Paints and enamels: features of choice

Not even one of the smallest repairs can do without painting, be it repairing the facade of a building or redecorating an apartment. And therefore, navigate the sea of that range of paints and varnishes that offer catalogs of the Internet and building stores, it is necessary to be able not only to specialists, but also to ordinary inhabitants.

What is important to know about paints and enamels?

Before considering the various options for paints and enamels, it is necessary to have an idea of the composition of these paints and varnishes. Like all products of this type of finishing material, paints and enamels consist of:

From a solvent - water or an organic solvent (depending on the type of paint), which reduces the viscosity of the paint.
Of the filler - finely ground chalk or talc, which replaces the expensive pigment.
From pigment - finely ground mineral or artificial dye.
From desiccants that speed up the drying process.
From a binder film-forming substance, for example, drying oils.

As you know, the main purpose of paints and enamels is to protect the surface from destruction. And, of course, paints are used to give an aesthetic appearance to a building or interior.

Classification of paints and enamels as intended

Continuing the review of paints and varnishes, first of all, it is necessary to say about the main groups of application of paints in everyday life. They are divided into such groups:

For interior decoration;
For exterior decoration;
Universal.

At the same time, paints and enamels that are used for exterior decoration must be resistant to various atmospheric precipitation, sunlight, fire and temperature conditions. For varnishes, which are used indoors or under awnings, not only decorative, but also safety requirements must be presented.

The list of paints and enamels according to operating conditions

Before proceeding with the painting, it is necessary to determine the conditions in which the exploited surface is. This is a very important condition, which is necessary so that your work is not in vain and the surface treated with paint or enamel lasts as long as possible. Manufacturers necessarily mark banks upon release, on which, among the properties, they also write which group the paint and enamel belong to according to the operating conditions. There are only nine such categories. Paint can be:

weatherproof;
limited by weather resistance;
water resistant;
oil and petrol resistant;
heat resistant;
special;
chemical resistant;
electrical insulating;
protective or conservation.

These operating conditions can be applied to both internal and external types of paints and varnishes.

Paints and surfaces

Surfaces that require painting during repairs can be made of various materials, and therefore the paint for them must be selected for the appropriate purpose. In the modern construction market, there are paints for:

metal;
wooden surfaces;
facade - brick, concrete;
glass.

When choosing paints for a certain surface, one should not forget about where the painting will be carried out - inside or outside. To do this, pay attention to the composition of paints and enamels.

Classification of paints and enamels by their composition

Depending on where you have outlined repairs using paints and enamels, you should choose paints not only by application group, but also by their composition. There are eight main varieties of paints in composition:

oil paints;
water dispersion paints;
adhesive paints;
powder paints;
lime paints;
silicate paints;
latex paints;
alkyd paints.

Enamels, which have a varnish in their composition, make it possible to give the surface to be treated more shiny and more durable. They are also divided by composition:

oil;
alkyd;
tar;
bituminous;
nitrocellulose;
epoxy;
organosilicon.

Enamels, like paints, play a protective and decorative role, but are more resistant to external influences. Enamel paints are used for painting machines, devices and plastered surfaces. Nitro enamels, in comparison with oil paints, tend to dry quickly. Their drying time is only 15-45 minutes. As we see, in order to buy paint or enamel for repair, it is necessary to know not only the external characteristics of the product - color and consistency, but also the internal composition, purpose, and operating conditions. If you made the right choice of paint for repair, then your repair can be called successful.