Specialty Thinners for Conformal Coatings

Conformal coating thinners are specially formulated solvents that help you fine-tune how a conformal coating behaves during application. By reducing viscosity, they make the coating easier to brush, dip, or spray, allowing it to level out smoothly and create an even, defect-free finish.

Beyond just thinning the material, the right thinner also improves flow, helps prevent bubbles or streaking, and ensures the coating adheres properly to delicate electronic assemblies. When used correctly, thinners support the coating’s ability to protect circuits from moisture, dust, and other environmental stresses without compromising its electrical insulation or long-term reliability.

Conformal coatings are formulated with a specific viscosity optimized for certain application methods. However, environmental conditions, coating thickness requirements, equipment setups, or storage time can make the coating too thick for proper use. This is where thinners come in.

Why Thinners Are Used

• Conformal coating thinners allow you to:
• Reduce viscosity for spray, dip, or selective-coating equipment
• Improve leveling and flow-out to avoid bubbles, orange peel, and streaks
• Control film thickness for precise technical requirements
• Extend pot life during long production runs
• Clean tools, lines, and equipment when compatible with the coating chemistry
• Restore aged coatings that have partially evaporated or become too thick

Important thinners properties per conformal coating chemistry

Different coating conformal coating chemistries require different thinner properties. For different 

How Thinners Affect Application

Equipment Cleaning vs. Viscosity Adjustment

Some thinners serve dual purposes—both thinning and equipment cleaning. Others are cleaning-only solvents designed to remove uncured coating residue from spray guns, pumps, or lines.

Always check labeling to avoid accidentally introducing contaminants into a production line.