More than 140 American Polyurea members and guests attended the June 2026 monthly webinar, “Polyurea in Cold Climates: Spray Technique and Equipment Tips for Sub-Freezing Application.” The session was led by James Ostrander, Mountain West Chapter Chair and owner of Mountain State Coatings in Denver, CO, who has completed over 200 cold-weather polyurea projects across Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.
Key Technical Takeaways
Substrate temperature, not air temperature, is what matters most. Ostrander emphasized that polyurea can be applied successfully in ambient temperatures as low as 0°F if the substrate temperature is properly conditioned. “I’ve sprayed in a blizzard,” he said, drawing laughs. “What kills you is substrate moisture. You can beat cold. You can’t always beat condensation on a steel surface.” The critical rule: substrate temperature must always be at least 5°F above the dew point, regardless of ambient conditions.
Preheat your material longer than you think. In cold weather, A-side and B-side materials stored in unheated trailers may need 4–6 hours of preheat before the equipment can achieve target application temperature. Many cold-weather failures trace back to material that was not fully at temperature when spraying began. Ostrander recommends installing drum heaters on all material containers when working below 40°F ambient.
Heated hose length matters more in cold. Longer heated hose runs lose more temperature, especially in cold ambient conditions. Inspect heated hose fittings before every cold-weather job — hose failures are significantly more common when equipment is repeatedly cycled between cold storage and heated operation.
Equipment Considerations
The session also covered generator sizing for cold weather (heating draws more power), the importance of keeping proportioning equipment in a heated trailer or enclosure, and strategies for protecting freshly applied polyurea from freezing rain or snow before full cure. Full discussion of equipment best practices is available in our equipment buyer’s guide.
Q&A Highlights
A member from Minnesota asked about applying polyurea to below-grade concrete in winter — Ostrander recommended surface warming with propane torpedo heaters and a minimum 2-hour warm hold before application. A member from upstate New York asked about moisture in compressed air affecting spray patterns — the answer: always use a moisture separator regardless of ambient conditions, and replace desiccant cartridges more frequently in winter.
The full webinar recording is available to members in the Education section. The next monthly webinar on July 16 covers cistern liner certification and NSF/ANSI 61 compliance. Register through the events page.
5 thoughts on “Webinar Recap: Polyurea in Cold Climates — Key Takeaways from June 2026 Session”
Thanks for the detailed recap! A few people have already reached out after the webinar asking about the drum heater recommendation. Brand I use: Briskheat drum bands, 5 gallon and 55 gallon both. Any decent heated band works but buy quality — nothing worse than a heater failure at 6 AM on a February job site in Montana.
Thanks for the detailed recap! A few people asked about the drum heater brand — I use Briskheat drum bands. Any quality heated band works but do not buy cheap. Nothing worse than a heater failure at 6 AM on a February job in Montana.
The point about compressed air moisture separators is critical. I lost a whole spray day in upstate NY two winters ago because of water in the air supply affecting my spray pattern. Changed desiccant every week in winter now, no exceptions. Great webinar.
The moisture separator point is critical. I lost a full spray day in upstate NY two winters ago because of water in the air supply. Changed desiccant every week in winter now, no exceptions. Great webinar.
Just joined the community last month and this was my first webinar. The Q&A at the end was worth the whole hour — practical field answers you won’t find anywhere else. Already signed up for July’s cistern liner webinar.