How and with what to dilute water-based paint? This question comes up quite often. Correct solution– this is a guarantee of reliable and durable coating and the absence of complications during operation.

When is it necessary to dilute water-based compositions?

Water emulsion is a water-based composition. It contains various fillers in the form of small droplets, which give the material its final properties. As the solution is applied to the surface, some of the liquid is absorbed and some evaporates. Due to quick removal moisture protective layer is formed after a short period of time. Final drying depends on the surface material.

Now on sale various options water-based (water-dispersed) paint. Many manufacturers produce products under their own trademarks. Therefore, it is advisable to dilute the mixture taking into account individual characteristics each variety in the following cases:

• If after opening it turns out that the solution is too thick, then it needs to be diluted. Determining that the consistency is not suitable for application is quite simple: to do this, mix the composition well. If there is any residue left on the stirring object a large number of products that do not flow back, then the use of a solvent is necessary.

When diluting the paint, it is important not to overdo it, since the thickness of the film decreases when the composition is diluted, and therefore decreases performance characteristics coatings

• If the tools used make it difficult to apply the thickened composition. The process is carried out manually and mechanically:
  • For the first option, brushes and rollers are used. Manual processing of walls and ceilings requires that the structure of the mixture be more viscous. This ensures the uniformity of the layer and the absence of drips that arise due to the fact that the paint is too liquid.
  • The second method is to use a spray bottle. This device greatly simplifies the process and allows you to perform work on large areas. The peculiarity of the tool is that the coloring solution passes through the nozzle under pressure, due to which the suspension lies more evenly on the base. Therefore, for use, the consistency of the composition must be liquid. Compared to the previous version, the viscosity decreases by 1.5–2 times. The exact proportions depend on the model of the instrument and the type of paint.

• If the conditions of storage and use of products are violated. It happens that the container is not sealed tightly after opening. If the situation is not corrected in time, the material will become completely unusable. But at a certain stage, when the mixture has not yet dried, it can be restored.

On a note! If the composition is liquid, this can be corrected in two ways: let the water evaporate a little or add a hardener. The second method is more complex; it is used in cases where the paint initially does not have the desired consistency.

Using water to thin paint

The correct choice of thinner is the key to success. There are many tips and tricks for using various substances for this process. But the only correct solution is to use water, since it is the basis of the product.

For best dilution, the liquid must meet certain parameters:

Attention! There is advice that dilution can be done using solvents used for enamel or oil paint. It is not right. If such a substance is added to a water-based emulsion, the mixture often simply curdles. However, the reaction may not appear immediately, which is misleading.

Proportions

The biggest problems (especially for those who do all the work themselves and without experience) arise from proportions. The fact is that there is no clear correlation; you should be guided by the parameters that each specific manufacturer indicates on the label.

On a note! Excessive dilution is practiced by unscrupulous craftsmen. This makes it easier to lay each layer, reducing decorative effect. In addition, if the purchase is not carried out by the owner of the apartment, this makes it possible to increase the estimate.

How to dilute paint?

To dilute the selected material with water, there is no need to use complex equipment. To work you will need a simple set of devices:

• clean container of suitable size;
• drill with mixer attachment;
• small spatula (if you need to remove lumps).

Breeding scheme:

1. The paint is poured into the container. The process is carried out carefully, the composition is mixed a little.
2. Water is added gradually. Even taking into account the proportions specified by the manufacturer, it is better to constantly check the viscosity.
3. After adding each portion, everything is thoroughly mixed. If lumps are visible, it means that uniformity has not yet been achieved.

It should be borne in mind that the volume is affected by color, so it is added diluted in liquid.

Many users ask how to properly dilute water-based paint. This question comes up quite often. Your right choice will guarantee a high-quality final result, as well as the durability of this coating. This way you will certainly avoid all the complications that may await you during construction work.

When to dilute

A composition whose component is water is called a water emulsion. If you apply the solution to the surface, you will notice that almost all the liquid quickly evaporates. The material gets its properties thanks to special fillers, which create a painted surface.

Protective layer can be obtained after a short period of time, after completely dry. The duration of this process also depends on the material on which it is applied.

