MEET MARIA
When mixing paints, you need to make sure that you have a formula that fits your requirements. Paint is crucial for your home as a form of protection. The characteristics of the would-be painted surface should also be fully understood. As an example, if the wood surface is very dry or resinous, you will need to have the proper composition of linseed oil in your formula. If your home is located close to the sea, the paint should have higher level of zinc white. The extra zinc white in the formula will prevent the paint from chalking and the surface of the paint will be harder. Thorough mixing is essential if you want to successfully prepare paint formula.
Zinc white is sold as heavy and thick paste. It can be incorporated with any paint. When mixing paint, make sure that you have a large enough contained and very sturdy paddle that allows for quick mixing. There are special vats that are designed for mixing paints. First, you can transfer white zinc into the container and add some amount of linseed oil, depending on requirements. Mix both ingredients evenly. Then, you can add the paint and mix vigorously with the paddle. Continue mixing until the mixture feels like creamy paste that’s free from limps. If you want to make the paint a bit thinner, you can add more linseed oil or turpentine.
You should be aware that if the paint has too intense color, you will need more zinc white paste to lighten it up. So, if you want to get lighter color, you shouldn’t choose paint with deep color. If your paint mixture is simple and straightforward, you can make it more consistent. Another important part of paint preparation is straining. With this step, you can remove paint skins and any foreign substance. Straining will also help to evenly mix oil and pigment. With proper straining, the paint will also become finer and you can improve the brushing quality. Use cheesecloth to strain the paint and stir it with a brush, leaving skin, dirt and other unwanted objects on the cheesecloth.
After straining, your paint mixture should be ready for use on bathroom sink, bookshelf, cabinet and others. To get good paint for interior finishes, you may use turpentine. After vigorous mixing, you may need to let it stand overnight. The next day, you may find that a layer of oil rises to the top. Remove the oil, which is a mixture of the turpentine and the oil that comes with the paint from the factory. Add fresh turpentine to the paint and mix vigorously. This will replace the original oil with turpentine. If you are not too sure about the result, you may experiment with a small quantity of paint and turpentine to see whether you can do it. Then try to apply the paint to a test surface and wait for it to get dry. If you are satisfied with the result, you can proceed with a larger batch of paint.