Features of acrylic-based varnishes depending on composition

Water-based acrylic varnish appeared on the construction market not so long ago and in a relatively short time was able to gain high demand among buyers. Due to its environmental friendliness and the absence of a pungent odor, it can be used not only for external, but also for internal work. To dilute it, use water or organic compounds; after drying, a durable transparent film is formed on the surface of the product, which can subsequently be easily sanded. It does not cover the texture of wooden products and does not change their original color.

The use of acrylic varnish is not limited to wood; it is used for painting tiles, stone and concrete surfaces, and previously painted walls. To increase wear resistance, you can even cover paper wallpaper with it. The varnish has excellent characteristics and a wide color palette.

General characteristics of the acrylic component

Acrylic resin is a transparent plastic. The material has high mechanical strength, resistance to moisture and does not contain harmful substances. Raw materials are actively used in various industries, including the production of film-forming protective agents.

In the form of finished raw materials, acrylic plastic is able to completely dissolve in water. Therefore, based on this resin, disperse varnishes are made with organic solvents. Such compositions, unlike paint, do not hide the original design of the object being processed. When adding pigmenting components, only a change in the natural shade occurs.

Among the features of the material, it is worth noting the polymerization conditions. The process occurs quite quickly and correctly at a varnish temperature above +15℃. If the indicator is below the optimal limit, then the film takes much longer to form. Therefore, if necessary, it is allowed to add a hardener up to 3.5% of the total volume of the composition.

Hardener for acrylic varnish Source farber.com.ua

Areas of use

Thanks to their excellent physical and chemical properties, acrylic varnishes for wood are successfully used in any repair and construction work. Since the compositions have high protective and aesthetic characteristics, many craftsmen prefer them as a worthy replacement for conventional paints.

If you are looking for a high-quality material that will protect wood from negative environmental influences, acrylic varnish for wood will be the best solution in many areas of life:

• in the construction of buildings - for processing entrance doors, window frames, bathhouse walls or outbuildings;
• in the decorative finishing of interior spaces - for interior doors, wooden wall panels, for applying acrylic parquet varnish to floors, stairs and baseboards;
• in landscape design - for processing garden benches, gazebos, outbuildings;
• in the creation of interior items - for decorating tabletops and furniture;
• in repair – to restore and improve the decorative qualities of wooden products.

Dispersion composition

Water-based varnish for interior woodwork is odorless, colorless, and when tinted, it practically does not differ from the declared result. When finished, the composition may be whitish, but after drying, the tone of the base does not change. Depending on the purpose, various functional additives are added to the liquid:

• polyurethane to enhance mechanical strength;
• antiseptics to render inert to fungus, mold, bacteria;
• solvents to form a wear-resistant film.

As a result, finished materials are classified into one-component and two-component. In the first, there is only one binder - acrylic resin. Such compositions are used for decorative purposes, but not for protecting floors, countertops, and window sills due to their relatively low strength and moisture resistance. The second type of water-based varnish, due to the strengthening polyurethane, copes with high mechanical loads. There are materials suitable for work in public places with high traffic.

Gym varnishing Source fb.moystroitel.ru

When working with dispersion acrylic varnish, it is important to observe the following conditions:

• the range of operating ambient temperatures is observed from +5 to +30℃;
• drafts and direct sunlight are excluded;
• Before application, the composition is thoroughly mixed.

The upper limit of operating temperatures is often neglected and increased ventilation is organized. This causes water to drain from the varnish too quickly. Then the film is formed with defects: it swells, peels off, cracks, and forms unevenly. This is reflected in the wooden base, which will subsequently have to be additionally sanded and re-coated.

The topcoat can have varying degrees of gloss:

• matte or silky visually hides minor defects of the coated object;
• glossy with a mirror effect is inferior in camouflage properties and durability;
• semi-matte emphasizes the texture of the wood along with its imperfections.

Use dispersion varnish for wood for interior and exterior work. These can be decorative items, interior items, floors or facades.

