The
day does not go
by that Tremblay House of Design is asked what type of house paint is the best
to use. I have my favorites, but they are usually full of the basic ingredients
that make up a quality product. The four ingredients are pigments, binders,
liquids, and additives. A nice combination of these four elements can guarantee
a beautiful and durable finish. High quality paint equals a higher value that
goes on the wall easier, and the application is faster as the high quality
paint will leave less holidays or bare spots to the finish. With less brushing
and minimal retouching, high quality paint will hide the surface better, and the
flow will make a difference to the painting process. This even flow will
develop a uniform appearance that promotes an attractive and even surface.
The
pigments promote a higher level of hiding pigments that have a better
resistance to fading and chalking. This makes the paint more durable. The more
opaque a color is or the whiter the pigment, titanium oxide, the better durability. This is not
to say that a dark color is a bad choice, but it tends to have a shorter life
than opaque pigments. A recommendation would be to use a light tone to the main
body, a medium tone for the doors and specialty carpentry, and a white or
off-white tone for any trim or fascia.
Binders
will bind pigments into a tight and continuous film. This tight combination helps
the paint adhere to the painted surface. The top quality paint has a higher
binder and pigment ratio, and one can see how an exterior paint benefits the
homeowner with a 100% acrylic binders. These binders will maximize the adhesion
that will resist to blistering and premature peeling. These binders will aid
against mildew growth and dirt penetration in the surface. In some areas, an
alkyd—oil-based product—will seal over a stucco or exterior plaster more
effectively.
This
combination of pigments and binders creates a solid. The ratings of these
solids are by percentages. A high percentage of solids will render into a
thicker and more durable paint film. This percentage ranges from 35 to 50%
solids. The lower grade paints will contain about 20 to 30% solids by degree.
This introduces the liquids usually water for latex or alkyd for oil-based
paint. If one imagines that the painters are using a low quality paint to save money, but
the paint only has a 20 to 30% solid rating, one paints the house with 70–80%
of water. This equals a shorter and less durable lifespan of one’s house paint.
This is a poor way to save money in one's investment.
The
liquids will carry the solids over the surface, but beware of paints that have
poor longevity. Latex is cut (thinned) with water to apply paint by sprayer,
and an alkyd is cut with paint thinner. Either process reduces the factor of
solids. If the painter starts the job with a less quality paint, the house is
in danger of developing paint failures early. A proper way to spray or roll a
home would be to follow behind and back roll with another coat of paint. Any
painter should not exceed a half gallon of water per five gallons of exterior
paint.
The
use of additives in a low-level provides key properties that can help in many
applications. Instead of water, a painter can use a Floetral (latex) or
Penetral (alkyd) additive to increase flow and leveling of the paint. This will
also assist in a spatter free application as the additives will thicken the
stream of spray. Other additives are Mildewcide products that reduce the
resistance to mildew; preservatives best if needing an emulsifier, and
anti-foaming agents to minimize air-bubbles in the film.
Since
explaining the four elements, the most important step in painting is
preparation. A poor preparation creates a poor paint job. One should identify
the surface to paint and determine if the surface is wood, plaster, masonry,
drywall (gypsum board), and metal. This process will help in deciding what
finish and paint to use for painting. Finishes are the sheen the paint has
after the paint is dry and completed. The sheens are as follows flat, matte or
low luster, eggshell, semi-gloss, gloss, and high gloss.
In
reading this summary of paint quality, I hope that one learns how to determine
proper decisions in paint materials, wall preparation, and the four elements
that will make or break the turnout of a quality paint job. Look for further tips
on painting one’s home in future articles.
