Paint

What is Paint?

All You Need to Know About Paint

Paints are thin coatings applied to surfaces in a liquid form. Paint dries and becomes flexible solids. They have many uses, the protection of the surface from sunlight, dampness, dust, abrasion, and weathering. They provide easily cleanable surfaces that help keep the substrates clean and tidy. They can alter the interior by the use of color, light or darkness, matt or reflective surfaces and not to forget with texture.

Learn all about paint, how it is made, what it is used for and when and where to use it

We underestimate the complexity of paint until we visit the paint store to do some small DIY chores, for a bit of a touch up here, change of wall color there and soon we are laden down with choice.

What sort do we need? What type is already on the walls? What is the substrate that is to be painted, and the list of questions goes on.

That’s usually when we grab the yellow pages and employ a professional. After all they know what they are talking about….and so can you.

After reading through the information provided you will be well versed in the language of paint and then just have to decide on the color.

Paint Information:

Application – the order in which things are painted is called a paint system and vitally important in the painting process.

Appplication Tools – brushes, rollers, spray application and pads.

Pigments – important paint ingredient.

Problems – recognizing or avoiding faults like chalking, blistering, checking, cracking, crocodiling or alligatoring, efflorescence and mould or fungus.

Additives – important paint ingredient.

Oil Based – definition of oil based paint. Advantages and disadvantages of using it.

Water Based – definition of water based paint. Advantages and disadvantages of using it.

Spirit Based – definition of spirit type coatings.

Timber Stains – definition of timber stains.

How it is Made a simple explanation of how paint is manufactured.

Special Types these include anti fungus, fire retardant, intumescent, relief texture, heat resistant and multicolored finish paints.

Marbling Effects – an example of using paint effects on a large scale for the floor.

Decorating Effects

Types of Paint Effects 

Wall Finish Resources

Paint sample colours on a fandeck
Learn about color schemes by video
Clear Finishes and Paint

Clear Finishes (lacquer or varnish), are transparent and are used so that the substrate’s appearance is enhanced by the application as well as protected.

They are made up of a binder, solvent and additives.

Paint composition is similar but requires pigments for color and extenders for opacity.

Paint and Clear Finish Composition

Clear Finish = Binder + Solvent + Additives
Paint = Binder + Solvent Additives + Pigment + Extender

The Ingredients

Film Former (medium, vehicle, binder)
It is a liquid form
It binds together the components of the paint (or clear finish)
It influences the gloss level, degree of sheen in the film
It keeps the pigment in suspension
It provides paints with water resistant properties
It provides the adhesion of the coating to the substrate by softening the previous dry coat

Examples of binders are:
Drying oils – linseed, soyabean, tung, olive
Natural Resins (either from living or fossilized remains) – kauri, damar, ester, lac, rubber
Synthetic Resins – Alkyd, acrylic, polyurethane, PVA, silicone, epoxy, phenolic

Interior Design and Decorating Paint and Painting Systems

Once you we know about how paint is made up we can look at how it is manufactured and the problems that can arise when we apply it.

If you want some DIY tips on applying paint the visit our perfect paint job tips, otherwise read the articles above and familiarize yourself with spirit type coatings, a specialist type of paint coating, and specialist names and familiarize yourself with them for future use.

Find out how it is manufactured, just for interests sake and then learn all about the many defects and surface breakdowns that can occur when painting. Be able to recognize them, and know how to avoid them happening to you if you are a DIY painter.

Find out what tools are used for application and some special finishes. Read on and increase your general interior design and decorating knowledge of these systems.

Learn the Names of Different Types

Named after their function (i.e. what they do)

Primers, Finishing Coats, Sanding Sealer, Fillers, Floor Paint, Galvanised Iron Primer, Surfacers, Stoving Paint, Spray Paint, Undercoats, Stainer, Etch Primer, Knifing Compounds, Roof Paint Sealers.

Named after the binder or medium used in the making
Acrylic, Latex Paint/Varnish, Latex PVA paint/Varnish, Shellac Based Paint/Varnish, Spirit Based Paint/Varnish, Epoxy Paint/Varnish, Polyurethane /Varnish, Alkyd Resin/Varnish, Tung Oil, Linseed Oil, Cement Paints, Emulsion, Bitumous, Chlorinated Rubber.

Named after the pigment used in the manufacture
Zinc Rich or Zinc Dust Primer, White Lead, Graphite, Red Lead, LTZ – Lead Titanium Zinc, Aluminium, Micaceous Iron Oxide (Roof Paint), Calcium Plumbate Primer, Zinc Chromate.

Named after their look
Eggshell, Multicoloured, Matt, Iridescent Texture, Satin Finish, Wrinkle Finish, Semi Gloss, Luminous, Fluorescent, Gloss, Crackle Finish, Flat.

Find More Knowledge on Color
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