When you are going to update the appearance of a wood product or completely change it, adding more decorativeness and color, you have two ways: use paint or stain and varnish. Most inexpensive varieties of wood (alder, pine) can be ennobled, giving them the color of valuable species of wood. But not only for the purpose of decoration, painting of wooden products is used. It allows you to protect the surface from various factors: protection from water, from fading under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, from fire and other problems.
- Material selection specifics
- Materials for painting wood
- Ink classification
- Preparatory phase before painting
- Painting process
- The use of paints and varnishes
Material selection specifics
When choosing the necessary material for wood processing, first, you need to decide on the purpose of painting. To update the facade of wooden houses or products that will be outdoors, you need to choose compositions that can withstand sudden changes in weather conditions.
Rains, the baking sun, frost - all this has a destructive effect on the painted surface, if you pick up the wrong material. That is why they prefer paints, because they are able to give the tree a presentable appearance that will last a long time.
In turn, enamels or stains that mimic more valuable varieties of wood have a transparent structure (which allows emphasizing the texture of the wood), but they are more malleable to environmental influences. Therefore, they are best used for products that are inside the building.
to contents ↑Materials for painting wood
When you have decided on where the painted product will be used, you can proceed to the choice of the right product. There are several types of materials that allow you to decorate a tree:
- Varnishes and stains (i.e. paints and varnishes) are aimed at protecting the surface from ultraviolet rays. In addition, the stain helps to show the structure of the tree, creating a darker shade;
- Enamel forms an opaque protective layer that can withstand a large load;
- Paints are created from several components (may include resin, drying oil, latex), where pigment and solvent are necessarily present. Provides protection against abrasion and moisture.
Ink classification
Paints have several varieties:
- acrylic;
- alkyd;
- oil.
The most inexpensive compounds are alkyd. They form a film on the surface of wooden products, which repels water, but due to the fact that the paint does not penetrate deep into the pores of the tree, the coating does not last so long. A positive feature of alkyd compounds is their resistance to frost to -30.
The classic option is to use oil paint for wood. It is cheap, has excellent adhesion and protective properties, but has a number of significant drawbacks:
- The compounds are made on drying oil, therefore, they can create smudges.
- Full drying occurs only after a day.
- They have a strong smell, which can stand up to a week in the room.
- Completely hide the structure of wood, creating a glossy finish on its surface.
Compositions with acrylic are the most successful variety of materials. This type is appreciated for environmental friendliness: for people, this paint is convenient because it dries quickly, but does not smell, and at the same time there is a positive feature for wood - it does not overlap the pores, so the product “breathes”. There is a large palette of colors, and the paint itself lasts long enough.
to contents ↑Preparatory phase before painting
Before you deal with the technology of painting wooden products, you need to properly prepare them so that the paint lays evenly and holds firmly.
The very first step in the preparatory phase is to clean the old paint. To remove the layer, you can use a grinder, a building hair dryer, which makes it possible to soften the layer, which is then easily removed, or flushing substances containing reagents, which help to quickly separate the paint.
Further, the surface should be degreased - a solvent is applied, which at the same time will wash off dust and greasy spots. If your product has knots or crests, it is necessary to process the surface with putty, evenly. The third stage includes a primer, which will help the paint gently lay down. After applying a thin layer of soil, they pass with an abrasive, grinding, and allow to dry completely.
to contents ↑Painting process
Joinery, depending on the choice of material for painting, are carried out by different methods. The technology of applying paint has several secrets that allow you to achieve the perfect result:
- buy two types of brush (or roller, if you prefer) - one with a wide surface, at least 60 cm, and a corner, not wide;
- if the bristles of the brush are excessively stiff, they can be softened by placing them in water and washing with hands before use;
- do not start applying paint from a corner; drops and smudges form there;
- move the brush at an angle of 75 degrees, so you can adjust the pressure;
- not too much paint should be drawn onto the brush so that it can be distributed evenly, with a thin layer;
- if after drying found flaws, they are removed with sanding paper, and then a second layer is applied to the entire surface of the product.
to contents ↑
The use of paints and varnishes
The process of staining is carried out either with a foam swab or brush. The composition is applied in one layer, allowed to dry and the procedure is repeated as many times until you achieve the desired texture. To fix the stain, as well as self-protection of wooden products, paint with varnish in four layers. But before applying the third, the surface must be sanded, then varnish is applied, and the product is dried for several days.
When you select paints in order to decorate wooden furniture in the house (shelves, cabinets, armchairs, etc.), pay attention that latex is not present in the composition. This is due to the fact that the color will be excessively soft and the layer can easily peel off.
About how you can paint a cabinet with your own hands, read here.
In order for one painting to last for a long time, you can use modifiers that add to the paint - they help to ensure that the composition lies more evenly.
