LECTURE#05

Paints
Paint is any colored liquid which on drying, form a thin surface coat
and has specific functions it performs.
Paints are used to protect metals, timber, or plastered surfaces from
the corrosive effects of weather, heat, moisture or gases etc and to
improve their appearance
Composition of paints
Fundamental components of an oil-based paint are:
1. Body
2. Vehicle
3. Pigment
4. Thinner
5. Dryer
1. Body

Forming the main body of a paint

 Make the paint film harder and more resistant to abrasion

 Reduce shrinkage cracks on drying

In white paint ►►body is also the pigment.

Commonly used bases (body) are White lead, Zinc oxide, Iron oxide,
Metallic powder such as Al, Cu, Br.
2. Vehicle

 Oily liquid in which the body and pigment are soluble

 Facilitates the paint to be conveniently spread over the surface

 Oils most commonly used as vehicle are linseed oil, poppy oil,

nut oil, and tung oil.

3. Pigment
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Pigments are materials which gives the paint its color.

All Pigments should be insoluble in the medium in which they are
used, chemically inert, free of soluble salts and unaffected by normal
temperatures.
It should be easily wetted for proper dispersion, nontoxic, non-
corrosive and have low oil-absorption characteristics.
Their main functions are:
i. To provide color,
ii. To hide substrates and obliterate previous colors ,
iii. To improve the strength of the paint film,
iv. To improve the adhesion of the paint film,
v. To reduce gloss,
vi. To reduce cost,
Thinner
Liquid thinner is added in the paint to
 Increase fluidity

 Making paint more smooth

 Help penetration into porous surfaces

Common thinner ► turpentine

5. Dryers

 Added to quicken the drying of vehicle

 Organic salts of Iron, zinc, lead, manganese, Calcium
 To accelerate the oxidation and hardening of vehicle.
Some the commonly used driers are litharge, lead acetate, red
lead, manganese dioxide, and zinc sulphate.

Characteristics of a Good Paint

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 It should work smoothly and freely

 On drying it should be durable and tough
 It should not crack on drying
 It should dry quickly
 It should give smooth and pleasing appearance
 The paint should not peel off from painted surface.
 It should be good fire and moisture resistant.
Types of Paints

The paints are of following types :

Aluminum Paint
Enamel paint
Cellulose paint
Zinc paint
Emulsion paint
Silicate paint
Luminous paint
Anti-Corrosive paints
Asbestos paints
Bituminous paint
Bronze paints
1) Aluminium Paint
It consists of aluminium powder suspended in varnish
It has very good covering power and gives nice protection to
iron and steel against corrosion due to sea water and acid fumes.
it does not oxidize and fade. It is visible in the dark.

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It is widely used for painting hot water pipes, gas tanks, marine
piers, oil storage tanks, radiators, etc.
2) Enamel paint
This paint is prepared by adding base like white lead or zinc
white to a vehicle which is a varnish. To obtain the desired
colour, coloring pigments may also be added. This paint dries
slowly and forms a hard, durable, smooth, glossy, solid thin
film. Enamel painted surfaces are washable and are not affected
by acids, alkalis, gases or steam.
Enamel paints can be used both for interior as well as exterior
painting.
3) Cellulose paint
This type of paint is prepared from cellulose sheets, nitro-cotton
and photographic films. This paint dries very quickly and
provides a flexible, hard and smooth surface. The paint does not
harden by oxidation but by evaporation of thinning agent. The
surface of the paint can be easily washed and cleaned. It remains
unaffected by hot water, smoky or acidic atmosphere. This paint
is used for painting cars, aero planes etc.
4) Zinc paint

It is now extensively used for indoor and outdoor use for white paints
especially on metallic surfaces. Zinc oxide has great weathering
power. Zinc sulphide gives luminous and fluorescent paints that are
used to illuminate maps and aircraft instruments at night. This paint is
some time also called luminous paint.

5) Emulsion paint
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This paint consists of synthetic resin like polyvinyl acetate. It can be

applied easily. It retains its colour for a very long time. The surface
of the paint is tough and can be cleaned by washing with water. This
paint has excellent resistance against action of alkali. It dries very
quickly in about one to two hours.

