Organic protective coatings are the most commonly used means of protecting wood, metal and other materials from harmful environmental influences. They represent thin membranes between the material and the environment to which the material is exposed, and their function can be both protective and decorative. They consist of several components, the most important of which are the binder and the solvent, which directly affect the viscosity of the coating. Other coating additives, together with the binder and solvent, must provide sufficient coating viscosity to ensure the quality of the coating's application properties. Thickeners also affect the viscosity of these systems. They increase the viscosity of the coating without changing its basic properties. The addition of different types of thickening agents to the composition of the coating affects its properties, as well as its thermal and rheological behavior. The most commonly used types of thickeners are inorganic, clay and organic thickeners, some of which differ in their mechanism of action. They are added to coatings at different concentrations to monitor their influence on rheological behavior and effects on thermal and application properties of the coating. The rheological properties were tested at different time intervals to monitor the changes in the viscosity of the coating, which is important for its application. The thermal properties of the coating were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. The rheological properties of the coating were tested to determine the influence of different thickening agents and the stability of the dispersion after 30 days of standing. The application and mechanical properties of the coating were tested by different methods to check the resistance of the coating to mechanical damage, wear and corrosion. The tests performed provided information on the influence of the thickening agents on the application properties of the coating.