AcryShield A502 was introduced by National Coatings Corporation in 2006 after three years of intensive research, including both laboratory and actual in-service field testing. The coating was designed to provide a primer/base coat to be applied to thermoplastic and thermoset single ply membranes, such as PVC, PIB, CPE, TPO and EPDM. Previously, the only primers used for coating these membranes were solvent borne, which required warning labels, had very high VOC (volatile organic content) and required extreme care when applying to prevent fumes from entering the building. The only other option for coating EPDM was a "prewash" or "rinseable primer" that had a very high, corrosive pH, so high that it would react with human skin oils, causing chemical burns.
AcryShield A502 has three inherent advantages over the previously used primers:
- It is water borne, so there is no concern about flammable solvents or fumes entering buildings.
- It replaces both specialty primers for the thermoplastic membranes and the corrosive rinseable primer for EPDM. Thus there is no need for separate primer/basecoats for different types of roofing membranes.
The next time a project calls for coating single-ply roofing membranes, the roofing contractor, consultant or specifier should demand National Coatings Corporation AcryShield A502.
