If you ask precast manufacturers which coating they rely on to produce consistent, architectural-quality concrete, chances are you’ll hear a simple instruction: “Just 505 that.”
Today, “505” is a verb, an industry shorthand for a coating that transformed how concrete forms are made. But the story of Armorgard 505 doesn’t begin in a chemistry lab. It begins at a precast plant and with a chance encounter at the right time.
The Problem: A Hazardous 3-Coat Nightmare
More than 25 years ago, Copps discovered a precast manufacturer with a problem: they were coating wooden forms with a flammable polyester resin that we wouldn’t even allow in the building.
The coating was so toxic that they could only apply it on Friday afternoons after sending employees home to combat the odor and ward off headaches and illness.
Beyond the toxicity, it also required three separate coats, wasting labor and time. Plus, the surface cracked easily, forcing carpenters to repeatedly rebuild forms. Even with all that effort, the forms could only withstand 20–30 pours before needing a refresh.
In short: the whole process was inefficient, brittle, hazardous, and expensive.
The Solution: Collaborative & Innovative Engineering
At the time, Copps didn’t have a precast form coating. In fact, we didn’t even know how to make one. But after assessing our existing products, we found one worth trying.
Our first suggestion, Armorgard 507, was sufficient for the precaster’s application. It worked well, but “almost right” wasn’t good enough. We knew it could be enhanced for even better performance. So, rather than selling a product and walking away, we sat down with the people who used the coating every day to understand what we could do better.
Together, we refined:
- Flow characteristics for faster, more consistent application.
- Air release properties for smoother finishes.
- Work and cure times to keep production moving.
- A single-coat formulation, eliminating 3-step labor intensity.
- Odorless, 100% solids chemistry with no VOCs.
This evolution became what the industry knows now as Armorgard 505. It’s an early example of the collaboration that’s core to how Copps does business.
Learn about how Copps advances this type of collaboration through our Engineering Roundtables.
The Result: A New Industry Standard
The moment the precaster poured onto a 505-coated form, everything changed. Here’s a side-by-side look at their former solution against their experience with Armorgard 505:
| Old Polyester Resin | Armorgard 505 |
|---|---|
| 3 Coat Application | Single Coat |
| Toxic fumes, required to evacuate the building | Odorless, no VOCs |
| Flammable and hazardous | 100% solids, safe |
| Brittle surface, frequent repairs | Tough, saw-able, screw-able |
| 20-30 pours | 100+ pours |
Word spread quickly throughout the industry. Copps started attending precast conventions, where manufacturers share innovations openly because they aren’t often competing with those outside their trucking radius (hauling concrete long distances isn’t very cost-effective). Before long, everyone at these industry events was talking about the product.
Today, Armorgard 505 has become the industry standard for:
- Precast forms
- Tilt-up
- Slip-form
- Cast-in-place applications
About the Product: Armorgard 505
Armorgard 505 is a 100% solids, self-leveling, primerless, and odorless epoxy form coating designed for precast, tilt-up, slip-form, and cast-in-place applications. It delivers:
- Smooth, architectural-grade finish
- Extremely tough surface
- Easy, single coat application
- Excellent adhesion to wood, concrete, and steel
- Convenient 2:1 mix ratio
- Thickness options from 20-30 mil
- Styrene-free
Download the Armorgard 505 Technical Bulletin for more detailed specs and application instructions, or reach out to our technical experts for more information.
What Came Next? A Partnership to Fulfill the Demand
With demand surging, Copps needed a trusted distribution partner who shared our technical mindset and industry reputation: Fister, Inc. That partnership has become one of the most lasting collaborations in our history.