Know Your Paint

Janice Anderssen

I constantly receive enquiries for the following topics on my website and others:

Which paint do I use?

I agree that there are so many different types of paint on the shelves these days, that it can be quite overwhelming and most definitely very confusing to the average homeowner. Here's a little bit of insider information as to what actually goes into paint, and why some paints are more expensive than others.

The majority of paints that we use in and around the home contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds). These VOC's not only smell, they can also cause nasty side effects such as headaches and nausea, not to mention the more serious problems. Today, however, manufacturers such as Prominent Paints are reducing the amount of VOC's and moving towards waterbased paint technology. Oil-based paints are the worst offenders in the VOC department, and whilst these paints still have some popularity as a result of their durability, the research into waterbased technology means that these types of paints are becoming increasingly popular over oil-based alternatives as paint quality improves.

What makes paint cost more?
Paint products consists of four main elements: carriers, binders, pigments and additives. These ingredients give paint its strength, washability, colour and hiding power.

Carriers
These form the largest volume of paint and are used to transport the ingredients from the can to the surface. Water is the carrier in acrylic and emulsion paints, and mineral spirits is the carrier in most oil or enamel paint.

Doors, trim and woodwork require a tough, hard wearing finish. Prominent Ultragloss - a waterbased pure acrylic enamel that is formulated for interior and exterior use - offers all the properties of an oil-based paint in waterbased formula. And with the introduction of the new Bosch PFS Fine Spraying System, application is easy, smooth and easy to clean up.

Binders
This paint component is one of the most expensive and most important as it provides paint with the ability to perform. One of the most common binders in our locally manufactured paint is acrylic. This provides paint products with qualities such as durability, UV-light resistance, colour retention, and flexibility, as well as its sheen.

When decorating your home, if durability and scrubbability are priorities, choose a higher sheen, such as Prominent Sheen. Higher sheens typically mean better wear resistance and washability, but bear in mind that as result of the reflective surface, they also show surface imperfections.

Pigments
Pigments give paint its colour as well as hiding power - how much paint needs to be applied for coverage. Certain colours (red and yellow) cost more to mix than other colours due to the fact that more pigments are required.

Additives
Every manufactured offers a range of paints that have additives to enhance workability, levelling and performance, including mildew resistance. E.G. Prominent Ultrasheen is a high performance, non-drip superior quality pure acrylic emulsion. It contains fungicides to eliminate fungal growth. Fungicides are especially important for kitchen and bathroom paints.

What paint should I use?If you are still not sure about what make of paint to use, take a small tin home of the top brands: Prominent Paints, Plascon and Dulux. Sample each of these of a small wall or board. Make sure you buy the same type of paint. e.g. satin, matt, etc. Let the kids rub their grubby fingers across the boards and give each one a wipe down. This experiment will allow you to determine which is the best paint - at the right price - for you!

Are there truly eco-friendly paints out there?
There are some paints that offer lower VOCs - less than 5% by European standards. There are also milk paints that have a natural base instead of a solvent base. At the end of the day look for a paint that offers low VOCs - or low odour - acrylic binders and high hiding (coverage) power.

Janice - www.Home-Dzine.co.za