6) Bituminous Paint

This paint consists of asphalt, bitumen or pitches, dissolves in any

type of oil or petroleum. The paint is always black in colour but its
colour can be modified by mixing certain pigment. The paint is used
mostly for painting iron-works under water. These paints deteriorate
when exposed to direct sun. It is also used for water proofing.

Preparation of paints

Paints are prepared through the following steps:

Base/body is thoroughly grounded in the vehicle

 Mixed with the thinner to impart necessary workability

 Pigments and dryers are separately mixed to a thin consistency

 The two are then thoroughly mixed to form the desired paint

Applications of Paints

Paint can be applied as a solid, a gaseous suspension (aerosol) or a

liquid.

As a solid (usually used in industrial and automotive applications),

the paint is applied as a very fine powder, then baked at high

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temperature. This melts the powder and causes it to adhere (stick) to

the surface.

As a gas or as a gaseous suspension, the paint is suspended in solid or

liquid form in a gas that is sprayed on an object. The paint sticks to
the object.

In the liquid application, paint can be applied by

direct application using brushes, paint rollers, blades, other
instruments.

Defects in Painting
The following defects may occur in painted surface :
Fading
The paint may lose some of its colour due to effects of sunrays on
colouring pigments.
Flaking
Due to poor adhesion, paint may peel off from the surface.
Grinning
If the opacity of the final coat is insufficient, the back ground of
the painted surface is clearly visible. This defect is known as
grinning.
Bloom
Due to bad ventilation or defective paint, dull patches are
developed on the painted surface.
Flashing

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This is opposite of bloom. In this defect, glossy patches are

developed on the painted surface. The reason of this defect may
be cheap paint, weather reaction or poor workmanship.
Blistering
This defect occurs due to trapped moisture behind the painted
surface.
Running
This defect occurs when the surface to be painted is very smooth.
In this defect, small areas of the surface are left uncovered with
paint.
Sagging
Thickness of painting should not be excessive. If too much thick
coat of paint is applied, the defect is known as sagging.
Wrinkling
This defect occurs in thickly painted surfaces.
Saponification

Defect of formation of soap patches on the painted surface is known

as saponification. This defect occurs due to chemical action of the
alkalies.
Varnishes & Distempers
Varnishes

Varnishes are more or less transparent liquids which are used to

provide a protective surface coating in much the same way as paints
do” At the same time they allow the original surface to show but add
a lustrous and glossy finish to it.

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Composition

The ingredients of varnish are

i) Resins
ii) solvents
iii) Driers
i) Resins: commonly used resins are copal, mastic,
amber gum and lac copal is considered to be the toughest,
hardest, and is very durable for external work.
ii) Solvents: boiled linseed oil is used to dissolve copal
or amber, methylated spirit is used for lac.
iii) Driers: these should be added in small quantities.
Litharge or lead acetate is the commonly used driers
in varnish, added to accelerate drying process.
Types of varnishes

1. Natural resin varnishes:

Body made from natural resin obtained from certain trees. Natural
resin obtained from living trees or from fossils (which are superior)
Vehicle in varnish is the same as used in oil-based paint. Resins
dissolved in oil ►mixture heated to temperature (500-600OF)
depending on the amount of gloss required. Oil and natural resin
varnish ►OLEO RESINOUS varnish. Thinner and dryers used in
varnish are the same as used in oil based paints

2. Modified natural-resin varnishes:

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Made from natural resin ►altered by chemical action. Common resin

is heat treated with glycerin to form a gum. This gum is treated as the
body for the varnish. Less expensive varnish than the oleo resinous
varnish

3. Synthetic resin varnish:

 Synthetic varnish produced by plastic industry
 Chemicals used include nitrocellulose, amino resins, silicon etc
 Vehicle most often the same as for oleo resinous varnish
 Coal tar derivatives may be used as thinners
 Dryer is also the same as for other types of varnishes
Distempers
 They are paints used for the treatment of masonry walls.
 Water instead of oil is used as a vehicle. These are also known
as water-paint too.
 Powdered white chalk and glue boiled in water are mixed.
 Usually colored by mixing different pigments.
 All Distempers mixed with water only before being used.
 Distemper are affected by weathering condition and comes off if
washed. So distempers are to be used only in interior works.
 It forms a Cheap, durable and easy interior finish.
 Distempers should be applied on clean and dry surface.

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