TESLAN® 1105L: Single Coat Epoxy for High Impact Areas

When you hear the word “holiday”, what comes to mind? While most can’t help but grin and begin to daydream about their next vacation, no other word can instill a similar sense of dread in the world of offshore fabric maintenance. In this context, a holiday refers to any instance of discontinuity in a paint film- a spot missed here, a smudge there. And anywhere it looks like the coating packed its bags and took a holiday, you can be sure that corrosion will find its way in to wreak havoc at the site of vacancy.

Holidays aren’t something we talk about often here. Many of today’s offshore paint systems minimize the risk of such imperfections by the sheer principle of “more is more”. The more coats you apply to a surface, the less likely you are to miss a spot. That goes for all surfaces, even steel substrates offshore. This is also one of the primary reasons that single-coat systems have been all but written off as a pipe dream for offshore fabric maintenance– the risk of holidays is just too great to ignore. Thus, single-coat systems have historically been too risky to be worth considering.

However, like most facets of the status quo in the world of offshore protective coatings, we have something to say about that.

The Challenges of Protective Coating Applications

Let’s start by addressing the issues with application of today’s protective coating systems. Using traditional epoxy coating formulations presents countless opportunities for things to go wrong, both in application error and in premature coating failure. 

Before the application even begins, the surface itself must be prepped depending on the coating stage. If it’s the final topcoat, a simple washdown and dry cycle should suffice, but this takes time. If it’s the first layer, that may call for washdown, dry time, a stripe coat to get into those tricky corners, and more washdown, and more dry time. Then, a paint mixture must be prepared with the proper ratios. This typically involves combining a Part A and Part B into one uniform substance. This is done before every single layer. Notice how long this would all take, then multiply it by 2, 3, or 4 times to get an idea of how much time goes into just preparing for the application of a multi-coat system. And if something goes wrong during mixing or prep, get ready to be set back that much further behind schedule.

It’s important to note that preparation for a single coat application is still similar to that of a multi-coat system. What we mean is that inaccessible areas still pose the same challenges that they always would, regardless of which coating you select for application. Significant resources– time, money, and manpower– will still need to be put toward the construction of access equipment like scaffolding for hard to reach areas.

Then there’s the matter of coating longevity. We’ve discussed the mechanical issues that zinc additives impart onto traditional zinc-rich primers, significantly inhibiting their staying power. It doesn’t matter how robust your topcoat is– if the base is not strong, it just won’t last. This is a key contributor as to why coatings last for only months up to a couple years at a time. And that’s with multiple layers. With the strength of today’s epoxy coatings in mind, the thought of a single-coat application actually protecting anything offshore seems risky.

The Advantages of Single Coat Applications

So, why risk it? The answer is simple. Time is still money at the end of the day, and by extension, application time saved translates to cost savings. Every minute of every hour counts, so reducing the number of coats down to just one can help owners and operators keep tens of thousands of dollars in their pockets. At least, that would be the case. Yet, a cost-benefit analysis considering the sub-par performance of most coatings would make it apparent why most steer clear of this option.

We’ve spoken at length about the true costs of offshore fabric maintenance, and how reducing the number of coats from traditional 3-5 coat systems down to just 2 can result in significant savings. And as we discussed earlier, the reason that most parties have never considered a single coat system is due to the risk of holidays and subsequent coating failures. Now, if only it was possible to get reliable coverage in just a single coat.

Not only is it possible– it’s already done.

Discover TESLAN® 1105L All-In-One Epoxy

Let us direct your attention to one of our most quietly brilliant coatings: TESLAN® 1105L. If you’re already familiar with how TESLAN® advanced coating solutions include our signature carbon nanotube technology, know that 1105L is no different. What really makes this all-in-one epoxy special is its formula which has been optimized for greater film build and corrosion protection. This allows it to stand on its own for years at a time, even where traditional multi-coat systems have been proven to fail. With a greater film build and a finish that contrasts against most metal substrates, the risk of holidays has never been lower.

1105L can be a major time saver– or even feel like a life saver– in life extension projects where time is of the essence. At Tesla NanoCoatings we have repeatedly observed TESLAN®’s role as an instrumental tool to get maintenance projects back on track, or even ahead of schedule in some cases. Not only have we seen prep and application time get slashed to a fraction of what would be expected from a multi-step system, but the longevity of our advanced coating solutions also far outlast the competition. With advantages in both application and durability, 1105L can be the ideal solution to get the most bang for your buck in any life extension situation.

So next time you need a quick solution for an offshore maintenance job or a life extension project, try TESLAN® 1105L– then use all that time you saved to take a real holiday.