Carboline

05/21/2026

Railcar exterior protective only perform when service environments align with performance expectations.

Choosing the right coating is not about chasing perfection but rather understanding how your fleet operates and preserving the asset over time.

The quick win of a low sticker price is always dwarfed by the long-term savings that comes with a little long-term thinking.

Learn more here: https://www.carboline.com/solution-spot/posts/how-to-choose-the-right-railcar-coating/

05/05/2026

Corrosion often forms quietly and discreetly, unless you know what to look for.

From facilities to marine infrastructure or chemical manufacturing, solution assessment is rarely uniform.

The language used in specifications, inspections, and maintenance planning plays a critical role in defining the service life of at-risk assets. And because corrosion isn’t a one-size-fits-all condition, a clear understanding of related industry terminology remains essential.

Need a refresher of terminology and how to assess it on site?

Explore the Carboline Glossary for a clear, practical resource:

Discover basic definitions and descriptions of common coatings terms with Carboline's glossary of protective coatings terminology.

04/24/2026

It begins with small warning signs: a small blister, a thin rust line at an edge, a coating pulling away from steel. rarely starts with a catastrophic failure.

On World Corrosion Awareness Day, we reflect on the many corrosion challenges our technicians have encountered since 1947. Through deep technical research and real-world field experience, we continue to develop solutions that fight corrosion at its source.

Think you can beat what we’ve seen? Share your worst corrosion experience in the comments for an honest rating!

Association for Materials Protection and Performance WCO. -The World Corrosion Organization

04/08/2026

Shore D hardness has no influence on intumescent coating performance.

None. At all.

Why do so many specs require that materials meet or exceed Shore D hardness figures. Why is that figure typically 70? Where did all this come from?

If anyone would know, it’s Michael Hollman. And it boils down to this:

- Industry uses hardness to know when a coating is fully cured
- The Shore D hardness was historically a popular fitness-for-service assessment for hard epoxies on oil & gas infrastructure
- Copy-pasting Shore D to intumescent specs is like comparing apples to oranges
- The result: potentially excluding good options rather than weeding out bad ones

In this episode of The Red Bucket, Michael explores the history and misuse of hardness measurements for intumescent coatings, and shares his idea for a course correction.

Listen here:

An intumescent coating can be qualified or disqualified for use simply because it falls above or below a certain magical hardness level, usually as measured on the Shore D scale. But hardness has no influence on performance, and the Shore D scale just doesn’t make sense when assessing softer intum...

04/01/2026

Great causes and great teams make for an exciting time at ! These Carboliners climbed 42 floors to reach the finish line, raising $1,086 for the American Lung Association of St. Louis.

03/27/2026

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Women of Carboline's event earlier this month with the Ronald McDonald House in St. Louis!

03/19/2026

Get the Carboline mobile app for on-the-go access to product information and world-class Technical Support and Customer Service. Scan the QR code to download today!

03/04/2026

For decades, pipelines successfully moved fuels across the country, operating as high-volume, single-commodity systems.

That model is being tested with the industry integration of emerging alternatives, which continues to grow in both scale and complexity.

Expanding bio-based fuel production introduces a wider range of commodity chemistries that may not be compatible with today’s pipeline network. What's more, the sources of these emerging commodities are more geographically dispersed.

So what’s the most reliable, cost-effective way to move the fuels of the future?

Rail transport offers flexibility, with networks already spanning the country and a fleet of tank cars ready to be dispatched wherever they are needed.

Energy producers and shippers can make that flexibility their advantage if they understand how commodity chemistry influences tank car .

In this kind of matching game, the winners have good partners.

Read more here:

An examination of protective linings that support safe and efficient transportation of emerging biofuels by railcar.

02/23/2026

If you visited Laumeier Sculpture Park at any point since 1978, you’d recognize Beverly Pepper’s “Alpha” instantly. Weighing 17,000 pounds and unmistakable in its vibrant construction orange, its bold geometry has anchored the park for generations.

Carboline recently returned alongside trusted local partners to restore this cherished community landmark.

View the project here:

View an inside look at Carboline's role in restoring a beloved St. Louis–area sculpture park.

12/29/2025

No blasting. No margin for error. Just 60-year-old pipe, unknown coatings, and constant moisture.

With no playbook for unruly conditions, Philadelphia Water Department’s Baxter Plant turned to Carboline for help.

The solution? system Carbomastic 615 and Carboguard 690.

Read how Carboline and Contractor G C Zarnas & Co. are piloting PWD’s larger restoration efforts:

Philadelphia is restoring aging water infrastructure. At Baxter Plant, crews recoated a key pipe using a moisture-tolerant system, overcoming damp conditions and old coatings—part of a larger citywide effort to ensure clean, safe water.

12/23/2025

Exciting progress was happening at the Google headquarters in Sunnyvale, CA. Construction was moving quickly, but with the cold, damp winter season was approaching, there was a challenge—fireproofing had to be applied before the curtain wall was installed. The colder weather could affect adhesion and curing of materials used.

That’s where Thermo-Sorb VOC came in. This thin-film, solvent-based fireproofing has a 20+ year track record of reliability, and it performs successfully in the field. Thanks to its weather resistance, it cured at temperatures as low as 41°F (5°C) without the need for temporary containment or heating.

The result? Google’s new headquarters received high-quality, lasting — all while saving time and money.