After construction work, often underutilized oil paint remains. Over time, it changes its properties, becomes thick or completely freezes. And the question arises: what should be diluted with oil paint so that you can work with it again?
- Dilution Features
- Types of drying oil in oil paints
- The process of dilution with drying oil
- Solvent selection and use
Dilution Features
The basis of oil paint is pigment mixed with varnish to a homogeneous state. While the mixture is not used, heavy powder pigment can settle, the middle freezes, and oil accumulates on top, so you need to thoroughly stir or shake the jar before work. If you need to bring the substance for staining to a more liquid state, first answer two questions:
- What are you going to use diluted paint for: as a surface paint or as a primer?
- What kind of drying oil is involved in the composition?
It is important for us to decide on these points, since oil paint should be diluted with a substance similar to that in the composition.
If the can with the paintwork material stood for a short time after opening, then the thickening is eliminated by adding drying oil. However, this substance differs by the manufacturing method, so if you make the wrong choice, you risk spoiling all the coloring material. When it is necessary to reanimate a highly compacted paint, then do not do without a solvent. We add it if we prepare the primer.
to contents ↑Types of drying oil in oil paints
One type of paint can be used for surface treatment in the room, the other - strictly for external work, as it has toxic emissions (pungent odor).
The method of application depends on the type of drying oil:
- The first is natural drying oil, made from hemp, linseed, and soybean oil. It is marked MA-021, and it is suitable for coloring windows, doors and other elements of the premises. The exception is the floor and ceiling, because the oil base does not allow moisture to pass through, thereby correct air exchange in the room may be disturbed.
- The second type is a composite drying oil, created by mixing solvent and oil. Such varnish is diluted with turpentine, white spirit, gasoline, solvent, it is characterized by the presence of a strong odor, and evaporation is harmful to the body. Although with a similar composition, the paint costs less, but doing home repair with it is contraindicated. It is designated by a marker MA-025.
After reading the label and composition, choose either linseed oil based linseed oil, or buy a suitable solvent.
to contents ↑The process of dilution with drying oil
It is not difficult to dilute the paint, but it is worthwhile to step by step and economically pour any diluting substance, because if it is oversaturated with drying oil, it takes a longer time to dry the surface.
Stages of breeding:
- for the convenience of mixing and eliminating clots, we transfer the paint and varnish substance into a suitable container;
- pour in oil in small portions and begin to mix thoroughly, monitoring the density;
- repeat the procedure for adding oil and bring the mixture to a suitable consistency for us;
- we wait ten minutes, after which we filter the composition through a sieve to eliminate lumps.
Solvent selection and use
Before choosing a solvent, consider that some substances can change the properties of the paint. Basically, they use either multicomponent prepared mixtures under numbers (for example, “Solvent 647”), which contain alcohols, ketones, esters, or organic substances with a high degree of volatility in various proportions (white spirit, turpentine, kerosene, gasoline, etc.). d.).
Add the solvent carefully and little by little so as not to spoil the composition, since excess can cause the destruction of the bonds between the pigment and drying oil.
Types of Organic Solvents:
- White spirit is the most used tool that allows you to clean brushes and degrease surfaces, as well as dilute oil paints, varnish, varnishes. It should be borne in mind that ordinary white spirit has a low ability to liquefy, so you need to buy refined;
- Turpentine, obtained from various wood processing materials, is one of the most popular substances in order to bring dried paint and varnish materials back to life. A mixture is prepared on the basis of turpentine and white spirit, taking each substance in a ratio of one to one. Or use purified turpentine, which helps speed up the drying process. If you take unrefined, then the time, on the contrary, increases;
- Kerosene can also be used to dilute dried paint. But before that, it is mixed with turpentine or with desiccants. Kerosene is not very popular because it lengthens the drying time of the painted surface;
- Gasoline can be used as a diluent to reduce the viscosity of the ink. It also gives the mixture a haze.
Before choosing a method of rehabilitation of oil paint, you need to decide what to purchase - a solvent or thinner? You will need a solvent for long-standing and hardened paints. When adding it, you need to wait a few minutes or hours until the consistency becomes suitable for work. If the mass became thick, then a ready-made thinner or drying oil will help you. It reduces the viscosity of the composition.
