Paint Demystified
If you've ever been standing in front of a mile long shelf of different types of paints and wondered: what's the difference between flat and gloss paint, should I use oil or latex, or which is the RIGHT paint for me? Then this is the article for you.
This article was written to give you the information required for you to make and educated decision the next time you buy paint, read on as I "Demystify Paint".
First lets talk about ingredients because the ingredients are what determine how a paint looks, feels, and acts.
Paints are composed of a liquid (or thinner) ingredient and three solid ingredients: pigments, binders, and additives.
Lets look at the liquid component first.
The liquid agent is what combines pigments and binders to form a consistent application and is evaporated or oxidized off during the drying or curing process.
Liquids or thinners come in the follow types: mineral spirits, VM&P naphtha, water, and lacquer thinner. Mineral spirits are found in most oil-based paints. VM&P naphtha can be found in spray on enamels. Water is found in latex or other waterborne paints. Lacquer thinner is commonly used in most varnishes.
Because the liquid portion of latex paint evaporates during the drying process and the mineral spirits in oil-based paint must be oxidized in a chemical process during it's curing process, latex point dries much faster. This also explains why oil-based paints have a much strong odor than latex paints.
Next lets talk about pigments.
Pigments are fine powders which provide color, coverage, binder protection, and sheen control. Pigments control the color in paint because they are scattering agents to light. They hide or scatter certain light frequencies in the light spectrum while reflecting others. It's the absence of certain light frequencies that give us what we perceive as color.
Next up are binders.
Binders are the "vehicle" that carry pigments during the application process. They hold pigments together during the drying process. Binders provide adhesion so pigments will stick to surfaces. And lastly they help determine the overall durability of the paint.
The most common types of binders are linseed oil, alkyd, polyurethane, acrylic, and poly-vinyl acetate.
Linseed oil is used almost exclusively in exterior paints. It's durable and creates a flexible oil film that helps prevent the weathering of wood.
Alkyd is found both in interior and exterior paints. It's also very durable and creates a hard film surface generally used for heavy duty applications.
Polyurethane is most commonly found in automotive and masonry paints.
Acrylic is a waterborne (or water-based) latex resin mostly used in exterior paints because of it's flexibility and weather-resistant properties.
Poly-vinyl acetate (or PVA) is also a waterborne resin and is used in both indoor and outdoor applications. But because it's not as moisture resistant as acrylic, it's preferable to use acrylic or a combination of acrylic and PVA in outdoor applications.
Now that you know what's in paint, lets talk about how combinations of those ingredients add up to the different types of paint used today.
The two most commonly used paints today are latex and oil-based.
Latex is water-based so it dries fast and is easily cleaned up with soap and water. It's low in odor because it doesn't use mineral solvents to catalyze it's curing process. It's water base also makes it easy to apply with a multitude of different applicators (brushes, rollers, sprayers, etc.) It breathes which allows moisture to escape. Lastly, it's flexibility makes it more resistant to fading.
Some paints which are labeled as latex really isn't composed of latex. They use a synthetic material developed to mimic latex but can be cheaper to manufacture and can be more durable.
Oil-based paints apply more smoothly and evenly. It's harder surface makes it more resistant to wearing, tearing and smearing. That same hard surface makes it much more washable than latex. It's binding agent releases a much harsher odor and requires much longer drying times. The binding agent also makes clean up much more difficult but it provides a much strong initial bond to most surfaces.
Now you know the differences between latex and oil-based paints, let looking into the paints sheen.
A paint's sheen is the level of pigment versus binder found in the paint. It's most common names are high gloss, semi-gloss, eggshell, satin, low sheen and flat. Keep in mind that exact levels of sheen differ from one paint manufacturer to another.
Lower levels of sheen give softer and smoother finishes, their easier to apply, and easier to touch up. They also tend to be better at hiding defects in the painted surface.
Higher levels of sheen bring out more detail in the underlying surface. They better resist marking and are easier to wash. They also have a shinier appearance.
Gloss and semi-gloss are great for kitchen cabinets, doors, banisters, railings, windows sills, trim and decorative molding. They have a shiny appearance and are easy to wash.
Eggshell and Satin are good in high traffic, high use areas because they are durable and fairly easy to clean. This makes them optimal for kitchens, children's bedrooms, high use living rooms, hallways and garages.
Flat paints do a good job of hiding defects on surfaces and are usually cheaper than the others. They are difficult to remove stains from and are generally used for ceilings, closets, adult bedrooms and formal living rooms.
Sheens are controlled by the percentages of binders versus pigments in the paint. Since pigments act as scattering agents to light, lower percentages of binders mean a duller or less glossy appearance on the surface. Flat paints are usually 30% binder and 70% pigment while gloss paints are just the opposite.
Because pigments are softer and less durable than binders, when you have higher percentages of pigment in the paint, it becomes less durable. Hence the reason flat paints are usually less durable than glossy paints. The higher concentrations of pigment also have an the same effect on the washability of the paint. Since the pigments are softer and less durable, they are less likely to be cleanable down the road.
Keep in mind that the overall properties of paint aren't just dependent on the pigment and binders, additives also play a role in the final properties.
The price of paint is generally governed by the type and quality of the ingredients used to make the paint. Usually the more expensive the paint the better it adheres the properties I described above.
This concludes my article on "Demystifying Paint." You should now be able to make an educated buying decision the next time you visit the hardware store to purchase a can of paint.
I hope you enjoyed the article but most of all I hope it has helped you better understand the differences between the many types of paint you can buy.
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