Choosing industrial paint isn’t just a tick-box exercise—it shapes budgets, health standards, and even your ability to hit compliance targets. And with tighter sustainability goals on the table, knowing the difference between water-based and solvent-based paints is no longer just technical trivia—it’s commercial strategy.
On paper, they might seem to do the same job. But in practice, their impact on application processes, long-term performance, and regulatory obligations couldn’t be more different.
This guide sorts through the stuff that actually matters. From environmental and cost implications to durability and drying time, we’ve laid it out clearly, so your next decision isn’t a gamble. Whether you’re refining an existing process or sourcing new materials, we’ll help you make the call that fits your setup, your standards, and your schedule.
What are Water-Based Paints?
Water-based paints rely on water as their primary carrier, which makes them a bit less demanding to work with day to day. Some of the water-based paint advantages are that they don’t need harsh chemicals to do their job, and that usually means fewer headaches around storage, ventilation, or PPE. For anyone juggling safety standards and production timelines, that’s a bit of a relief.
What they offer in practicality, they match in cleanliness. With lower odour and fewer volatile organic compounds, they tend to be the go-to for workplaces with tighter air quality rules or minimal extraction. They also dry quicker than solvent-based alternatives, helping teams stay on schedule without skipping quality checks.
They’re not built for every surface, but for pharmaceutical lines, food packaging facilities, or paper production environments, they’re often a better fit. Cleaner air, quicker results, and fewer compliance issues? That’s usually enough to make them worth a second look.
At Rakem Group, we specialise in high-performance water-based coatings that meet strict industrial standards while keeping processes efficient and compliant.
What are Solvent-Based Paints?
Solvent-based paints lean on stronger chemical carriers—usually petroleum-derived solvents—which makes them tough, long-lasting, and a bit more resilient when conditions aren’t ideal. That’s why they’re still widely used across heavy industry, where coatings need to do more than just look good.
Their real strength shows up where water-based alternatives might struggle, like exposed steelwork, machinery, or installations facing constant wear and weather. They form a dense, protective film that stands up to moisture, chemicals, and abrasion. That kind of durability can mean fewer recoats and longer intervals between shutdowns.
The flip side? More VOCs, longer drying times, and stricter handling requirements. Solvent-based paints usually demand proper ventilation, specialist PPE, and more robust waste protocols. For some teams, that’s too much hassle. But if you’re coating assets that live outside, underground or in high-friction zones, the trade-off might be more than fair.
Environmental Impact
Paint carries more than pigment—it brings environmental obligations, too. With regulations tightening and carbon targets creeping into procurement decisions, how your paint performs on sustainability is under closer watch.
Water-based paints typically emit fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which directly improves indoor air quality and cuts down on emissions. That’s a practical advantage if you’re working in enclosed spaces or managing reporting for ISO 14001 or BREEAM frameworks. At Rakem, this kind of impact has already shaped how we think about sustainability in paint manufacturing—it’s part of the spec, not just the spin.
Solvent-based paint applications, on the other hand, release more VOCs and often come with a heavier compliance load. That might mean extra containment, added ventilation, or more complex waste management—none of which are easily absorbed into a lean operation.
Compliance
Paint selection isn’t just about performance—it can steer how easily you stay on the right side of regulations. For procurement teams, this often becomes clear the moment a safety audit or certification review lands on the calendar.
In the UK, regulations like COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) and the Environmental Protection Act outline exactly how paints should be handled, stored, and disposed of. Water-based options tend to sit comfortably within those thresholds, with fewer controls needed and a smoother path through most compliance checks.
Solvent-based paints, though, can trigger more obligations. Higher VOC levels in paint may demand specialist ventilation, spill kits, waste tracking, and enhanced PPE—all of which come with cost and time overheads. If your operation works under frameworks like ISO 14001 or BREEAM, the ease of meeting those standards often tips the balance in favour of low-emission coatings.
