The question of what exactly to paint a tree with is not entirely correct in modern life. For thousands of years, people have used wood for their own purposes, in construction, furniture production, jewelry making and much more. And if 30 years ago there were no more than 10 types of wood finishes, now there are hundreds of them.
In this material, our experts have tried to summarize the most popular types of compositions for you.
Why do it at all
- Wood is, first of all, a living material and, like any living organism, it lives, ages and dies. If you do not take care of it and do not treat it in time, then these processes will go much faster, especially for wood that is in the open air and experiences the whole range of negative weather surprises.
- In addition, this living material is a fertile ground for the development of various types of mold and fungus; whole hordes of pests are happy to feast on them.
- Based on the colossal experience of human use of wood, modern science has developed a wide variety of compositions that not only improve the appearance of the material, but also allow a tree to prolong a decent life for decades. Moreover, for each type of wood and the type of its use, they have their own.
The most famous compositions
As mentioned earlier, there are many compositions for wood cladding, and each of them has its own purpose, the same covering and transparent paints are far from all, because there are also varnishes and impregnations. The question of which tree to process before painting is also very important.
Preparation for staining
- Relatively recently, the entire range of compositions intended to protect the material before dyeing was reduced to one, single position and drying oil reigned here. We would not say that this is wrong, but drying oil is only suitable for oil formulations, and that is desirable for interior work.
- At present, the question of how to impregnate a tree before painting should be approached comprehensively. Because if it is a wardrobe for a bedroom or an item of decoration, then there is enough soil to ensure uniform distribution and a certain savings in the finishing composition.
- It is a completely different question when it is required to veneer the facade of a house or a garden gazebo. In this case, initially before deep penetration, containing fungicides, pesticides, antibacterial compounds, antifungal additives and many more different additives of this type.
- The next layer is a primer designed for uniform distribution. It can swell or vice versa smooth out the warp fibers. Since wood absorbs paint quite strongly, the use of this primer provides significant savings in the finishing composition. In some cases, this primer can itself be a finishing layer, for example, some types of impregnations.
Tip: Care must be taken when selecting primers for coniferous material, they have a very high resin content and preparatory primers can act as solvents or have a lathering function, depending on the desired result.
Compositions based on organic solvents
- In the last century, the question of how to paint a tree on the street was solved simply. If you were interested in the economy option, then oil compositions were used with the addition of drying oil of different varieties. If the emphasis was on durability and quality, then they chose between alkyd or nitro enamels.
- Oil paint in its structure is not difficult, with a great desire it is quite possible to cook it yourself at home. The simplest instruction involves mixing the coloring pigment, fine rubbing, with drying oil. The main characteristics of the quality of such compositions depend on the type of drying oil and various additives, they are controlled in accordance with GOST 10503-71.
- Oil paints are rightfully considered a durable and sealed coating.. They are resistant to mechanical damage, have a glossy sheen and water-repellent effect. But they are short-lived, the maximum service life, without loss of quality, is a maximum of 3 - 5 years. Further, the surface loses its luster and cracks. Drying time up to 3 days.
Tip: you can speed up the drying of the oil coating with the help of an additive consisting of rosin and metal oxides; vegetable oil or any organic solvent is taken as a solvent.
But you need to add no more than 8%, otherwise the gloss will disappear.
- Among solvent-based paints, alkyd and nitro enamels are now indisputably in the lead.. They have varnish in their composition, so their drying time is much less than that of oil ones. They also form a strong, sealed, glossy film on the surface.
- Due to their durability and good resistance to abrasion, alkyd enamels are still widely used today for painting wooden floors and window frames. They have a very wide range of colors.
- They are most often found in the kitchen or in services because they are highly resistant to wet areas and have a unique sheen. When deciding how to paint a tree white, alkyd enamel is most often preferred.
Important: all compounds based on organic solvents have a sharp, unpleasant odor, plus some types of solvents are toxic.
Therefore, when working with them, ensure good ventilation and use personal protective equipment.
Water-dispersion paints
- Water-dispersion formulations are a product of modern technology, the technical characteristics of most of them are an order of magnitude higher than those of alkyd or oil paints. This group includes acrylic, latex, silicone and vinyl paints. All of them are based on various kinds of synthetic resins and polymers.
- Polymerized water is used as a solvent, due to which, during dyeing and drying, these compounds do not emit an unpleasant odor. While the paints are in a liquid state, they can be easily washed off with warm water. But as soon as the water evaporates and a film forms on the surface, it will be impossible to remove them without special means.
- A significant part of these paints does not need antiseptics, since the necessary additives and additives are already present in their composition. Depending on the purpose, they can be glossy, matte or semi-matte. All these coatings have a hydro-barrier effect. Wood coated with water-dispersion paint will breathe freely, but at the same time, moisture from the external environment will not enter it.
- Water-dispersion compositions have the widest palette of colors and excellent hiding power, but along with this, the line of products presented includes transparent and translucent varnishes and impregnations.
The video in this article shows paints for wood.
Let's talk about varnishes and impregnations
In recent years, more and more of our compatriots prefer lacquer coating and this is understandable. Repeatedly painted wood visually differs little from plastic or metal, and modern man, in his stone jungle, wants to be closer to nature.
Transparent and translucent varnishes and impregnations, along with good surface protection, leave the wood with its warmth and natural beauty.
- Briefly speaking about varnishes, they are divided into compositions having a water-dispersion base, one-component and two-component. We have already mentioned the compounds of the water-dispersion group; varnishes here have all the same advantages as paints.
- A group of one-component varnishes contains organic solvents. Therefore, it is produced in ready-made form and can be stored for quite a long time. After application, they perform a protective rather than aesthetic function.
- Two-component formulations are more common. In addition to the organic solvent itself, these compounds also contain a hardener. Therefore, after application, they form a hard, glossy coating on the surface. Most often they are used to cover furniture, floors and decoration decorations.
- As for impregnations, they are also water-dispersion, alkyd or have an oil-wax base.. Here the main task is to emphasize the natural beauty of the tree, without visually changing its appearance. They penetrate deep into the structure and provide reliable, long-term protection of the array. The maximum that is allowed here is to tint the surface and give it a light,.
The video in this article shows the intricacies of applying varnish.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are plenty of compounds to protect the tree and give it a more noble look. And with such a choice, we advise not so much to look at the price of the composition, but to focus on its characteristics and intended purpose. For example, you should not use yacht varnish to finish the cabinet, it is intended for other surfaces and the cabinet will not become stronger and more beautiful from this.
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