The abundance of the paints, which were appeared on the market in recent years has reverse side. Problem of selection. However, what to take for painting the garden house? By what paint to color doors and window frames? What coating does befit for the tank room? This is important, because the incorrectly selected paint will manage to you, in the final analysis, it is more expensive than its cost. But how to select paint is correct? For this it is necessary altogether only to know how to read. On each jar there is a label, on the label - marking. We will speak about the domestic paints, since this marking for them, but all properties, of course, are general for the paints of any “nationality”.

Give let us be dismantled, that indicate all these mysterious numbers and letters. It is first of all necessary to know that paints ([LKM]) are divided beside several forms:

• the enamel
• varnish (dissoluble before the solvent, binder. During the addition down the varnish of the thoroughly ground pigment is obtained the enamel)
• priming (this is varnish with the pigment or the filler, which it is more than before the enamel. Priming ensures the connection of enamel with the fact that you you color. Pigments here use special, with the shielding properties. With interaction with the water, I will pour off, these pigments do not give to be developed to destructive process)
• the putty
• the powder paints, utilized only before the production (with the heating these paints they are melted by flat layer)
• paint (oil - on the drying oil, latex - aqueous - after the evaporation of water it remains the layer of paint)

One of the important indices - ecology of paint, which is connected for the sake of the solvent, its quality and quantity. Solvents - product for the health dangerous, which causes dermatitis, which damages mucosa, the respiratory tract, so that, the less the solvent used before the paint, the better.

Powder paints do not contain solvent completely, they tincture electrical household appliances, table lamps, microwave furnaces for the sake of them. But with the heating the powder paints of poor quality can prove to be very harmful. So that, if your lamp on the table suddenly of [zapakhla] on- poor, sooner run, return it there, where they purchased.

[LKM] with the high dry residue contain a small quantity of solvent, they do not require the addition of the solvent before the putting.

With the production of varnish is used styrene - very harmful solvent.

And finally aqueous paints - ecologically valuable, harmful with the production, but with the use - are simply remarkable.

Now let us look, however, which can be written on the label. In all there are 48 film forming materials, they are distinguished as far as their basis, and all this is coded by special numbers. Usually this three-valued number, for example, in popular enamel pF -115. The first number indicates the field of application. In all such numbers nine. Memorize:

1. the weatherproof paints (they befit for the external works, the counter to the ultraviolet)
2. [ogranichenno] weatherproof (naturally, more greatly they are suitable for internal colorings)
3. marking for the water-resistant paints
4. oil and gasoline resistant for the coloring of the machines
5. the chemically steadfast
6. steadfast to different heatings
7. electrical insulating

The following numbers, as far as a quantity from one to three, designate the ordinal number, given to paint with the development. The exception compose oil paints, in which the second number designates the form of the drying oil, on which is prepared the paint:

1. the natural drying oil
2. drying oil - drying oil
3. the glyptal drying oil
4. the [pentaftalievaya] drying oil
5. the combined drying oil

In the [nemaslyanykh] paints after all these [tsiferok] it can stand the index, which characterizes any special properties:

• [PG] - lowered combustibility
• NG - incombustible
• M the lusterless coating

But this yet not all. On the basis of their paint they are divided beside:

• nitrocellulose. They are designated by letters pF or [GF]
• oil paints - MK, after solvent here serves drying oil, they are characterized by poor weather resistance and sufficiently low quality
• aqueous paints - vd - [AK] (on the acrylic basis) and [KCH] (beyond the rubber basis). They are similar down the alkyd, but [ekologichnee]. This of the paint of high quality, rapidly they dry, but they can burst. Contemporary paints beyond the acrylourethane basis are considered as the most class

Letters [AU] indicate the alkydurethane basis of paint, they are used for the parquet varnish. They dry slower, but quality is higher than in the nitrocellulose

There are paints beyond the bituminous basis ([BT]) - they ensure corrosion protection, but decorativeness - any, it is possible to color launches and submarines

The paints, steadfast to the chemical medium, have an index [KHV] and [KHS] (perchlorovinyl)

Priming beyond the phenol basis is considered best, than on the alkyd, but due to ecology. It is designated by letters [FL]

And finally paint beyond the epoxy basis - high shielding properties, but the low atmospheric stability

What it is still necessary to know in order to select correct paint? It remained entirely a little. Films beyond the surface be there must not. The degree of grinding solid particles must be sufficiently high, the thinner the grinding, paint better lies down by the fact beyond the surface, has luster. Rough grinding befits for the facade works, but the degree of grinding is not completely important for the priming. The dry residue for the paints, which do not require breeding, must be as less as possible, but if paint must be separated, then a small quantity of the dry residue indicates the large number of solvent that it is not useful for the health.

There is another concept of viscosity. The less the viscosity, the more easily it is to bring paint by pulverizer, but at the same time, the higher the viscosity, the greater it is possible to divorce it (here we speak about the paints, for which solvent is the water). You will turn attention down the period and speed of drying, at the point of the period of fitness. All this relates down the painter- technical properties of paints.