Material for facade Source ru.all.biz
See also: Companies specializing in paint and varnish materials.

It is important to note that the versatility of materials includes the concept only in relation to indoor operating conditions. It is better to make a choice in favor of specialized compounds, as they will better meet the stated characteristics.

Wood varnish for interior work is often applied to liquid or paper wallpaper. This provides additional protection to the decorative coating from abrasion and clogging; it can be washed and will last longer. There are also materials for treating mineral surfaces (stone, concrete, tiles) or metal for the purpose of providing anti-corrosion protection. But products with organic solvents, as a rule, cope better with such tasks.

If the temperature conditions are observed during varnishing work, a film is formed within an hour or less. This explains the recommendation to use a roller or spray gun for processing large areas. If you distribute the liquid with a brush, the bristles begin to stick together and leave streaks on the surface.

Drying the brush Source stroy-podskazka.ru

Advantages and disadvantages

Wood varnish for interior work, odorless and without harmful substances, can be easily washed with running water before drying. It is easy to work with, which is important for people without painter experience. With or without pigments, the coating does the same job of protecting the surface being treated without tightly covering the natural pattern.

In addition, the following positive properties of the material are noted:

• does not turn yellow when exposed to ultraviolet rays;
• does not collapse under temperature changes (in the range recommended by the manufacturer);
• exhibits inertness to biological activity, therefore it provides reliable protection of wooden products from rot, mildew and mold;
• refers to materials resistant to moisture and open flame;
• has high adhesion to wood and mineral substrates.

In addition, acrylic wood varnish forms a film that can be cleaned using household detergents. There are practically no shortcomings in the material. The main thing is storage conditions. It is not recommended to use a water-containing composition after freezing and thawing, as it will lose its quality characteristics.

Washing parquet Source dizainkyhni.com

General information

Concept

Acrylic-based varnish is a viscous substance characterized by a homogeneous substance and a soft milky tint. The liquid contains:

• acrylic dispersion;
• antiseptic substances that protect the tree from the harmful effects of climatic and biological factors;
• plasticizers (not to be confused with these), promoting the formation of a thin and transparent layer responsible for the strength of the coating.

That is, the basis of the viscous product is aqueous dispersions of acrylic resins (non-pigmented) of high quality with the addition of refining components.

Advantages

Acrylic varnish is a relatively new product, but it has already acquired an army of fans. What's good about him?

Its advantages:

• safety;
• long service life;
• environmental friendliness;
• practicality;
• functionality;
• aesthetics;
• ergonomics;
• elasticity;
• strength;
• high adhesion;
• no odor;
• lightning-fast drying;
• resistance to the harmful effects of biological factors;
• resistance to the harmful effects of climatic factors;
• resistance to the negative influence of thermal factors;
• resistance to the destructive influence of mechanical factors;
• availability;
• efficiency;
• ease of care;
• ease of application.

The product not only reliably protects wood surfaces, but also favorably emphasizes their natural beauty, giving a dazzling shine.

Flaws

Our hero, of course, also has negative aspects. There are few of them, but they exist. So, the substance is known for the following disadvantages:

• capriciousness when applied - does not tolerate drafts, sunlight, requires a temperature regime - not lower than +5°C and not higher than +30°C;
• picky in storage - does not like low temperatures, which make it unsuitable for use.

When working with varnish, you must follow the manufacturer's recommendations so as not to spoil the substance, and most importantly, the wood surface.

We sorted out the advantages and disadvantages. Hmm, it’s not clear to me, is acrylic varnish intended only for interior work? I wonder if it is possible to apply the substance, for example, to objects located in the yard, that is, on the street? Well, well, let's find out.

Organic composition

Organic additives help increase adhesive and strength properties, and also improve resistance to environmental conditions. Therefore, this varnish is used for outdoor work due to its frost resistance; it is used for work on wood, metal, stone, concrete or glass. The solvent here is a mixture of ketones, ethereal compounds and aromatic hydrocarbons.