Modern hardware stores offer a wide range of water-based paints. When choosing, it is better to focus on brands of well-known manufacturers who value their name and ensure the quality of their products.

Thick paint

If you opened a jar, and inside you saw a thickened composition or it was difficult to mix. In these cases, solvents must be used. But you should not overdo it, because then the composition will begin to flow, forming smudges. The protective layer will become thinner and will not be durable, and the performance characteristics will sharply decrease.

Difficult to apply

Excessive density can be determined by a significant amount of the mixture that remains on the surface during painting. There are basically two methods of applying paint.

The first option is to use all kinds of brushes or construction rollers. In this case, the structure of the mixture should be sufficiently viscous. This will make it easier to produce manual processing ceiling or wall covering. The composition will not drain and will lay down in an even layer. If the paint is too liquid, it will be extremely difficult to apply.

The second option is spray guns or spray guns, which come in manual view or electric. Using such devices, you can work even on very large areas. They will also make the whole process much easier for you and the paint will lay down perfectly evenly. A special feature of the tool is that it sprays the composition through a special nozzle under high pressure. That is why it is necessary to use a liquid consistency for devices. The dosage depends on the selected instrument model.

Violation of the shelf life

The composition will have to be diluted if the storage terms or conditions were violated. This can happen if you open a jar and then close it poorly. After a while, all dried material will be unusable. But sometimes it can be restored. To do this, you need to use special solvents, which we will discuss below. You can also dissolve the paint using PVA glue. But this is a rather expensive method.

Sometimes, after opening the can, it is discovered that the composition is very liquid. In this case, you can let it stand open for a while, without a lid, so that excess liquid evaporated.

Adding a special hardener can also be a way out.

How to use water correctly

The main key to success is the choice of the most suitable thinner. Completely different substances are used for the process. Most often, ordinary water is used. This is the basis of this product.

If you have chosen water as a diluent, then you need to know exactly what parameters it must meet:

1. First of all, you need to pay close attention to temperature readings. Liquid at room temperature is most suitable. If it is necessary to dilute paint for outdoor work, then the temperature of the liquid should be slightly higher than the temperature environment. It is worth remembering that in hot weather it is necessary to add less liquid: the composition thickens more at low temperatures.
2. It is best to dilute with distilled water. It is not necessary to buy such a liquid; you can get it at home; there are many ways to do this. The most popular method of purifying water is boiling it. After this, the liquid should settle.

You can not only make distilled water yourself, but also buy it at any hardware store. You can also buy this type of water at a pharmacy.

On the Internet you can find advice that it is better to dilute using all kinds of solvents. Similar compositions are often used for oil paint. It is worth noting that this absolutely cannot be done. This is completely wrong. If you add oil paint thinner, the mixture will simply curdle. And the worst thing is that such a reaction will not happen immediately. Cleaning the walls will take a long and painful time.

Basic proportions

If you are doing the work yourself and for the first time, then you may have some difficulties. It is especially difficult to calculate proportions. First of all, you need to look for specific proportions on the label, and only then test the consistency on a test plot and make adjustments if necessary.

In order to properly dilute water-based paint, you should listen to the recommendations of experts:

1. In order to dilute the paint in the correct proportion, you need to add no more than 10% of any liquid. This is one of the main rules. Official instructions you can see on the product label. The manufacturer calculates the percentage volume based on the properties of the base itself, as well as the absorbency of the coloring matter.
2. Breeding may be different, since the technology for performing the work also varies. For example, the first layer of paint should be the thickest and therefore it is necessary to add a minimum amount of distilled water to it. The third layer should lie well and therefore it should be as liquid as possible.
3. It is not always necessary to add distilled water for dilution. It significantly increases the total consumption of the dye.

Are you using hand tool, then you can use undiluted paint.

Some craftsmen thin the paint to save money. At the same time, the decorative effect is significantly reduced. Laying with a spray gun from the foot is much easier, but this also increases the cost. Be extremely careful in this matter when hiring workers.

After graduation finishing works There may be some unused water-based paint remaining. It should be poured from the tray into a clean plastic bottle and close the lid tightly.

It should be stored in a cool, dark place, but not below +5°C.

How to dilute paint correctly

You don’t need to use any super complex equipment for this. You will need the simplest equipment:

• container for diluting the dye - it must be of a suitable size;
• mixer for more thorough mixing;
• construction spatula.

