Abstract: Coating composition comprising a liquid first phase comprising one or more polymer binder components having functional groups capable of cross-linking by electron pair exchange, and a second phase which is a powder material, such as sand, comprising one or more compounds capable of activating crosslinking of the binder components in the liquid phase after the second phase is exposed to the first phase. The activating compound in the second phase may include a Lewis acid or Lewis base. Alternatively, the liquid phase comprises a compound which is reactive with the activating compound in the powder phase to form a Lewis base or Lewis acid. Method of applying a coating composition curable by cross-linking chemistry based on electron pair exchange, wherein after application of a layer of the coating composition on a substrate, a powder material comprising one or more cross-linking activating compounds is sprinkled over the wet layer.