For 40,000 years, people have been using coatings for decoration, protection and camouflage in daily life routines. Early paints contained naturally occurring dyes and used egg yolks, linseed oil, waxes, or other natural binders to help them adhere to surfaces. Many changes have been made to these early formulations, but the industry was truly revolutionized after World War II, when toxic components, such as lead and mercury, began to be removed.
Today, synthetic polymers, resins and solvents are used for coating production. These materials outperform their historic predecessors, showing an increased resiliency for weathering effects such as acid exposure, extreme heating and cooling, and water exposure from rain or snow.