The physicomechanical indices include the hardness numbers (very high hardness it conducts down the cleaving and the exfoliation, and low - to long and agonizing drying) and the indices of resistance to impact and elasticity. The decorative properties of paints include the indices of luster and chalking (it will paint leave the tracks of chalk on your clothing after drying or not). And finally the shielding properties of the paints: atmospheric stability, resistance to salts and so forth

All this must be recorded before the documentation. And, probably it is not necessary to resemble to glance beside the certificate of correspondence. As far as a question of price is concerned, is this a question complex. A eternal attempt at the comparison of expensive and cheap is abutted against the need for the comparison of the mass of factors. But in order to know how to compare them, it is necessary to have a sufficient information, which we you give. Color on the health!

On the Russian market before our time it is possible to find the most diverse paint. In Moscow the representations of different firms, which have world reknown, are opened, moreover this process began not so long ago. For the achievement of market it is necessary to observe some regulation. Perhaps, fundamental rule - this is the maintenance of the reputation of firm. Of course each firm must bear responsibility for its production and at the point of the information about it; therefore we selected several firms and would want based on their example to show characteristic features and tendencies of our market. This, of course, drop in the boundless varnish-and-paint sea, but before the following releases of our periodical this conversation will be continued. You learn about the most different firms of this specification, about those, who let out the qualitative production and not very qualitative, from the acquisition as far as which it is better to restrain.

It would be desirable to designate the criteria, as far as which it would be possible to judge the production of different firms. If we select the quality of paint as far as this criterion, then it is necessary to determine however, that this such. The quality of paint is composed of several components.

First, this is expenditure per square meter. The price directly depends on this. If by paint of one jar it is possible to paint 10 sq. m., and from another jar - 15 sq. m., then it is understandable what to take more preferably the second jar. But the following questions here arise: are such the operational qualities of paint, in the first place, the period of service. Usually this information, if it is indicated by producer, it is sufficiently relative, since to calculate the period of the service of coating is possible for the certain averaged surface, completely correctly prepared and processed also for the specified operational conditions. This secondly. Thirdly, great significance takes the form. And finally the ease of putting paint. If paint itself remarkable, but for its putting is required special knowledge, complex equipment and prolonged preparation, then few of the amateurs to color independently, by this paint will be tempted. Taking into account the criteria enumerated above completely it is possible to compose to itself idea about the below-mentioned firm- producers.

One of the most important firms ( English company ICI Of paints ) represents the paints of commercial stamp DULUX. Production in 30 countries of world. On the Russian market of approximately two years. Those varnishes and the paints, which are sold in Russia, they are produced in Great Britain. They have a health and hygiene certificate, a certificate of correspondence, and all plants are certified on the standard ISO 9001. As is known, precisely, Englishmen began the coloring of walls not only in the white color, but tradition in England above in all. ICI lets out paints for the external and internal work, and the majority of products on the basis of solvent have as the analog water-soluble paints. As far as paints DULUX for the internal work are concerned, practically they all aqueous. For example, VINIL MATT - is ideal for painting of internal walls and ceilings, with the dull lacquer, it is long-lived, it allows cleaning and washing. Throwing power - for the sake of one liter it is possible to cover to 18 sq. m. surface. VINIL SILK - aqueous silky semi-matte emulsion paint for the internal walls and the ceilings. The system of coloring COLOR DIMENSION allows the possibility to obtain any necessary nuance of paint. Across entire spectrum of production ICI propose about 5000 colors. All information is indicated fully on the banks, i.e., buyer solves itself, what paint will be required it. Generally, information on the paint is given on the label in detail, with the indication of the percentage of harmful volatile substances and other useful information. With entire ecology of water-soluble paints the exterior view of coating will not have this luster as with the use of paints on the basis of solvent; therefore for those users, whom the exterior view interests more than ecology, such [organorastvorimye] products nevertheless are let out. For the internal walls and the ceilings ICI also are let out two-layered aqueous systems with the decorative effect and [organorastvorimye] system-analogs. For the paints DULUX are characteristic the high throwing power, longevity and ease of putting both for the professional- house-painters and for the nonprofessionals, although by brush, although with the aid of the pulverizer.