Cocktails are different, and not all of them are intended to be taken “on the chest”. Paints and varnishes that we use for restoration paint coating car - these are, in fact, also cocktails - properly prepared mixtures of several ingredients. And since we strive to ensure that the restored car (fender, door) after repair sparkles brighter than a new one, and the paint lies evenly, then our “paint cocktail” must be prepared competently, carefully and carefully, and not concocted anyhow.

Today you will find out

Ingredients

First of all, let’s decide on the type of our “paint cocktail”: will it be regular acrylic enamel (which is less likely), or metallic or pearlescent paint (most likely).

Regular acrylic enamel is two-component, with a hardener. The “ingredient kit” for such materials consists of three jars. For example, a liter of paint, half a liter of hardener and 100-150 ml of thinner. That is, when buying a liter of paint, you actually get about 1.6-1.7 liters of diluted paint.

In the case of “metallic”, the base paint is necessarily covered with a transparent varnish on top - without it, the spectacular coatings look inconspicuous, and the resistance to atmospheric influences for two-layer coatings it is much higher. Transparent varnish, like acrylic enamel, is two-component, with a hardener. But the “base” does not need a hardener - it is one-component.

Thus, the “set” for two-layer coatings already consists of five cans. For example, a liter of “base”, 500-700 ml of thinner for it, a liter of transparent topcoat varnish, half a liter of hardener and 100-150 ml of varnish thinner - a total of 3.3 liters! At the same time, the diluted paint itself was no longer there, the same 1.7 liters.

Making a batch

Before filling the gun, you should mix the components of the purchased paint.

For proper mixing of the components, which produces a painting material of the required viscosity, the following conditions must be met.

Dishes

It is important that the container in which we mix is ​​strictly cylindrical in shape (flat bottom and vertical walls). Only in such a container can you mix the components evenly and measure their quantities correctly.

It is better if it is a special measuring container in the form of a transparent plastic jar with a lid. Such cans are marked with markings that allow mixing materials in the required volume ratio (1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, etc.).

Measuring containers are available in different volumes, ranging from 100 ml to almost half a bucket

Also, for dispensing and mixing paints and varnishes, it is convenient to use a special ruler with marks that determine the volume fractions of the components.

Pour the base into cylindrical dishes up to a certain division, and then add the hardener (if added) to the required mark, then the solvent. Mix everything with the same ruler - and you're done. Often, a measuring ruler is sold along with a set of paint, and all branded cans indicate the proportions according to these rulers.

It is convenient to measure the required amount of components using a measuring ruler. Then I chatted with the same ruler - and that’s it.

Proportions

Given the abundance that has reigned on the paint and varnish market, it is, as they say, impossible to give one recipe for all occasions by definition. Yes, and you don’t need to do this. There is TDS - you know who the rest is from.

However, it would be useful to provide some general guidelines. In principle, we already talked about them a little higher: up to 50% hardener and 10-20% thinner are usually added to two-component products. The degree of dilution of base enamels usually ranges from 50-80%. Well, look at the exact proportions in the instructions for a specific product: all can varnishes and enamels have instructions in the form of pictograms that inform you in what proportion you need to dilute the paint with the hardener (if the material is two-component) and thinner.

We remind you: only thinner is added to one-component materials (alkyds, base enamels, 1K primers); in two-component materials (acrylic enamels and varnishes, 2K primers), a hardener is first added, then the mixture is brought to required viscosity thinner.

If you order paint for selection in a laboratory, then you will be given a set of components (usually ordered as a set), by mixing which you will get a ready-to-use material with a working viscosity - as they say, “for a spray.” Or they will give you paint that has already been diluted (of course, this only applies to the base, since the lifetime of two-component materials after mixing is strictly limited).

Supplements

A description of recipes for preparing paint cocktails would be incomplete without mentioning additives - materials used to change the individual characteristics of enamels, varnishes or primers.

For example, to create a rough surface - very often they are painted this way. plastic bumpers SUVs - there are structural additives of varying degrees of granularity. In general, to prevent paint on plastic from cracking, 20-40% plasticizer must be added to it. There are matting elasticizers designed to reduce the shine and color of plastic parts such as side trims on Mercedes-Benz cars.

