Prospects for exterior wood coatings research

Prospects for exterior wood coatings research. Wood coatings research has a long documented history spanning most of the last century. Is there anything left to discover? Current research, and other investigative activities, suggest the answer be yes! But how does the research translate into user benefits? In many cases the benefit is an environmental one. The challenge is to show that new more benign coatings can match and possibly exceed the performance of established benchmarks. However this does not mean that all problems are solved, and the continued decline of the replacement window market is a salutary reminder of this. It is fortunate that the aesthetic attraction of wood has continued to generate consumer interest, Growth in flooring and decking provide good examples. For new wood coatings to be successful in this new century they must deliver benefits across the whole supply chain, otherwise despite the attractiveness of wood as a material the market will decline. Consideration is given as to how research might translate to supply chain benefits, with particular reference to exterior wood coatings for buildings.