For 40,000 years people have been using paints and 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 it adhere to surfaces. Changes have been made since early formulation, but the coatings industry was revolutionized following World War II when toxic components, such as lead and mercury, began to be removed.
Today synthetic polymers, resins and solvents are used for paint 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.