Types of acrylic paints
Water-based acrylic paint is quite widely used in modern decoration. It is used for both exterior and interior surfaces.
Today we will consider how water-acrylic paints are used, you will learn about the composition and methods of application. On video and photo you can choose a finish design in different versions.
The content of the article
Why choose acrylic
Acrylic paints have many advantages compared to peers.
Among their main advantages are the following:
- Long service life. They are resistant to wear and fire.
- Practicality. Paint is used sparingly and has good coating ability. The coating retains its original appearance over time, does not fade in the sun and does not fade.
- Air permeability. The paint is excellent for wooden surfaces (seeWhat paint is better to paint a tree: we make a choice) due to the fact that it does not interfere with natural ventilation.
- Quick drying. You can paint outdoors when the weather is rainy. The drying period lasts 30 minutes. - 2 hours. It all depends on the composition of the paint material for decoration.
- Preservation of color brightness. The paint after application remains as saturated as on the packaging.
- No surface irregularities after staining. The paint layer does not “wrinkle” and does not crack after drying.
- Convenient cleaning of tools for coloring. At the end of the finishing work, brushes and rollers (seePaint rollers: consider in detail) can be washed with water, but no solvent is needed.
- Easy stain removal. If the paint drips into an unnecessary place when staining, simply remove it. After wiping, no residue remains, while the surface itself is not damaged.
- Excellent water repellent. Water-based acrylic paints with low cost are used in rooms where there is always high humidity. This is the best option for a kitchen or bathroom.
- The low price and the possibility of applying with your own hands also attract the consumer.
Attention: Due to the excellent weather-resistant parameters, acrylic paints are used for finishing exterior walls and building facades.
During rain, the paintwork is wetted. However, after drying, water-based acrylic paint does not peel off, and its level of water resistance is fully restored. When working, the painter does not need personal protective equipment: this type of paint and varnish does not emit toxic substances. Nothing terrible will happen if a drop of paint gets on an open area of the skin.
There are few drawbacks of paints and varnishes, first of all, it is low adhesion to plastics without soil. This minus is typical for types of acrylic paints that were produced earlier. Modern products have no such drawback.
Fast drying can be considered a drawback. The airbrush nozzle may become clogged, even if the break in work was short-lived.
After applying the first coat, it is recommended to wait until it dries. Some paints may alter the gloss with a touch when dried.
General structure of the composition
The coating made with acrylic paint is a layer of plastic of insignificant thickness:
- Paints and varnishes can have various characteristics and differ externally. However, their structure remains almost the same.
- A binder base is polymers that dissolve with water and diluents. The task of this component is to form a film, hold the pigment of color and additives.
- Important components include color pigments; acrylic resins are used as the basis for their production. Pigments in combination with polymers allow to obtain a high-quality surface with excellent performance properties.
- Various filler additives. They form compounds responsible for creating a matte or glossy finish, as well as for water resistance. Other components also belong to this group, for example: antifoam agents.
Varieties and characteristics of acrylic compositions
Types of acrylic paints can be divided into three large groups. This division is considered conditional.
- The first presents the paints and varnishes necessary for construction work or decoration.
- Another group includes compounds used for coloring metals.
- And the third includes those types with which painters and artists work.
Attention: Do not forget that these paints and varnishes are versatile, therefore they can be used in various industries at the same time.
Painters work with any acrylic paints even in poorly ventilated rooms. They have no smell, this is primarily true for water soluble. The most common types of acrylic paints are presented in two versions.
The first variety has an organic base, and the other type of acrylic paints has a water-dispersion base:
- First coat paints suitable for outdoor use. This is a great material for building facades. Such a base allows coating in all weather conditions. The painter can work in the temperature range of -20 - +30 degrees.
- Properties such as strength, elasticity and vapor impermeability are characteristic of a paint and varnish material. They have excellent adhesion, which allows the composition to adhere well to surfaces. The composition serves as an excellent protection for wooden products from fungi, mold and pests.
- For indoor work, paintwork materials with a water-dispersion base are used.. The eco-friendly composition is safe for the health of masters involved in decorative interior decoration. Ceilings with walls are painted with matte paint. Floors (seeWhat paint to choose for the floor, depending on the base), wood products and rooms with high humidity are often painted with gloss.
- Manufacturers produce their products with a rich palette of colors with precise marking.. This is convenient when the site remains unpainted or you want to restore a separate fragment. You don’t have to pick up the paint, just tell the seller the marking to buy the necessary goods.
- If the desired color was not available in the color palette, then you can buy special acrylic whitewash and coloring pigments. To tint white, you need a drill with a mixer nozzle. Pigment is poured into a container with whitewash and mixed until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. When the paint is prepared by hand, it is recommended to do with a margin. In this case, getting the same tone twice is not an easy task.
Attention: If you are making paint yourself, it is better to make a computer tint, which is offered to buyers of building supermarkets. Having printed out the proportions of colors for yourself, you can prepare this composition again if necessary.
Work on painting metal surfaces
So:
- Special water-based acrylic paints are used in the automotive industry.The basis for them are organic thinners, such paints and varnishes are more expensive.
- Acrylic coating technology has its own characteristics. First of all, the metal surface is thoroughly primed. This is done in order to improve adhesion and provide reliable protection of the metal from corrosion. The paint lays well on the ground, and its consumption decreases.
- In order to carry out coloring of individual fragments or apply a background under an airbrush image after repair work, paint in cans is often used. The choice of such a paint material is the best solution for working with small areas.
- Acrylic paints for metal take a little time to dry. It is applied evenly with a thin layer. According to the instructions, the metal should be painted in several layers, each subsequent of which is applied to the surface after drying of the previous one.
- Other compositions intended for car painting are more expensive compared to acrylic paints and varnishes. You need to know about the important nuances of applying paint. Depends on what result the car owner needs. When gloss is required, polished acrylic varnish is required.
Compositions used in the art industry
It uses matte acrylic and glossy. Acrylic is used in their work by professional artists.
Various directions are presented here: traditional painting, unique design of airbrushing images, painting of jewelry, souvenirs and other items, exclusive manicure. Artists usually work with acrylics, which are sold in tubes.
- In traditional painting, compositions can be used as a base layer, as a base on which they are painted with oil paints. Here is a large selection of colors, allowing to realize any ideas that are born in the head of the artist. These compounds have excellent hiding power. They completely dry in half an hour.
- For airbrushing use compositions that allow you to create special effects. If the small room of the cafe is painted with neon acrylics, then it is easy to turn it into a modern night club, which prefers to visit glamorous youth. For airbrushing images, polyacrylic paint is considered the best choice. Its base is also organic and water-dispersible. This is great material for real masters to create fantastic stories.
- Manicurists paint nails with paints that do not harm human health. Environmentally neutral compositions allow you to create beautiful patterns. Paints are hypoallergenic, so specialists can safely paint living tissue, creating fancy pictures.
Regardless of whether rubber or water-based acrylic paint is used, be sure to thoroughly prepare the base plane. After all, the uniformity of application and the durability of the coating will depend on this. The instruction will help you avoid mistakes in this matter.
