CARC stands for Chemical Agent Resistant Coating, and CARC paint is the paint that researchers from the United States Armed Forces developed to protect military vehicles and equipment from enemy threats and attacks. Along with its usefulness for the military, CARC paint is also indispensable for protecting industrial machinery and equipment from potential chemical damage.

If you intend to use CARC paint, here are some things you need to know beforehand:

CARC Paint is Non-Porous and Non-Absorbent

Since CARC paint is non-porous and non-absorbent, you can safely expose it to chemicals. The paint will not absorb any of them, and neither will the chemicals have an adverse effect on its composition. This means that the paint surface will not retain contaminants. Therefore, whenever needed, you can safely apply decontamination solutions to CARC-painted vehicles, machinery, and equipment.

In addition, CARC paint offers protection from radioactivity and from infrared detection. When you paint military and other vehicles with CARC paint, infrared cameras cannot detect them. The vehicles can blend with the surroundings and continue onward. This is useful when you want to avoid being targeted by enemies in dangerous situations.

Painting with CARC Paint is a Four-Step Process

To apply CARC paint in the correct way, you need to follow a four-step process that includes cleaning the surface, subjecting the surface to a pretreatment process, applying a primer to the surface, and finally applying the CARC paint to the primed surface.

You can clean the surface thoroughly with water and soap. This is an essential first step as it removes any surface dirt that might otherwise interfere with the application of the primer and the paint. The presence of dirt can also affect the look of the final color coat. After washing, let the surface dry naturally. Later, before proceeding further, wipe the surface with a dry cloth to get rid of any accumulated dust.

The second step is the wash primer pretreatment that is necessary to prepare the surface for the primer application.

Next, apply one or two coats of an Epoxy anticorrosive primer. The application of this primer ensures that the metal on which you are painting remains safe from corrosion. When you apply the CARC paint later, the primer will help it to adhere well with the surface and thereby enable it to offer maximum protection.

The surface is now ready for the final painting with the CARC paint. You can use two varieties of paint. There is an epoxy base that you use for interiors and a polyurethane topcoat that you use for exteriors. It is important to apply the paint coats with care so that they are even; uneven coats can disrupt the protective effect of the paint.

Hire an experienced professional painting service to get a thick, even paint layer across the entire surface. Many painting services now employ robots to achieve a finer coat finish that would be possible with manually done work.

It is Essential to Take Precautions While Using CARC Paint

It is important to wear a face mask while painting with CARC paint, both while applying with the spray paint technique and while using a paint roller or a paint brush. You should also avoid inhaling the paint fumes while the paint is drying. CARC paint can be extremely toxic if inhaled or if it comes in direct contact with the bare skin.

This toxicity comes from the chemical compounds that are present in the CARC paint such as Isocyanate (HDI), Toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and Solvents.

Isocyanate causes skin irritation even in mild amounts, and if you encounter a higher concentration of it, you will experience skin redness and itchiness. If the isocyanate and solvent fumes get into your respiratory system, you will feel a tightness in your chest, accompanied by coughing, and it will be painful to breathe. There will be a burning sensation in your nose, throat, and eyes, along with overproduction of mucus and eye-watering. The risk of inhaling Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) is high while the paint is still drying, and if you inhale it, the chemical can damage your kidneys.

The CARC paint is perfectly safe once it is dry.