There are paints of different designation, for example, for the tank and the kitchens, with the increased resistance down the moisture (they do not have analogs among the production of other firms), for the works on the tree, the unique systems, which create the figure of living tree, paint on the ferrous and nonferrous metals and so forth

The paints of Finnish company “[Tikkurila]” on our market appeared before the immemorial times, even before the period of the administration Nikita Khrushchev many facade works were carried out by these paints. It is unknown how was caused this selection, but fact remains fact, this circumstance helped “[Tikkurila]” of the first of the foreign firms to appear on the Russian market. Firm has hygienic certificate, certificate “polisher” and ISO 9000. That production, which reaches to Russian user, [izgotovlivaetsya] at the plants in Finland. For all coatings are proposed the analogs of the aqueous and [organorastvorimykh] paints, which makes possible at the point of user to make a selection in favor of one or other analog or another. Label on the bank contains useful information about the preliminary surface preparation and the methods of primary and repair painting, and also about the basis of paint and some other components. “[Tikkurila] paints” are let out for the different purposes (coating wooden and concrete sexes, the walls, which are undergone strong wear and washing so forth). Throwing power a little is inferior

production ICI, but also sufficiently high. There is an opposite communication system for the sake of the user in the form of consultations on any problem, connected for the sake of the production. Novelties - in essence, the modification of classical paints, interior paints for the furniture ([AKVATEKS], [KAUNIS] KITTEN) of window frames (EK- JOKER), timbered surfaces. The popular system of coloring “[Monikolor]” gives the possibility to reproduce practically any nuance according to model. In view of the reputation of stamp in Russia, to sufficiently alluringly let out forgeries under it.

Italian paints OIKOS only appeared on the Russian market and it is still unknown to wide user. However, have good chances both due to the quality and due to the interesting assortment. All paints “Of [oykos]” rapidly dry (1-2 hours after putting), and to wash the surface, colored by these paints possible in 12-15 days. The indisputable merits of these paints include their ecology (they all beyond the water base), absence of smell, they wash, possess the shielding properties (they protect from the formation of mould), they do not burn, they do not contain harmful components, they do not require the use of toxic solvents. They have hygienic certificate, at present is passed certification for the children's and sanitary establishments. Several forms of the production “Of [oykos]” of analogs do not have, this of paint “Pallas”, “[Raffaelo] decor [Stukko]”, “[Kochcho] anti-KO”, they all with the interesting polychrome effect.

Unfortunately, so it was impossible to obtain any information based on the company “[Lakufa]” (“[Kaparol]”). During three weeks the editorial staff attempted to set up meeting with the representative of company, but it is unsuccessful. This inaccesibility involuntarily does direct against the reflections, isn't that true?

The paints of firm “[Betek]” - are produced in Turkey on the German technologies, are certified by Turkish institute qualities, also, on the standard ISO 9001. It is relatively inexpensive, but we agreed not to examine this point separately from others. Colorful system “[Betekmatik]” is based beyond the synthetic resinous dispersion and gives the possibility of obtaining 144 nuances. Flat wall paint is produced beyond the water base, synthetic paints are made without the admixture of lead. Different nuances are reached by mixing dyes with the white paint. According to the information, obtained from the firm, throwing power is approximately 1[l] on 12,5 sq. m., i.e., it is higher than in “[Tikkurila]”. Unfortunately, we do not have available the results of testing in regard to this. We will be grateful at the point of any information beyond this theme.

The company AKZO NOBEL is known not only in Europe, it follows the path of the buying up of plants before the different countries and their re-equipment. In Russia AKZO NOBEL only year, but already goes the building of plant to the Moscow area. For the present the paint, supplied Russia, is produced in England (PERMOGLAZE, SANDTEX), Sweden and Finland ([Sadolin]). Has hygienic certificate, it is certified on the standard ISO 9001, certificate BBA (British association of builders). For the internal work are used the paints SIKKENS, PERMOGLAZE, in paints SANDTEX there is a wide selection of textural paints on the basis of synthetic resins. Information on the labels in essence concerns the application of paints, practically there is no information about the composition. PERMOGLAZE - water-emulsion paints for the internal walls and the ceilings, throwing power to 1 l on 15 sq. m., steadfast to the washing by average detergents.

P. GLOSS and P. EGGSHELL - alkyd enamels are glossy and is semi-matte (dioxide of titanium, alkyd resin, solvent mineral spirits), throwing power - 1 l on 13-17 sq. m. Rich color range.

R. HIGH OPASITY MATT - paints, which can be brought down the moist (50%) plastering.

There is its system of coding colors [AAS] on the color catalogs. Although the paints are called professional, before the putting it will not arise problems, also, in the amateurs of brush and roller.

Before the following numbers of periodical we will continue the consideration of firm- producers [LKM], represented on the Russian market, are other varnishes, plasterings, masonry paints so forth

In the reader the completely reasonable question can arise: and it is sewn, domestic, paint where? We answer: they there is, there is on each market for construction materials. And price on them, certainly, is lower than down those enumerated above, and above a question of quality constantly struggle our chemist- theorists, and them it is slow beside the carrying out of reaching, but they take root. Novelties we you will compulsorily tell about the notople person, us it is also desirable to support Russian producer. But the main thing, selecting domestic paint, you will be able to use in practice the information, with which we began our infinite saga about [LKM] (paints). Furthermore, it would be interesting to obtain as much as possible information based on the domestic builders, such as they use paints, also, from what considerations.

Author: Regina [Budarina]

Source: The periodical “MATERIAL” of №1 1999 www.material.ru