THE NEED FOR DURABLE COATINGS IS CLEAR. THEY PROVIDE THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST THE ELEMENTS WHICH CAUSE STRUCTURAL CORROSION AND DEGRADATION AS WELL AS PROVIDING AESTHETIC APPEAL TO PRODUCTS. THE INCREASING NEED FOR HIGHER SOLID COATINGS WHICH UTILIZE LOWER MOLECULAR WEIGHT BACKBONE WITH HIGHER FUNCTIONALITY COUPLED WITH LOWER CURING TEMPERATURES HAS GENERALLY PRESENTED PROBLEMS MAINTAINING COATING DURABILITY FOR COATING FORMULATORS. OFTEN THE DURABILITY OF HIGHER SOLIDS COATINGS CAN BE DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED BY THE USE OF LIGHT AND HEAT STABILIZERS. THIS PAPER DISCUSSES GENERAL MECHANISMS FOR POLYMER DEGRADATION, MANIFESTATIONS OF DEGRADATION ON COATING PERFORMANCE, TYPES OF STABILIZING ADDITIVES, AND THEIR FUNCTIONS AND MECHANISMS. EXAMPLES OF STABILIZATION ARE PRESENTED. THE PAPER INDICATES HOW THE USE OF STABILIZING ADDITIVES CAN FUNCTION AS AN IMPORTANT TOOL TO PROVIDE TO TH