How is paint made and what is it made of? This is one question that eludes many DIY enthusiasts, even if they are extremely proficient when it comes to preparing the paint and actually doing the paint job.
Understanding how the paint is made might not give you superpowers or make you finish your work more quickly, but it can help to avoid many discrepancies and problems that you’d run into otherwise.
The Main Components of Exterior Paint
When considering the main components that make up exterior paint products, it’s important to mention the vehicle, film former, the thinner and the pigment. Each of these parts have specific roles, and there are also additional components worth mentioning, such as thermosetting and thermoplastic mechanisms that are designed to form films through various methods.
In most cases, the vehicle is simply a mixture of a binder or film former substance and water or some other solvent. A combination between binder and special diluent substances is also possible, its purpose being to facilitate the polymerization and film forming processes once the paint dries up.
The diluent or solvent plays a key role in that it dissolves the polymer and determines the viscosity of the mixture. Depending on how thin or thick you want the paint to be, various ratios can be used between the diluent and resin substance, and for oil-based paints, mixtures of different types of thinner and thicker oil might also be used.
Finally, pigments are used to give the paint its color. There are a number of substances that can be chosen for this purpose, some of them – such as titanium dioxide and red iron oxide – also being used as so-called “hiding pigments” to add extra UV protection.
Aside from all these components, you’ll also find that exterior paint is made to withstand the elements more easily and for a much longer time period, when compared to its counterparts used for interior painting. Most types of interior paints use heavy and harmful chemicals that are used to prevent moisture and UV radiation damage, while also keeping most types of fungi at bay. Because of these chemicals, it is strongly discouraged that exterior paint ever be used indoors.
Preparing Your Exterior Paint
Painting the exterior of your home requires careful preparation, and if you also have to prepare your own paint, then the process might be somewhat more difficult and time-consuming.
Before starting to paint the exterior, you have to be aware of a few factors: how much paint you’ll need, how much of the exterior will be painted, what type of paint you’re using and, of course, what the process is when it comes to preparing the paint.
The main process associated with preparing the paint will typically involve mixing the resin with the solvent and pigment, if you’re preparing your own DIY paint, and just preparing the wall, siding or other surface.
If you want to prepare the surface properly, you will have to wash it and apply primer. If you’re painting a metal surface, it’s usually best to apply an oil-based primer. Once you’re done with that, you will be ready to get started with the paint work.
To find out more details, and gain further insight into the process, call or visit your local Highlands Ranch painting contractor, and ask, “how is paint made and what should I be aware of when choosing or preparing my exterior paint?”