Paint is one of the unsung heroes of the world; it brings wonderful notes of vibrancy to our homes, as well as virtually every other aspect of our lives. But paint is so much more than simple color—on a literal level, it’s a combination of materials that are applied as a liquid and capable of drying and remaining solid! Let’s take a closer look at the process of creating paint; more goes into it than you probably realize!
What Materials Are Used to Make Paint?
In order to understand how paint is made, it’s important to review the materials used in its creation. Paint typically consists of four different main ingredients: pigment, resin, solvent, and additives. Here’s a brief breakdown of each:
- Pigment – Pigment is intended to provide color, hiding, and control gloss.
- Resin – Resin is the binder that holds the pigment particles together and provides adhesion to the surface being painted.
- Solvent – Solvent acts as the carrier for the pigments and resin; it might be organic (mineral turpentine) or could simply be water.
- Additives – These enhance certain properties within the paint, such as ease of brushing, mold resistance, scuff resistance, and drying and sag resistance.
How Is Paint Manufactured?
With so many specialized ingredients to consider, the standard method for making paint is somewhat particular, with a considerable amount of emphasis placed on accuracy and quality assurance. Here’s a quick preview of the five critical steps that go into this process:
- Measuring the ingredients – All of the ingredients are measured precisely on highly-accurate scales, either by their weight or volume.
- Mill-base preparation and pigment dispersion – The pigments need to be mixed and broken down into separate particles before they can be milled into the base. This also requires them to be wetted by resin and additives, so they don’t reform into clumps.
- Let-down – In a separate vat, the other ingredients (resin, solvent, additives) are combined. Once the mill-base is completed, it’s added and stirred into this let-down. Any final additions are also made here.
- Product quality testing – Quality is monitored throughout the entire process, and all ingredients are tested before manufacturing starts. The completed batch is tested for things such as degree of dispersion, viscosity, density, hiding, tint strength and color, dry time, and application.
- Canning – After the testing is complete and the batch has passed, it can be canned after a sample is taken and stored for future reference.
Once the paint has been manufactured and canned, it can be sent out to various warehouses and branches for dispersal. From there, it’s simply a matter of going to the store, finding a color that suits your needs, and getting your project underway!
About Platinum Painting of Richardson
At Platinum Painting, we pride ourselves on being able to provide an unmatched level of assistance and backing to homeowners in Richardson and all across the DFW metroplex. If you have any questions about the article or you’d like to contact us about the services we offer, don’t wait to contact us today to set up a consultation! Telephone: (469) 965-1863.