Want answers to your most pressing painting problems? PPC’s Ask Your ProPartner™ columnist Dennis Fiorilli is here to help. The subject this time: high-performance coatings developed especially for use by professional painting contractors.

Like most paint pros, you probably have a preferred set of go-to coatings that you rely on for dependable, repeatable results, time and time again. Sometimes, though, the job calls for something a bit more specific or robust.

Here at Sherwin-Williams, we sometimes refer to these as “pros-only” products – advanced coatings that offer an even higher level of performance for certain substrates and applications. In this issue’s Ask Your ProPartner™ column, we’ll take a look at three product questions we regularly hear from paint pros. Hopefully the answers will help you better understand these coatings and when you will benefit from using them.

I’m hearing quite a bit about the new Sherwin-Williams Gallery Series™ Waterborne Topcoat and the edge it can give me on cabinets and other jobs. Can you tell me what makes Gallery Series different from other water-based products? And why should I include it in my “arsenal” of products?

The trend of painting kitchen cabinets continues to grow, and Gallery Series is a coating that can provide a true cabinet grade finish. It is designed for professional spray application that dries quickly, within 30 to 45 minutes.

It is self-sealing and provides 2K performance in a 1K formula meaning no need for additional mixing before use.

Gallery Series has excellent hardness and durability compared to traditional architectural coatings and meets the rigorous test methods of KCMA (Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association) for a kitchen cabinet grade coating.

Best of all, Gallery Series can be tinted to the color your customer wants at any Sherwin-Williams location. It’s a great way to separate your company from others in the cabinet refinishing market space.

I’m aware of your high-performance Pro Industrial™ coatings but have not tried any yet. Can you tell me a little bit more about these products and when I would benefit from using them?

The Pro Industrial product line is designed for professional use and is a uniquely positioned portfolio that covers the needs between a commercial project and a heavy industrial project.

Many commercial projects have specific needs for higher performance than what is available in the ProMar® line. Whether it be abrasion, chemical or corrosion resistance, we can match the correct Pro Industrial product to meet the project requirements.

There are a range of products designed to meet the needs of a specific project. For those looking to a coating to protect doors and door frames, Pro Industrial Waterbased Alkyd Urethane provides the hardness and durability required.

Where there is a need for a coating that has great weathering properties, Acrolon 100 Waterbased Urethane is a great choice.

Why choose a water-based product over a solvent? And what are the benefits of using a urethane?

As VOC regulations continue to get stricter, there is a need for water-based coatings to meet these regulations, while also providing the similar performance to that of a traditional solvent.

Pro Industrial Waterbased Alkyd Urethane is a hybrid technology that blends water-based technology with solvent technology to provide a coating that can protect a substrate while also meeting strict VOCs. And the best part is that it’s easier clean up since all you need it water. With water-based coatings, the need to carry different solvents to clean your tools is no longer needed!

Urethanes are another technology that is available in a water-based version. Remember, urethanes have excellent UV resistance and color and gloss retention. Acrolon 100 Waterbased Urethane helps protect those high-profile substrates while also meeting strict VOC requirements.

Dennis Fiorilli is Director of Product Excellence at Sherwin-Williams and author of the Ask Your ProPartner™ column in PPC magazine. This article was originally published in the Winter 2023 issue of PPC magazine. ©2023 Randall Reilly. For more answers to pro questions, visit the PPC magazine archive.