asset to all sorts of commercial businesses including offices, retail, restaurants, you name it.

Self-Cleaning Paint

Tired of needing to maintain your surfaces with regular cleaning? Self-cleaning paint makes use of nanotechnology, which deals with materials smaller than 100 nanometers. Paint containing nano-scale titanium dioxide yields finishes that rarely ever need cleaning. Tiny particles from the titanium dioxide give the paint new properties that react to light and repel or hold on to water droplets. This then reduces friction on the surface and lets dirt slide off easily or repels anything that could stain it. Such paint will allow you to retain its original color for years.

Antimicrobial Coatings

We’ve written about this type of coating before and we continue to see its popularity increase, especially now that we live in a post-pandemic world. Just as paint can be made resistant to dirt, it can also be engineered to repel potentially dangerous microbes through nanotechnology. Adding silver nanoparticles to paint, as researchers have discovered, can kill microbes on contact, keeping surfaces sterile without frequent disinfection. The medical industry has capitalized on this advancement and many others are getting in on the game as well. Any business involved in food handling can use these antimicrobial coatings on their equipment and surfaces. Schools and other institutions that regularly see lots of traffic or necessitate keeping the public safe, will also benefit from antimicrobial coatings that help to stop disease outbreaks and to protect staff and customers.

Solar Paint

Protecting the environment is on everyone’s agenda and the painting industry is no exception. Research and development teams have been hard at work to develop a solar paint, and have now successfully done so by infusing into paint tiny light-sensitive particles that absorb sunlight to convert it into energy. Some wiring is required to capture this energy, but most of the installation is as easy as painting a wall.

It’s incredible to think that you can make your roof or a wall into a massive solar panel with paint, but we are very close. Solar paint technology currently does not precisely mirror the efficiency of traditional solar panels, but it can support panels to generate as much clean energy as possible. And with more innovations taking place in solar paint, we will soon see a much quicker transition to 100% clean energy in the future.

Spray-On Antennas

If the above examples are conjuring thoughts of your favorite sci-fi pics, wait until we tell you about spray-on antennas. New paint technology has also led researchers to develop a spray paint that can transmit radio waves as effectively as a wireless router or mobile device. This innovation is very promising as we continue to see the value of expanding the internet of things (IoT) into our daily lives. Spray-on antennas have the potential to set up a wireless network virtually anywhere with minimal costs. This technology is still in its early stages, but its potential can have a large impact on commercial and industrial businesses nationwide.

Alpine Painting Remains Up-to-Date on Paint and Coating Innovations

Alpine Painting has been in business for decades and we’ve seen the industry go through many changes, all for the benefit of the consumer. We are thrilled to be a part of every step the industry takes towards a more efficient and technologically-advanced future. Count on us to always suggest the latest and most innovative painting and coating products and applications for your business. As there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all in what we do, you will always get customized and highly informed expertise in every interaction with us.