Unlike quick-drying odorless dispersion varnish for wood, the polymerization process of a product with organic components takes a little longer. To clean the instrument you will need a strong solvent, such as turpentine. When working with such products, to improve the wear resistance of the dry residue, some manufacturers recommend increasing the thinner content to 30% of the total volume. But this only applies to the first layer.

Surface finishing varnish

Varnish has been used for a long time to protect packages and floor boards.
Varnish has been used since ancient times to protect packages and floor boards, furniture and wooden interior items and give them a unique appearance. Since their appearance, acrylates have boldly entered into competition with alkyd paints and natural oil varnish and have recently held the palm in this competition.

Floor varnish does not match the properties of materials for treating windows and doors. To varnish external wooden structures, a composition with high ultraviolet resistance is required. The varnish can be matte and glossy, transparent, colorless, or containing a certain amount of dye, and all this variety is present in every manufacturer.

Technology of working with acrylic varnish

To apply materials with an acrylic component, it is necessary to prepare the surface to be treated. It must be free of dust, grease stains and corrosion or biological damage.

Removing old coating Source fire protection.com.ua

The matte film will visually hide minor defects, and a viscous liquid can fill microcracks with pores. Therefore, it is enough to organize the roughness for better adhesion and restore major damage.

The next step is priming. To impregnate the base, select products that are similar in composition to the selected varnish material. Acrylic resins have high adhesive ability, but have poor contact with old films from oil or alkyd varnish. The same applies to organic solvents or aqueous dispersions. They must match each other.

All work can be carried out only with a dry base. After priming, it is recommended to apply the rough coat with diluted varnish. If it is water, then it is permissible to add no more than 10%. This solution is easier to distribute over the surface, it dries faster and penetrates deeper. The subsequent coating is formed with varnish without additions. Depending on the purpose, there should be 2-4 layers in total. For example, for a parquet floor or tabletop you need more product, but for a wooden box, roughing and finishing are enough.

Multi-layer wood processing Source stanki-info.com

Impregnations and primers

Impregnations and primers based on acrylics are materials approximately similar in their properties.
Impregnations and primers based on acrylics are materials approximately similar in their properties, intended to protect wood products from the appearance of blue, prevent the development of rot, repel wood-gnawing insects and reduce flammability. When choosing a primer or impregnation, you should carefully read the manufacturer’s recommendations, which indicate exactly what this or that composition is intended for and what materials for further processing it is compatible with. If we consider the impregnations and primer compositions of the Pinotex, Eurotex or Finnish concern Tikkurila brands, which are widely represented on the market and enjoy deserved popularity, we will notice that the materials intended for pre-treatment of wood have a specific purpose and can be combined with a certain type of finishing coating.

Some compositions are intended for interior use or for treating wood that is buried from the sun's rays, because the decrease in resistance to UV radiation was a consequence of improved protection against moisture and mold. Others are designed for treating windows, walls, and decorative elements and cannot cope with the large abrasive load on floor boards. Impregnations and primers containing organic solvents have a specific odor that disappears as they dry. This should also be taken into account when choosing a material, because acrylic solvents are very toxic.

Popular water-based compositions are practically odorless, but it should be noted that such material dries more slowly and is more demanding in terms of application conditions. The surface is primed with water impregnation using a special hard brush, which evenly distributes the material over the surface of the wood, emphasizing the structure of the fibers.

Some materials for pre-treatment of wood with varnish can not only give the surface the necessary properties, but also change the appearance of floor boards, external walls of a wooden house or furniture elements. For this, azure is used, a decorative transparent product that can highlight the structure of the wood and give the surface an individual appearance. And Tikkurila, and Eurotex and Rolax and many other companies offer water-based and organic-based glazes to consumers.

The popular glaze Rolax Premium (Rolax Premium) is a universal product based on an organic solvent, combining the properties of an antiseptic impregnation, a primer and containing a finishing varnish for final surface treatment.