When painting with spectacular two-layer coatings, these additives must be mixed with the topcoat varnish (it is recommended to add a plasticizer to the filler primer as well). Read more about additives and their use.

Measuring viscosity

Any painter should be able to control such a vital indicator as viscosity. For what? So that it corresponds to the recommended value. Again, why? To evenly apply the material to the surface and obtain a coating required thickness with the intended properties - beautiful and durable.

“Viscosity” (from Latin viscosus - sticky, sticky) is a value characterizing the fluidity of a liquid.

For what?

Filtering

The prepared paint and varnish material must be filtered before filling into the spray gun tank, since it may contain foreign inclusions that got there during the preparation process, clots, etc. Otherwise, it is impossible to guarantee a high-quality surface, because all this debris may ultimately end up on the surface being painted.

For filtration, it is convenient to use disposable paper funnels with a nylon filter insert (mesh size, usually 190 microns). I inserted the funnel directly into the tank, strained it - ready, you can paint!

We fill the paint tank only using a filter funnel.

Basic mistakes

Achieve consistently High Quality The work performed is possible only if technological recommendations for the use of certain materials are observed. There is simply no other way for those who want to repair modern cars and repair them efficiently.

Meanwhile, ignoring technological requirements remains the main (!) cause of defects and errors. As they say, “...how many times have they told the world”...

But “free morals” have always been and will be: we adjust the spray gun “by ear”, we mix the paint “by eye”, we forget about the strictly defined “lifetimes” of products prepared for use.

For example, in an hour the varnish changes its viscosity by an average of 100%. It's thickening. Before lunch we stirred it, measured the viscosity - 20, went away to eat satisfied, returned 50 minutes later, and it was already at 40! Of course, the material can no longer be used. But how often does anyone consider such “trifles”?

How often does anyone remember that a material into which we have not added enough hardener will no longer be able to properly harden, no matter how dry it is. Acrylic two-component materials are cured in the same way: due to chemical reaction between an acrylic binder (base) and a substance for cross-linking molecules - polyisocyanate (hardener). And only the paint manufacturer can know what number of -N=C=O units (present in the hardener) is necessary to react with a certain number of OH units (found in the base) and transform the material into a durable polymer film (more on this).

So it turns out that if we do not pour enough hardener, there simply is not enough crosslinking material to properly cure the film. The coating is soft and uncured.

The opposite situation - with an excess of hardener (and, accordingly, an excess of -N=C=O units) has the opposite effect - the coating turns out to be too hard, but at the same time inelastic, highly susceptible to peeling, cracking, and chipping.

So if the can of varnish says to dilute it in a ratio of 2:1, then you need to take the time to measure exactly two parts of varnish and one part of hardener. No more, no less.

Correct polymerization of two-component materials is possible only if the correct mixing proportions with the hardener are observed

Well, the fact that acrylic materials can be cured only with original hardeners is not subject to discussion at all. In acrylic systems, the copolymer and polyisocyanate are carefully selected for each other, and if we take a hardener from another varnish or another manufacturer, we will get a different polymer with completely different properties.

The jar with the remaining hardener must be tightly closed, since the hardener reacts with air moisture, resulting in its cloudiness and loss of crystals, sometimes gelling. To prevent air from entering the partially used can of hardener, it is recommended to turn it over and place it on the lid, and store it in this position.

The woman begins to change her hairstyle. The beautiful shade of dyed hair must be constantly maintained, because the pigment fades and the roots grow. There is a huge selection for this purpose. cosmetics. It’s just that the color needs to be not only chosen correctly in tone, but also prepared. Each package contains 2 tubes - pigment and oxidizing agent for hair dye. What is an oxide and how to choose it correctly.

Why do you need an oxidizing agent in any hair dye?

An oxidizing agent is an important component of any product. It is this component that allows the colorist to acquire the necessary pigment. After mixing the colorless composition with it, a tint begins to appear.

Any oxide contains hydrogen peroxide. The active substance is contained in different percentages, but not more than 12%. Manufacturers indicate this information on the tube of the substance. It is H2O2 that allows hair to color.