Durability
Durability isn’t something most buyers think about until a surface starts to wear, peel, or fail altogether. But when you’re sourcing for high-traffic zones or exposed structures, longevity is often the hidden cost centre.
Solvent-based paints are typically built for harsher environments. They cure to a tougher finish, withstand abrasion, and don’t flinch under chemical exposure or shifting temperatures. That makes them the go-to for exterior steelwork, factory floors, or heavy machinery—anywhere reliability comes before convenience.
Water-based paints might not be as rugged, but they hold their own in controlled settings. On interior walls, production lines, or low-impact surfaces, they often deliver solid performance with fewer complications.
In many cases, paint fails not because it’s the wrong type, but because it’s used in the wrong place. If you’re working in controlled, indoor industrial settings, water-based coatings often provide the ideal balance between performance, ease of use, and environmental compliance. Understanding the environment it needs to survive in tends to matter just as much as the product on the spec sheet.
Drying Time
Drying time can make or break a project schedule. If production needs to restart quickly or multiple coats are required, every extra hour spent waiting adds up in labour and downtime.
Water-based paints are usually faster off the mark. They tend to dry to the touch within a couple of hours and are often ready for recoating in four hours or less. That shorter turnaround means less disruption, tighter sequencing, and fewer bottlenecks—particularly useful where work can’t stop for long.
Solvent-based paints, though more forgiving in cold or humid conditions, can take a lot longer to fully cure. Some formulas need up to 24 hours before you’re safe to recoat or move equipment back into place. That lag can become a problem when you’re juggling shift work or turnaround windows.
For fast-paced environments, drying speed isn’t a bonus—it’s part of what keeps everything on track.
Chemical Composition
Paint chemistry might not be front of mind during procurement, but it quickly matters once storage, safety, or application come into play.
Water-based paints are built around water as the main solvent, mixed with acrylic, latex, or vinyl binders. They’re usually non-flammable, lower in odour, and easier to clean off surfaces and equipment. That tends to make them a good match for low-risk environments, particularly where hygiene or air quality is a concern.
Solvent-based paints lean on more aggressive carriers like xylene or mineral spirits. These are paired with alkyd, epoxy, or polyurethane binders, which bring a tougher finish, but also more risk. Stronger solvents mean stricter safety controls, from PPE and fire precautions to ventilation and spill management.
It’s not just what’s in the tin—it’s how those ingredients affect everything from compliance checks to how confidently your teams can work on site.
Cost Implications
On paper, comparing paint prices looks straightforward. But once you factor in labour, application time, drying speed, and compliance needs, the numbers start to shift.
Water-based paints often come with lower upfront costs. They’re quicker to apply, dry faster, and usually require less PPE or ventilation setup. That means fewer interruptions and reduced labour hours, especially useful in production environments where time really is money.
Solvent-based paints, by contrast, may carry a higher price tag per litre. But their durability often means fewer recoats and longer service life, particularly in harsher settings. That longevity can claw back initial spend, though the need for added storage precautions, handling protocols, and compliance checks might tilt the balance the other way.
The real question isn’t “Which one’s cheaper?”—it’s “Which one costs less to live with over time?” And that answer usually depends on your environment, your labour model, and how hard the coating needs to work.
Choosing between water-based and solvent-based paints isn’t just about product specs—it’s about how each type fits into your operation. For most industrial setups aiming to meet modern sustainability standards, water-based solutions now offer the best mix of compliance, speed, and reliability. One offers speed, simplicity, and cleaner compliance; the other delivers staying power in tougher settings.
So, which suits best? That depends on your surface, your schedule, and the standards you need to meet. Getting it right means looking past the label and thinking about how the paint behaves once it’s on the job.
Still weighing up your options? If water-based coatings are on your radar, we can help you figure out if they’re the right fit. And if they are, we’ll work with you to get them made to spec. At Rakem Group, we work with procurement and technical teams across multiple sectors to help match coating performance with your business goals.
No pressure. Just honest input from people who know what works and where it works best. Get in touch with us if you’d like to talk it through.
