Start a cistern coating business
Spray the liners water storage needs.
Add cistern, water tank and pipeline rehab to your contracting business, or start a new polyurea coatings company from scratch. ArmorThane provides the rig, the training, the materials and the support.
Who this is for
You don’t need to be a coatings company. You need to want to be one.
Concrete & waterproofing contractors
You already work in and around tanks, foundations and vaults. Lining is the high-margin next step.
Tank, well & water system pros
Your customers already ask who can fix their storage. Now the answer is you.
Bedliner & coatings applicators
You own the spray skills. Cisterns and tanks put your rig to work on bigger, longer jobs.
Entrepreneurs
Starting fresh? A turnkey package and training give you a business you can grow market by market.
One rig, many markets
- Concrete cisterns
- Rainwater tanks
- Potable water tanks
- Fire suppression tanks
- Pipelines & culverts
- Manholes & lift stations
- Secondary containment
- Truck bedliners
- Roof coatings
- Industrial floors
- Ag & livestock tanks
- Ponds & water features
For contractors & entrepreneurs
Turn cistern rehab into a specialty business.
Lining water storage is skilled, repeatable, high-value work, and most areas have very few people who do it well. ArmorThane gets you equipped, trained and supported so you can be the one they call.
- Spray equipment packages
Mobile trailer rigs or shop setups built around a heated plural-component proportioner.
- Hands-on training
Equipment operation, maintenance, surface prep, application and safety.
- Materials for water storage
Polyurea and hybrid systems for immersion service, including potable-water options.
- Technical support
Real coatings people to call when a job throws you something new.
- Marketing tools
Applicator portal with marketing materials, tech tips and sales resources.
- Financing options
Equipment financing options so the rig can start paying for itself.
Your path
From first call to first tank.
- 01
Tell us your goals
Two minutes. Where you work, what you spray today, and the markets you want to go after.
- 02
Talk with a coatings specialist
Equipment options, potable-ready systems, startup budget and financing, with no pressure.
- 03
Get equipped & trained
Hands-on training on the rig, surface prep and application before you take your first job.
- 04
Start booking tank work
Cisterns, water tanks, culverts and manholes, plus everything else the same rig can spray.
How a cistern gets lined
From inspection to return to service.
Six stages, done in order, every time. Tap through them. This is the work you are trained to do.
Stage 1 of 6
Inspect
Drain, clean and assess the structure: cracks, active leaks, spalling, moisture, old coatings and what the water will be used for.
Field note: Potable tanks need an NSF/ANSI/CAN 61-certified system. Confirm that before anything else gets ordered.
Stage 2 of 6
Prepare
Abrasive blast or grind to the profile the system calls for. Laitance, biofilm and failing paint all come off.
Field note: Most liner failures trace back to prep, not product. This is where good applicators earn their reputation.
Stage 3 of 6
Repair
Route and fill cracks, rebuild spalled concrete and detail joints, penetrations and pipe entries so the liner has a sound base.
Field note: Stop active leaks and hydrostatic seepage first. A liner is not a patch for running water.
Stage 4 of 6
Prime
A moisture-tolerant primer locks into the concrete, boosts adhesion and helps prevent outgassing pinholes.
Field note: Check dew point and substrate temperature. Primer windows are short and they matter.
Stage 5 of 6
Spray
Heated, plural-component polyurea goes on in multiple passes to the specified thickness and gels in seconds.
Field note: Detail corners, coves and penetrations first, then build the field to thickness in crossing passes.
Stage 6 of 6
Return to service
Verify thickness, test for holidays where required, cure, flush and refill on the system’s schedule.
Field note: Potable systems have defined cure and flushing steps before refill. Follow the listing, not a guess.
Applications
One spray system. Every kind of water storage.
The same rig and the same skills line cisterns, tanks, pipe and wastewater structures, which is exactly why it makes such a good business.
Concrete cisternsReline cracked, leaking or leaching concrete with a seamless membrane that flexes with the structure instead of cracking with it.
Potable water tanksDrinking-water storage lined with systems certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 for the tank size and use.Rainwater catchmentSeal harvest tanks against leaks, root intrusion and UV-cracked liners.Fire & standby tanksStagnant water is brutal on steel and concrete. Line it before it fails an inspection.Pipeline & culvert rehabSpray-applied linings renew corroded culverts, large-diameter pipe and water mains, often with minimal digging.Manholes & wet wellsStop infiltration and gas-driven corrosion in lift stations, vaults and wastewater structures.
Underground vaults & reservoirsLarge buried storage repaired and lined from the inside, without excavating the structure.Steel & agricultural tanksLivestock tanks, ag storage and bolted or welded steel tanks protected from rust, pinholes and seam leaks.Don’t see your tank?Tell us what you’re working with. If it holds water, there’s a good chance it can be lined.FAQ
Before you invest.
Do I need coatings experience to start?
It helps but it is not required. ArmorThane trains new applicators on equipment operation, surface prep and application. Contractors who already work in concrete, waterproofing or tanks usually ramp up fastest.
What equipment does cistern lining take?
A heated, high-pressure plural-component proportioner, heated hose and spray gun, transfer pumps, clean dry air, and power (a generator on mobile rigs). You also need surface prep equipment such as grinders or blasting gear, confined-space gear, and proper respiratory protection.
What else can I spray with the same rig?
Plenty. The same equipment sprays truck bedliners, secondary containment, roof coatings, manholes and pipe, industrial floors and more. Many applicators start with one market and add others as the rig gets busy.
Is financing available?
Yes. Equipment financing options are available, and your coatings specialist can walk you through them along with the startup packages.
Who will contact me after I fill out the form?
A coatings specialist from ArmorThane, the polyurea manufacturer behind this site, based in Springfield, Missouri. You will hear from a person, not an autoresponder sequence.
What is the best coating for a concrete cistern?
For most concrete cisterns, a spray-applied polyurea or polyurea hybrid membrane over properly prepared and repaired concrete gives the best mix of flexibility, crack bridging and fast return to service. If the water is for drinking, the system has to be certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 for that use.
Is polyurea safe for drinking water?
Some polyurea systems are certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 for contact with drinking water and some are not. Certification is specific to the product and to conditions like tank size, cure time and temperature, so always check the actual listing for the system being sprayed in your tank.
Can a leaking cistern be coated?
Yes, but the leaks have to be dealt with first. Active water is stopped, cracks are routed and filled, and damaged concrete is rebuilt. Then the liner goes on over a sound, dry, prepared surface. A coating is not a substitute for repairing a structure that is moving water.
How long will my cistern be out of service?
The tank has to be drained, cleaned, dried, prepped, repaired and lined, then cured and flushed before refill. Polyurea’s fast cure shortens the coating part of that window considerably compared with slower-curing systems. Your applicator can give you a schedule once they have inspected the tank.
How long does a polyurea cistern liner last?
Service life depends mostly on surface preparation, film thickness and water chemistry. A properly applied polyurea liner is built for long-term immersion service. Ask for the system’s data sheet and the applicator’s warranty in writing.
Get started
Get your startup details.
Tell us where you work and what you want to spray. A coatings specialist will walk you through equipment packages, training, materials and financing options.
- Takes about two minutes
- A real person follows up, not an autoresponder
- Equipment, training, materials and financing in one conversation
Backed by ArmorThane. Polyurea and polyurethane coatings manufacturer since 1989, Springfield, Missouri.