Penetrating into the deep layers of the rods, hydrogen peroxide breaks down the original color, which is easily washed out. Using a pigmenting base, a new tone is fixed on the curls.

Expert opinion

Catherine the Great

Dermatovenerologist, trichologist and cosmetologist

Some colors may contain ammonia as an addition. Such products are considered very durable, but they harm the structures of the rods. Ammonia has a detrimental effect on curls and damages their stratum corneum.

Hydrogen peroxide is a catalyst for dyeing strands. Without this component, not a single blonde would become a brunette, girls would not amaze with bright and daring shades, and older women would not be able to hide their gray hair.

How to choose an oxidizing agent

It is advisable to purchase oxide for coloring based on characteristics indicating the content of hydrogen peroxide. The minimum perhydrol content in the developer is 1.2%, the maximum is 12%. The color fastness resulting from dyeing directly depends on this indicator.

All oxides are divided into several categories:

1. Low percentage formulations, containing H2O2 in the developer up to 3%. This option is best chosen by those with hair with light shades- blondes. They give a slight toning effect. The damage to hair is minimal.
2. Oxidizing agents with 3% hydrogen peroxide content. Such compositions do not pose a danger to curls. Using such means fundamental change the shade will not work - the maximum effect is lightening or darkening the strands by only 1 tone. Paint with such a developer will not hide gray hair.
3. Oxide 6%. The product is intended for coloring in 2 tones. Often this type of developer can be found in packages with red colors. It is used to cover small amounts of gray hair.
4. Developer 9%. It changes the previous shade by 3 tones. The product is suitable for rods with a rigid structure and completely colors gray curls.
5. Oxidant 12% is an aggressive developer. This composition can change the color of curls by 4 tones. This product easily turns dark-haired girls, even with coarse curls, into blondes. But a large percentage of hydrogen peroxide adversely affects the hair, thinning and drying out the hair shafts. Therefore, frequent use of such an oxidizing agent is not recommended.

Proportions of paint and oxidizer

When purchasing a color for home use, the manufacturer must indicate the proportions in which the oxidizing agent and pigment must be mixed. Typically, it is necessary to dilute the paint with the developer in a ratio of 1 to 1. It is enough to squeeze it into a container and pour in the oxide.

If the substance and the oxidizing agent were purchased separately, then in this case they must be mixed strictly according to the instructions attached to the staining process or described on the developer bottle.

Expert opinion

Selyutina Marina Valerievna

MiracleMed Medical Center, 23 years of experience

The manual should tell you what shade you will get when using a certain amount of oxide.

We dilute the paint correctly

The instructions clearly state the dilution scheme for the product. For these purposes, you will need a container made of plastic, glass or ceramic, but not metal. As well as a spatula made of silicone or plastic.

1. The oxidizing agent is poured into the bowl, then the colorant.
2. The components interact almost immediately, so you need to stir them thoroughly and quickly. The mass must have a homogeneous structure.
3. The substance is applied to the roots and distributed over the entire surface of the hair.
4. When painting, the composition is stirred periodically. Otherwise, the wrong shade may appear on your hair.

"Fatal" mistakes

Sometimes the coloring result does not meet expectations. This happens for one reason - the ratio of paint and oxidizing agent is incorrectly calculated. Ignoring instructions with directions can be fraught with different consequences, depending on what kind of mistake was made.

1. Small amount of developer. In this case, the color may appear unevenly or the hair may not be pigmented at all.
2. More oxidizing agent than required. In this situation, in addition to uneven coloring, there is a risk of damaging the curls. Excessive amounts of hydrogen peroxide included in its composition dries hair, making it brittle and faded. It is difficult to restore your hair to its previous health after such “stress”.
3. Use of colorant and developer from different companies. The key to successful painting is the use of components from the same manufacturer. A different brand of oxidizing agent may contain more or less H2O2 than is required to obtain a certain shade. In this case, the ratio of components must be calculated independently. If the oxidizer and paint are produced by the same company, then they can be used at any percentage of perhydrol in the developer.
4. The holding time is increased or decreased. On the packaging or in the instructions, the manufacturer must indicate the time interval required for high-quality hair coloring. Neglecting the recommendation can lead to damage to the rods when the mixture is overexposed, and if washed off ahead of time, it can lead to uneven coloring of the strands.

