Paint pigment selection depends on: (1) end-use exposure (indoor / outdoor / marine), (2) binder system (waterborne / solvent-borne / powder / 2K), (3) required lightfastness (Blue Wool 4-8), (4) chemical resistance needs, (5) regulatory compliance (REACH, RoHS, food contact). This guide maps these requirements to recommended grades.
Paint formulators work across very different application contexts: interior latex, exterior architectural, industrial maintenance, automotive refinish, marine, and powder. Each has distinct pigment requirements. This guide provides a strategic framework for picking the right grade for each segment.
By paint segment
Interior architectural paint (waterborne acrylic)
Lightfastness Blue Wool 4-6 acceptable (limited UV exposure). Waterborne acrylic binder is dominant. Pigments need surface treatment for clean dispersion in waterborne emulsions and stability through 18-24 month paint shelf life.
Recommended: PY74, PY83 (yellow), PR48:2, PR112 (red), PB15:3 surface-treated (blue), PG7 (green), iron oxides for earth tones, carbon black, TiO2 for white base. Cost-optimized palette.
Exterior architectural paint
Blue Wool 6-7 minimum for 5-year warranty. Premium exterior brands target Blue Wool 7-8 for 10-year warranty. Both waterborne and solvent-borne (alkyd) used.
Recommended: PY154 (premium yellow), PY83 (workhorse yellow), PR122 (premium red), PR112 (workhorse red), PB15:3 (cyan), PG7 (green), iron oxides. Avoid standard PY3 and PY12 azo for exterior, since they fade visibly within 1-2 years.
Industrial maintenance coatings
Heavy-duty coatings for steel structures, machinery, storage tanks. Often 2K (two-component) epoxy or polyurethane. Need chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, and Blue Wool 6+ lightfastness for typically 5-10 year service life.
Recommended: PY154, PR122, PR254, PB15:3, PG7, PBk31 (premium chromatic black). Iron oxides for primers. All compatible with epoxy and PU 2K systems.
Automotive refinish
Aftermarket repair painting. Must color-match OEM color cards (ΔE less than 0.5) and last 10+ years outdoor. Strict performance requirements. Premium pricing accepted.
Recommended: Full premium palette, including PY154, PY110, PY139, PR122, PR202, PR209, PR254, PR264, PB15:4 non-flocculating, PB60 indanthrone, PG7, PG36, plus effect pigments (aluminum, mica pearls). Validation under multiple illuminants critical for OEM color match.
Marine paints (anti-fouling, hull, deck)
Constant saltwater + UV exposure. Need Blue Wool 7-8, salt-spray resistance, and compatibility with biocidal additives in anti-fouling formulations. Typical: epoxy primer + polyurethane topcoat + anti-fouling.
Recommended: PR101 iron oxide reds (extreme alkali stability), PY42 iron oxide yellow, PB15:3, PG7, PR254 for premium reds. Avoid pigments with metal salts that interfere with anti-fouling biocides.
Powder coatings
Dry powder applied electrostatically, cured at 180-220°C. Used for architectural aluminum, appliances, automotive parts, racking. Need ultra-fine particles, heat-stable through cure.
Recommended: Ultra-fine (d50 less than 1 micron) variants of PY154, PY155, PY83, PR122, PR202, PR254, PB15:3, PG7, PG36. Use specifically labeled powder-coating grades from your supplier; generic versions cause flow problems and gloss reduction.
Strategic palette consolidation
Most paint companies can serve their full segment range with 12-18 base pigments. Adding more rarely improves color match capability. It just increases inventory cost and supplier management complexity. Strategic consolidation: pick the highest-performing grade in each color/chemistry that satisfies your most demanding segment, then use the same grade across all lower-demanding segments. PY154 works for exterior architectural AND interior latex (overspec but cost-justified by inventory simplification).
Recommended Grades from Kanani Pigment & Paste
The following Kanani Pigment & Paste grades are commonly specified in the contexts described in this guide. Click any product for full technical specifications, datasheets, and to request a free 50-100g evaluation sample.
- PY154: Benzimidazolone yellow for architectural and industrial paint.
- PR170: Naphthol AS red for premium paint formulations.
- PR48:1: Cost-effective BONA red for solvent-based paint.
For grade selection guidance specific to your binder system, processing temperature, or compliance requirements, contact our technical sales team at [email protected] or +91 88499 95971.
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Kanani Technical Team
The Kanani Technical Team brings together senior chemists, process engineers and pigment-application specialists at Kanani Dyes Chem LLP, Sayakha GIDC, Bharuch, Gujarat, India. Drawing on deep expertise in pigment chemistry, manufacturing and global B2B trade, the team advises formulators across paints, coatings, plastics, inks and specialty applications worldwide.