Private Label & OEM2 min read

Comparing Coating Suppliers Without Using Solids Content Alone

Separate formulation metrics from application results and the buyer's intended use.

Updated · NANOLAB Knowledge

Solids content can be one product characteristic, but it is not a complete purchasing verdict. A coating buyer still needs to know whether the exact product suits the surface, produces the intended appearance and fits the user's application process. Comparing a single number can conceal these more practical questions.

Ask what the number describes

Request the manufacturer's definition and relevant product documentation. Do not assume that values from different suppliers were established in the same way or refer to equivalent formulations. Keep an unknown measurement basis visible in the comparison rather than treating all percentages as directly comparable.

Evaluate the intended application

Choose representative surfaces and follow each product's current instructions. Record preparation, user experience, application observations and the finished appearance. Assess the full process rather than choosing the sample that produces the most dramatic isolated demonstration. A product that fits one workshop's conditions may require a different evaluation for another user group.

Use separate decision criteria

Build a table with suitability, instructions, application results, support and commercial scope as distinct rows. Place solids information alongside these criteria instead of using it to calculate an overall quality score. If two candidates satisfy the job, the next useful question may concern repeatability or support rather than which percentage is larger. A purchasing recommendation should explain the observed fit and the limits of the trial, not turn a formulation metric into an unsupported durability promise.

Compare outcomes with a weighted scorecard

Choose weights before seeing the trial results. An illustrative scorecard might allocate 35 points to application consistency, 25 to accepted appearance, 20 to documented compatibility and 20 to support and supply. Those weights are a business choice, not a universal coating standard.

Record each score beside the observation supporting it. A high solids figure should not automatically receive extra points in every category. If a product cannot meet a mandatory surface requirement, mark that as a failed gate instead of allowing unrelated strengths to average it away. This keeps a visually impressive sample from winning a project for which its suitability has not been established.

Explore NANOLAB’s private-label options. For supporting information, review the current product documentation and the private-label guides.

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