Review of popular oxidizing agents

All paint oxidizers, regardless of manufacturer or price, contain the same main component - hydrogen peroxide. It also includes:

• water;
• thickeners;
• stabilizers;
• emulsifiers (softening);
• foaming agents.

Some manufacturers add components of natural origin to oxygenators: vitamins, extracts and plant extracts. This allows the product to also have a caring effect on the hair.

See also: proportions of mixing powder and oxygenate for hair bleaching (video)

Popular oxidizers:

1. Professional color developer with the Estel De Luxe brand. It is a standard paint pigmentation agent. It contains no additional ingredients. An oxidizing agent containing hydrogen peroxide from 3% to 12% is available in bottles of various sizes (maximum 1000 ml). Product price from 65 rub. for a bottle with a capacity of 60 ml up to 500 rubles. for 1 l.
2. Professional activator from Kapous. This product, in addition to typical components, contains ginseng extract and rice protein, which promotes a gentle effect on curls and reduces damage. The oxidizing agent is packaged in vials with different capacities– from 150 to 1000 ml. The H2O2 content in the oxygenate is from 1.5% to 12%. The minimum price for a small bottle in online stores is 70 rubles. Liter containers of this brand sell for 300-350 rubles.
3. Oxidizer branded Londa Professional. In addition to the standard components, etidronic, phosphoric and salicylic acids are added to it. The consistency of the developer is creamy, mixes well with the pigmenting substance, without lumps. It lays softly on the hair and evenly colors the strands. Like other manufacturers, you can find 3, 6, 9 and 12 percent oxygen agents. Price per liter – 550-600 rubles. Smaller volume bottles (150 ml) are available for single use.
4. Loreal Recital Preference line. It is intended for use at home. An additional component of the developer is glycerin. The paint is easily diluted with an oxidizing agent and a pigmenting agent. After dyeing, the curls do not lose softness and become smooth. You can find a developer with both a minimum (3%, 6%) peroxide content and a maximum (9%, 12%) content. The cost of a 1000 ml bottle is from 900 rubles. In specialized cosmetic stores, the product is sold bottled in small containers for one-time use.
5. Matrix developers. They are considered one of the best among competing products. These products can only be found in professional salons. When combined with dye of the same brand, the hair after dyeing looks natural and well-groomed. For the procedure, you can choose an oxygen agent with any content of active substance (hydrogen peroxide) from 3 to 12%. The disadvantages of the product include the high price - the cost of a liter bottle starts from 600 rubles.
6. Wella Professional. Another manufacturer trusted by professional stylists and many women. The oxidizer contains active polymer compounds that have a beneficial effect on the structure of curls. The developer mixes well with the color and applies evenly, ensuring complete coloring. On sale there are emulsions for paints containing 1.9 and 4% hydrogen peroxide, as well as oxidizing agents 6%, 9% and 12%. The cost of a liter bottle is from 800 rubles. The product is also sold in small portions for one use (60 ml), the price starts from 100 rubles.

Separately or together

Some women do not see the need to buy separate colorant and developer. After all, on the shelves of cosmetic stores and supermarkets there is a wide variety of ready-made kits. They are easier and more familiar to use than professional products. And the characteristics, at first glance, are the same. However, it is not.

Standard sets are designed for all hair types, without taking into account the individual characteristics of a particular woman’s hair. Often the result of coloring from a store-bought color scheme is not pleasing - the shade differs from that declared by the manufacturer. Sometimes the color applies unevenly, leaving unpigmented areas. This is because the developer included in the kit has a standard percentage of perhydrol.

WITH professional paint the risks are minimal.

Advantages:

1. Economical. Standard packaging is designed for one hair application middle length. A tube of color and a bottle of developer may be enough for 2-3 uses, depending on the length of the curls.
2. Independent ability to select the durability and intensity of the shade. By varying the percentage of hydrogen peroxide, you can achieve the required results.
3. 100% color match. The exact proportions of the active substance (peroxide) to obtain the required color are detailed on the butyl.

