A coating system comprising a pigment and a polymer emulsion or natural-based binding system wherein the pigment has been surface treated with (1) a styrene-acrylic latex emulsion, a styrene-butadiene latex emulsion, or a blend of a styrene acrylic latex emulsion and a styrene butadiene latex emulsion and (2) a silane, a siloxane, a siloxane/silicone resin blend, or a carbon-based analog thereof, and wherein the styrene-acrylic latex emulsion, the styrene-butadiene latex emulsion, or the blend of the styrene acrylic latex emulsion and the styrene butadiene latex emulsion forms a film, and wherein the pigment has been modified by a thermal treatment process.