Tips

What effect will cold temperatures have on paint?

1. Oil base products can have the dry time slowed down dramatically.
2. Latex paint can have film formation interrupted before it has totally formed.

What makes an interior paint washable?

1. The more gloss a finish has, the less dirt will adhere to it.
2. The more gloss a finish has, it will most often have a harder and more washable finish, and dirt will wash off easier.
3. Low gloss or flat finishes need a very good quality resin (binder) to be washable. Lower quality coatings do not wash as well.

What makes paint hide well?

1. Hiding pigment concentration is the most important.
2. How well the product flows out when applied.
3. The quality of the tool used to apply the coating (brush, roller cover, spray equipment, etc.).
4. Proper surface preparation is an important variable in making a coating hide well. If a surface is rough, paint will settle into the 'valleys' of the surface, leaving the 'peaks' with an insufficient amount of coating to provide coverage or protection.

How important is surface preparation?

Surface preparation is the single MOST IMPORTANT variable in determining the service life of any coating. Proper surface preparation insures maximum adhesion to any surface. Even the best paint available today will not adhere to an excessively dirty or greasy surface, or if moisture and contaminates penetrate behind the paint film. Proper surface preparation will decrease the chance of contamination, discoloration, inconsistent gloss or improper film formation of a finish coat.

What makes paint wash well?

1. Hiding pigment concentration is the most important.
2. How well the product flows out when applied.
3. The quality of the tool used to apply the coating (brush, roller, spray, etc.).

How does paint dry?

1. Evaporation of solvent - lacquers.
2. Oxidation and polymerization - linseed oils.
3. Evaporation of water and fusion - latex paints.
4. Chemically catalyzed (drier, catalyst) - oils, epoxy, etc.