Taking a general look at the problem of preparing paint for application to a surface, it seems that there is nothing complicated about it. If you carefully study the instructions with the manufacturer's recommendations regarding the solvent concentration, the degree of paint viscosity and other instructions, it is almost impossible to make a mistake. But you should also take into account that the instructions for using a particular product also include a commercial component, that is, advice to use products of the same brand, and this can significantly increase your costs.

If you know the principle by which enamels and solvents interact and what the technology is for preparing paint for application on a car, you can save money by replacing expensive solvents famous brands no less high-quality domestic license plates.

Basics of paint and solvent interaction

Various solvents. Click on photo to enlarge.

The result of painting largely depends on how to dilute the paint before applying it to the surface. Enamels for painting cars are initially a liquid mixture, but the addition of a solvent is necessary so that, firstly, it adheres better, and secondly, it forms a coating that will reliably protect the metal of the body from corrosion and mechanical damage. After painting, as the pigment dries, the solvent evaporates at a certain rate. According to this parameter, such compositions are classified into:

• fast, which are used if the paint is applied in low temperature conditions;
• slow (long), which are suitable for painting cars in the hot season;
• universal, intended for use during the transition season.

The final composition of the enamel mixture for painting a car is determined not only by the amount of solvent added to it immediately before application, but also by the concentration of components initially provided by the manufacturer. It is important that some substances in the paint remain active during storage. On this basis, enamels are divided into low-, medium- and high-filled with the corresponding abbreviations: LS (Low Solid) - low-filled, by the way, it is not recommended to dilute them too much; HD and HS, MS, UHS, VHS (Very High Solid) – highly filled.

What role does fullness play? First, high-fill paint is easier to apply. Secondly, volatility directly depends on the fullness, although the viscosity of all types of paints is approximately the same.

The features of the technology for preparing the enamel mixture are also determined by what solvent was used in the production of the paint, since both substances must have approximately the same chemical composition. It is also important what components underlie the enamel itself. For example, to make both acrylic enamel, you can use the same solvent, since both varnish and enamel are the same acrylic, only with or without the addition of pigment.

Numbered solvents and their component composition

Each solvent contains such components as nefras, white spirit, toluene, solvent, butyl acetate, xylene, etc. The properties of the solvent are largely determined by the ratio in which it contains these substances.

Solvent No. 646 is very popular in the field painting works, since its composition is very aggressive. At the same time, due to its aggressiveness, this solvent can not only dilute the paint, but also change its composition, and therefore its properties. This solvent can be used to dilute the primer or paints and varnishes acrylic based, but you should be extremely careful.

Due to the fact that the quality of the substances included in solvent No. 646 is not always maintained at the proper level, professional painters recommend using it only for cleaning the car. Here the high aggressiveness of the solvent will come in handy.

White spirit finds the most wide application when degreasing surfaces for painting. They cannot dilute acrylic-based paint, but they will work great to dissolve regular, slate or rubber-bitumen mastic. Regular white spirit may contain impurities that may precipitate over time, so more quality option considered artistic white spirit.

Solvent No. 647 is used when painting a car with nitro varnish or nitro enamel, but you should also be careful when working with it due to its aggressive composition.

Solvent No. 650 is softer. It is suitable for most paint materials.

Another popular composition is R-4. They're being scammed alkyd enamels and paints made on the basis of chlorinated polymers. For the latter, pure toluene or xylene is also suitable.

Polar and non-polar solvents

Example of paint solvents. Click on photo to enlarge.

The answer to the question of how to properly dilute paint is determined by what material is used to paint the car: polar or non-polar. The solvent should be selected based on the same criteria: if the car paint is made on the basis of a polar substance, then the means for dissolving it must also be polar. To be sure, it is better to purchase enamel and solvent from the same series.

Polar solvents include alcohols, ketones and other substances containing a hydroxyl group in their molecules. Non-polar products include kerosene, white spirit and several other compounds based on liquid hydrocarbons. Thus, water-based paint and water-soluble acrylic enamels interact well with alcohols and ethers, but they reject white spirit. Alcohol and white spirit are two completely different substances that under no circumstances can be replaced with each other.

Acetone reacts only with polar substances. Xylene can be considered a universal solvent, since it actively interacts with both polar and non-polar substances. Suitable for most classic enamels and benzene.

How to dilute paint correctly?