The Components of Paint

A product’s lifespan depends greatly on how its surface is protected from corrosion and weathering. Whether it is wooden, concrete, or metallic, a surface is susceptible to deterioration due to several natural elements like humidity and moisture. For example, a wooden surface regularly exposed to sunlight and water alternately results in the weakening of the structure or the growth of microorganisms that cause its rapid decay.

The best way to protect the product’s surface from these physical and chemical changes is to apply paint on it. Paint creates an opaque solid film impermeable by any kind of oxidation-causing liquid. This is a liquefiable that’s normally a mixture of three major components: pigment, binder and solvent. Each component is important in the achievement of a good finish.

Pigment is an important component because it gives the surface an aesthetic value. The color can vary according to the type of material its mixture is made of. Natural pigments are those harvested and utilized without interference of treatment using other chemicals such as calcium carbonate, silica, mica, and talc. On the other hand, pigments made by engineering molecular composition like calcined clay and precipitated calcium carbonate are considered synthetic.

Another important component is the binder. It is very difficult for paint to adhere to the surface of a product in the absence of binder. This is especially needed for application on very smooth surfaces like firearms coatings, where recoating is not possible. Traditional methods usually involve coating with a primary layer and applying the main coat of paint as the primary layer dries up.

With the use of binder, a primary coating is not needed, which eventually conserves paint. The binder is concentrated enough to create a strong bond between the paint and the surface of the product. It improves the adhesion that primary paint cannot provide between surfaces. In the case of a gun coat, a special primer is typically applied on its rough surface before the product is sprayed with another colored paint.

Solvent is used to provide adequate viscosity for the paint to immediately combine with other components and create a uniform mixture when applied on a surface. Readily available products such as spray paints are already mixed with the right amount of solvent. These types of product allow immediate adhesion to the surface, making these products ideal for applications such as a gun coat.