Industrial paints compared
Epoxy vs PU vs Acrylic
Which paint grade is the better value for your job?
Three industrial coating systems — UV stability, price, lifespan, surface prep + Sahawatthanakit industrial paints in Thailand. ISO 12944, SSPC, ASTM covered
In short — which paint?
Depends on UV exposure + chemical exposure + budget. The table below helps you decide on real specs
Best chemical resistance — floor + primer
Epoxy
- Highest adhesion + chemical resistance of the group
- Factory floor coatings, machinery, chemical tanks, marine primer
- Mid-range price ฿250-400/L 2-pack
- Never bare outdoors — yellows under UV within 6-12 months
Best for
Factory floors, chemical containment, primer under a topcoat, marine immersion
UV stable + premium topcoat
PU (Polyurethane)
- UV resistant + high gloss + flexible (no cracking)
- Topcoat over epoxy = 20+ year system service life
- Highest price ฿350-600/L 2-pack — premium
- Outdoor work, automotive, signage, structural steel
Best for
Outdoor topcoats, structural steel, automotive, sun-exposed marine
Low cost + low VOC
Acrylic (water-based)
- Lowest VOC — suits interiors + ESG compliance
- Economical ฿100-180/L
- Surface dry in 24 hrs — rush jobs
- Low chemical resistance — interior only, not marine/heavy industry
Best for
Interior walls, offices, non-industrial warehouses, fast turnaround, antimicrobial acrylic-silicate concrete coating = food-grade
Full spec comparison table
| Item | Epoxy | PU | Acrylic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base chemistry | Bisphenol A + amine hardener (2-pack) | Polyol + isocyanate (2-pack) | Acrylic emulsion (water-based, 1-pack) |
| Chemical + corrosive resistance | Excellent — resists acids/alkalis/oils | Good — resists UV + some chemicals | Moderate — interior only |
| UV stability (Thai sun) | ✗ Yellows within 6-12 months outdoors | ✓ 10+ years of gloss retention | Moderate, 3-5 years |
| Lifespan (per ISO 12944) | 5-10 years (interior C2-C3) | 15-25 years (topcoat C4-C5) | 3-7 years (interior) |
| Price per L (Thai market 2026) | ฿250-400 (2-pack) | ฿350-600 (2-pack — premium) | ฿100-180 (water-based) |
| Applied cost per m² (incl. labor + prep) | ฿200-400/m² | + ฿200-300/m² (over epoxy) | ฿80-150/m² |
| Minimum surface prep | SSPC-SP 6 (commercial blast, Sa 2) | SSPC-SP 1 over epoxy | SSPC-SP 1 (solvent clean) |
| Cure time (full chemical resistance) | 7 days @ 25°C | 5-7 days @ 25°C | 24 hrs surface dry |
| VOC compliance | Moderate (solvent-based common) | Moderate-high | Very low (water-based) |
| Industrial paints (Sahawatthanakit) | 2-part solvent-free epoxy (zinc-rich primer) | 2-part polyurethane (UV-stable topcoat) | Water-based acrylic (interior) + antimicrobial acrylic-silicate concrete coating (food-grade) |
Specs per ISO 12944 Parts 1-9 / SSPC-PA 2 / ASTM D4541 / ASTM B117 / EPA REACH — Thai market price estimates, May 2026
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20-year paint TCO calculator
Life-cycle cost per KTA/NACE + ISO 12944 — free PDF report
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Read before you decide
Why the cheapest system today is usually the dearest over 20 years — think Life-Cycle Cost
Sticker price ≠ true cost · repaint cycles + downtime · ISO 15686-5 / ISO 12944
Read the guide
Related comparisons
Decide with confidence — compare from several angles
Read the related comparison tables — full specs, real prices, and a recommendation for each use.
FAQ
Common Questions
Q1.Epoxy vs PU vs Acrylic — which for what application?+
By environment + required properties:
• **Epoxy 2-pack** — factory floor coating, machinery, chemical tanks, marine primer. Best chemical resistance + adhesion. NOT UV-stable (yellows in sun)
• **Polyurethane (PU) 2-pack** — outdoor structures, signage, automotive topcoat. UV-stable + flexible + glossy (typically applied as topcoat over epoxy)
• **Acrylic (water-based)** — interior walls, general purpose, fast turnaround. Cheap + low-VOC but limited chemical resistance
Q2.How do prices compare in Thailand?+
Industrial pricing per L (2026 Thai market, 2-pack systems):
• **Epoxy 2-pack:** ฿250-400/L
• **PU 2-pack:** ฿350-600/L (premium)
• **Acrylic (water-based):** ฿100-180/L
Full epoxy primer + PU topcoat system (C4-C5 environment) = ฿400-700/m² incl. surface prep + labor. Acrylic interior = ฿80-150/m².
Q3.How do lifespans compare?+
Lifespan per ISO 12944 atmospheric corrosivity:
• **Epoxy alone:** 5-10 years (interior) / 3-5 years (exterior — yellows under UV)
• **PU topcoat over epoxy:** 15-25 years (C4 industrial), 10-15 years (C5 marine)
• **Acrylic interior:** 3-7 years
For government TOR + offshore: epoxy primer (200μm) + PU topcoat (80μm) = 20+ year life per ISO 12944 Part 5.
Q4.Which standards apply for Thai government TOR?+
EGAT / SRT / Highways / MEA-PEA + state steel-structure projects cite:
• **ISO 12944** (Parts 1-9) — atmospheric corrosivity C1-C5 + Im1-Im3
• **SSPC-PA 2** — DFT measurement
• **ASTM D4541** — pull-off adhesion (>5 MPa for epoxy primer)
• **ASTM B117** — salt spray (>1,000 hr marine)
• **SSPC-SP 6** (commercial blast) / **SP 10** (near-white) — surface prep
• **TIS industrial paint standards**
• **EPA REACH + VOC limits** — environmental compliance
Q5.How important is surface prep?+
**Most critical — 70-80% of adhesion comes from prep:**
• **SSPC-SP 6 (commercial blast):** Sa 2 cleanliness — typical government TOR
• **SSPC-SP 10 (near-white):** Sa 2.5 — for marine / chemical exposure
• **SSPC-SP 1:** solvent clean — only for maintenance recoat
Wet film thickness (WFT) measured per ISO 19840. Wrong thickness (under/over) cuts lifespan 30-50%. Always use a surface profile gauge before coating.
Q6.Which industrial coatings does Sahawatthanakit sell?+
We carry 10 coatings: One-Part Moisture-Curing Polyurethane SGP-001 · High-Performance Anti-Rust Coating — Rust Shield · Two-Part Solvent-Free Epoxy SGU-201 (Wet/Underwater) · Wet & Underwater Protective Coating — Aqua Shield · Heat-Reflective Cooling Paint — Cool · Solar Panel Anti-Dust Coating — Solar Coat Formula 2 · Glow-in-the-Dark Coating SGL-301 (Yellow-Green) · Glow-in-the-Dark Coating SGL-301 (Blue-Green) · Antimicrobial Concrete Sealer (Milk White) · Antimicrobial Concrete Sealer (White)
We do not sell zinc-rich primer or acrylic water-based paint · prices (unit price, excluding 7% VAT) on Industrial coatings (/en/paint)
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