Surface painting is a popular technique in home renovations. During such work, solvents for paint are needed. Given the fact that they provide the required density and texture of the coloring composition, in some cases they become indispensable.
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The main condition for such products is the absence of reaction with varnish or paint and rapid evaporation during work. In addition, the best paint thinners lose their characteristics when in contact with water, respectively, without reacting with it.
Compounds are classified by manufacturers into two types according to their origin - inorganic and organic. The latter have become the most common in the implementation of repairs, while they are divided according to their physical characteristics of volatility.
White spirit and gasoline are categorized as highly volatile thinners. It should be noted that personal safety rules must be observed when interacting with such substances, since theyare highly flammable.
Medium volatile compounds have become widespread, this category includes kerosene, used mainly as a solvent for acrylic paints. In this case, it can be used for oil-based substances. The main disadvantage of kerosene is its high cost, so its use is not always rational.
Turpentine is a non-volatile multifunctional solvent that allows you to dilute acrylic and oil paints, enamels.
Flaws
Despite the indispensability of such compounds, they have their drawbacks, the main of which is a sharp unpleasant odor. Because of this, non-toxic water-soluble paints are becoming increasingly popular, but their scope is rather limited due to the impossibility of applying at low temperatures.
When paint thinner is needed
During repairs, a situation often arises when the paint has acquired a thick consistency and is not suitable for high-quality distribution over the surface, due to a loose lid on a can of material.
Water-soluble oil formulations can be diluted to desired consistency by adding water, but these are predominantly used by graphic designers. If you need to paint wall structures and ceilings, you should first find out which solvents are best suited for which paints and in what ratio they are used. Working with oil based paintsrequire proper consistency with appropriate thinners.
Solvent 647
It is a colorless substance with a slight flammability and a pungent, toxic odor that is common to all members of this category. Its use is not limited to one dilution of paint, it can also be used for putties, varnishes and enamels of various types.
In addition, with the help of such a tool, it is possible to prepare surfaces for painting, degrease them, wash industrial mechanisms, and clean fabric materials from complex stains.
Turpentine
Is the most common diluent with a complex chemical composition. It is extracted during the processing of turpentine, tree resins and resin, belongs to the category of essential oils. It is used for paints of alkyd-styrene and oil type, as well as in the manufacture of varnishes, dammar and rosin. At the same time, its use in the manufacturing sector has significantly decreased after the appearance of white spirit.
There are three types of turpentine: turpentine, stump and woody. The latter is made on the basis of processing coniferous trees with a high resin content. Initially it has a yellowish-brown consistency, the hue of which disappears with further processing.
Turpentine is made by steam distillation of softwood parts. The composition of this oil varies depending on the propertiesmaterial used in production.
Stumpy turpentine is characterized by slow evaporation, may have additional coloring and impurities in the composition.
White spirit
This tool has a wide range of applications, it is mainly used for:
- diluting epoxy compounds, rubber, some types of alkyds;
- degreasing planes used for post-processing;
- dilution of primers and paints, fillers and enamels;
- dilution of oil-type varnishes.
One of the reasons for this prevalence is the affordable cost, and when the question arises of which solvent to dilute the paint, many choose it. The use of white spirit does not affect the quality characteristics of the resulting coating and at the same time significantly reduces paint consumption. It is worth noting that some manufacturers, mostly foreign ones, produce products without hydrocarbons and odorless. They are less soluble, but the finish created with them is more hygienic.
Acrylic paint
In interior design, acrylic coloring compositions allow you to create many original solutions. They are not affected by ultraviolet rays and have distinctive decorative properties. Also among the positive aspects, fire safety and the absence of toxic effects on the body should be noted.
The dried paint layer is highly durable, while ordinary water can act as a thinner. Tools with dried ink can be easily cleaned after soaking in soapy water, and fresh stains can be removed with a damp cloth.
Various solvents are used for acrylic-based paint, the most widely used are kerosene, white spirit and acetone. Each of them is selected depending on the surface that requires processing.
Safety
There are some rules to be aware of when working with highly volatile chemicals.
Everyone knows that solvents of all types have different volatility characteristics. In many countries, predominantly water-soluble paints are used to prevent explosive situations, which are caused by high levels of vapors of certain chemically active substances in the room. Taking into account the safety of using water-soluble formulations, working with them is not always rational due to the likelihood of freezing at low temperatures.
Highly volatile paint thinners are flammable. When using them, you must be away from switches and open flames. Their property of igniting when heated to a certain temperature level requires careful observance of safety measures.
Paint thinners in most cases have a sharp suffocating odor, which is why dilution of paint andenamel should be made in the open air or in a room with forced ventilation.
If chemical potent agents come into contact with mucous membranes and skin, they should be washed with plenty of water. They can also damage the fabric if it gets on it and corrode the paint.
Paint thinners: how to choose
When selecting this criterion, the paint layer and the surrounding weather conditions should be taken into account. Drying speed setting should be the reciprocal of temperature, eg high speed is suitable for use in cold weather.
It is also possible to detect the spreading of the coloring composition using the speed of evaporation of solvents. Spraying the paint will become impossible if a fast evaporating thinner is used and the ambient temperature is high, as the paint will dry without being on the surface to be treated.
The choice of thinner depends on the type of paint used. Using the wrong option can ruin the structure of the material. Before carrying out work, you must read the instruction manual.
The oil paint thinner is classified into weak and strong kind. The latter forms a homogeneous consistency regardless of the surrounding conditions, the weak type does not have such a characteristic.
