Picco Coatings FAQ

Below are a listing of frequently asked paint questions Picco Coatings frequently answers.  If you have a question not listed here, please feel free to contact Picco Coatings.

What does VOC mean?

VOC stands for "Volatile Organic Compounds" and is simply the amount of solvent (thinner) contained in a gallon of paint.  This is important because of air quality concerns.  Environmental regulations are dictating tighter control on emissions of organic solvents into the atmosphere.  Typically, solventborne alkyd enamel may contain 4 to 4½ pounds of VOC per gallon.  On the other hand, water-reducible enamel often contains less than 1½ pounds of VOC per gallon.

What do you recommend for direct to metal coatings, such as trailers, burglar bars, farm equipment, industrial equipment, wrought iron fences, or oil field equipment?

Even though it is not necessary in most cases, for the best possible coating, you should use our 19-86 light gray rust inhibiting primer as the first coat.  This coating prevents the metal from rusting in case the topcoat is scratched or gouged down to the metal.  For the finish coat either our 14-10 Fast Dry Gloss Black or 13-10 Gloss Black Enamel are excellent choices for this application.  The 13-Series allows a longer open time for application by brush or roller if spray equipment is not available.  All of these products are fast drying for shorter production times.  Of course you may choose any color you wish for your application.

Can I get special colors?

We stock many oil field and OEM equipment colors, such as John Deere Green, Case Power Tan, New Cat Yellow, National Blue, Waukesha Orange, Emsco Green, International Red, and multiple OSHA Safety Colors as examples.  Just ask us!  We may have your color in stock; if not we can custom blend any color.  There is usually a minimum order for custom colors.  View our color card.

What are VOC compliant coatings?

These are coatings that contain no more than a specified amount of thinner per gallon (see VOC above).  A typical maximum allowable VOC is 3.5 lbs thinner per gallon (Conventional coatings could have 4½ lbs of thinner per gallon or more).  We have a full range of products, from high VOC coatings at 4.0+ lbs per gallon for high gloss conventional enamels and acrylics to low VOC coatings at 1.5 lbs per gallon for our water-reducible enamels as well as zero VOC coatings with 0 lbs/gallon and 100% solids content such as our epoxy anticorrosive systems.

Do you have fast drying enamels?

Yes, the 14-Series products dry in 15-20 minutes.  The 50-Series Water-Reducible products dry in approximately 30 minutes based on the evaporation rate of the water.  In humid or cold conditions it could take a little longer to dry.  We recommend that both of these products be spray applied only.

Do you carry paint in aerosol cans?

No.  But our coating is easily sprayed by typical siphon or pressure pot conventional spray equipment.

What is your recommendation for painting concrete floors?

Polyamide cured epoxies are excellent coatings for concrete floors (See our 60-Series Epoxies).   This technology has been used for many years and has a proven track record of performance as well as ease of application.  For more information about epoxy application, mixing, or preparation, click here.

**Please note: We do not make house paint.  We deal primarily in bulk quantities for industrial use only, using ground transportation.  If you are inquiring about a one-gallon order, please understand it will be expensive to ship, but you are welcome to pick up any quantity at our manufacturing facility at 11601 McKinley Street, Houston, TX 77038.  Just call us and let us know you are coming by.  Our number is (281) 447-8877.