The popular glaze Rolax Premium (Rolax Premium) is a universal product based on an organic solvent.
The product dries quickly, creates a durable film on the surface of the wood, and the price of a domestic product is more than attractive. But the presence of a strong solvent odor somewhat limits the use of this product. Tikkurila and Eurotex offer customers, in addition to solvent-soluble materials, water-based compositions with excellent protective characteristics. Eurotex Aqualazur and Tikkurila Valtti is a transparent base protective composition that can be tinted to match the colors of valuable wood species, which expands the scope of its application, and its increased environmental friendliness allows you to perform all types of interior work without special protective equipment. Water-based aqua glaze can be applied with a brush or spray and, if necessary, diluted to the required viscosity with plain water. After drying, the result is a glossy, varnished or matte finish that emphasizes the natural beauty of the wood fibers.

The price of impregnations and primers, even from well-known manufacturers, can vary significantly. Tikkurila, Dufa and some other companies produce most of their products at the company's domestic enterprises and the price is lower, and some exclusive materials come from abroad and the price includes all excise taxes, customs duties and transportation. The price of domestic materials of the Eurotex brand is noticeably lower, but those compositions in the preparation of which imported components predominate are not much cheaper than their foreign counterparts.

Some advice from experts

The water-based dispersion varnish can cause deformation of wood fibers. As a result, after varnishing the surface may appear rough. To avoid this, there are two simple techniques:

• the surface is pre-wetted and ground before priming;
• Abrasive processing occurs after the rough coating has dried with diluted varnish.

Hiding defects in varnished film using polishing materials is only possible when working with matte compounds. If the varnish is glossy, then the sanding marks will be visible under the transparent dry residue. To avoid this, you will have to remove the faulty layer using a special remover or a hair dryer. And then repeat all the work again.

Means for removing old and fresh paint coatings Source stroy-podskazka.ru

Manufacturers often indicate an intermediate drying time of layers of 30 minutes or two hours. This is enough to harden the dry residue and avoid stickiness. But it is better to withstand the entire 12-24 hours. Then it will be possible to promptly identify possible defects, eliminate them and continue work.

When working with acrylic varnish, experts recommend sanding after each layer, except for the finishing layer. The process looks like this:

• the surface is moistened;
• sand with fine-grained sandpaper;
• dust and dirt are removed with a damp cloth after the object has dried.

This procedure is especially relevant for glossy finishes. Acrylic varnish has little contact with smooth and dense film. Often, the situation is overcome with the help of matte compositions for preliminary application.

Materials with different degrees of gloss Source yandex.net

Briefly about the main thing

Acrylic varnish is made on a water basis or with the addition of organic solvents.

Basic characteristics of the products: resistance to ultraviolet rays, moisture, temperature changes and mechanical stress.

The material is used for processing wood, mineral base (concrete, stone, plaster), plastic or glass.

Before applying varnish, it is necessary to prepare the base (restoration, treatment, cleaning) and prime it with a composition similar to the chosen varnish.

The varnish can be distributed with a brush, roller or spray gun in 2-4 layers, depending on the mechanical load.

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How to properly apply water-based varnish

In order to reduce the amount of material consumed and increase the quality of application, the surface should be coated with a special water-based primer. If you want to get an ideal glossy surface, then pre-sand the wood using the “wet sanding” method. In order to apply varnish to a pre-painted surface, you must first sand it thoroughly and remove dirt and grease using a soap solution.

You should always remember that water-based varnish is diluted only with water. It is diluted by 10%; if the dose is increased, the quality of the coating will decrease. The composition should be stirred before use. If you need to tint a wooden surface, it is better to first apply a water-based impregnation and only then apply a transparent varnish. In order to achieve a thicker coating layer or a more pronounced color, you should first apply a darker composition, let it dry thoroughly, and then cover the surface with a colorless aqualak. During the restoration of previously varnished surfaces, problems with unevenness and gaps often arise. To even out everything and remove errors, several layers of colorless varnish are initially applied, and then a tinting composition can be used.