A waterborne coating is an environmentally friendly surface treatment that uses water as the primary solvent to disperse the resin in the coating or paint. In fact, water makes up about 80% of the solvent used. The goal is to make the coating easy to apply while also being eco-friendly. Waterborne coatings are popular due to their low content of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), containing less than 3.5 pounds per gallon. They can be applied to various surfaces, including wood, such as furniture, and plastic substrates.