Coatings are used for moisture control and as bonding agents and weatherproofing on surfaces in new building construction and renovations.  Examples of uses include decks, balconies, garage floors, roofing, above grade wall, below grade wall, and under interior floor coverings.  Frequently coatings are used to prepare surfaces for finish surfaces or layers of moisture control. Surfaces to receive coatings are usually wood sheathing such as plywood or similar, concrete, metal panels or sheets, or gypsum board.

Common to most coatings is proper preparation of the surface of the substrate.  Proper surface preparation supports good coating adhesion, function, performance and durability.  Each manufacturer may have different recommendations and requirements for surface preparation.  Three key factors common to most installations are a clean, dry and debris-free surface.  Clean means no contaminants, oils, greases, chemicals or unadhered paints remaining on the surface.  Dry means usually less than 5 percent moisture content before application of the coating, but this can vary by manufacturer and product.  Debris-free means that foreign or loose materials must be removed.  In new construction loose materials are often construction debris, dirt, dust and original systems. For an existing building renovation, debris is usually old building construction remnants, paints and adhesives.

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