Varnish for wood: features of choice

 Varnish for wood: features of choice

Over time, each material loses its attractive appearance and brilliance. Painting is one of the main methods of updating the appearance of different materials. In order to return the tree to its former gloss and beauty, lacquer is an excellent solution, which also gives wood its strength, protecting it from many external factors.

Special features

Varnish is a viscous solution intended for treating the surface of a material in order to create a reliable protective film. The treated surface may acquire a light or saturated gloss.

The lacquer coating was used for the first time in the XII century by the German monk Theophil. He strictly kept his recipe secret, only after many years, in the course of research, he managed to find out that the varnish was created on the basis of alcohol. Beginning in the 15th century, oil-based products appeared. Their homeland is considered to be England.

And only in the XIX century began manufacturing lacquers in large quantities. Already in 1874, the Russian factory Osovetsky launched the production of oil varnishes of excellent quality. Later on, other varieties appeared.

In most cases, varnish is used to cover wooden surfaces. Wood very quickly loses its strength and beauty when exposed to external factors, so the use of varnish allows you to increase the life.

Types and characteristics

To date, the sale of a wide range of wood varnishes from reputable manufacturers. Depending on the type of application, they may be for internal or external use. They are characterized by varying degrees of brilliance. But their main classification is carried out according to the type of solvent on the basis of which they are made.

Oily

Oil varnish is made on the basis of resin and oil, and these components are used in different proportions.Initially, resins of natural origin were used for their production, but then manufacturers switched to modified oils and artificial resins, which had a positive impact on the cost of the product.

All oil means can be divided into three groups, if the basis of taking the amount of oil:

  • lean (from 35 to 55% butter);
  • medium (from 55 to 65%);
  • fatty (from 65 to 85%).

If you compare these varieties, it is worth noting that lean oil options dry quickly enough, but do not guarantee such reliable protection as fatty-type products.

The peculiarity of oil paints is their density. They are very difficult to apply with a brush, so before applying it can be slightly diluted varnish. After opening the container, the tool will not be stored for a long time. Full drying after drawing on a tree is carried out approximately from days to three days.

Oil varnish penetrates the wood surface very deeply. It can be used for interior work or to give strength and beauty of furniture. Experts do not recommend using this type for painting the flooring.

Tar

These paints are made on the basis of natural resin, often used amber. Some options are made from thermoplastic or thermosetting resin.They are synthetic. Pitch varnishes are used for the same work as oil, they are a great alternative.

Alkyd

These varnishes are composed of alkyd resin (oil), oil solvent and drying agent that promotes rapid drying. Since they include wood and linseed oils, they penetrate perfectly into the surface of the tree and guarantee the creation of a high-quality and durable film. They are divided into two groups: pentaphthalic and glyphthalic.

These varnishes are characterized by resistance to sudden temperature changes., excellent moisture resistance. The service life after application is approximately two to three years. Full drying of alkyd varnish is carried out in 48 hours. This species is in demand due to its low cost.

Among the disadvantages of alkyd varnish is its toxicity, because white spirit is a part of it. Also varnish is characterized by low wear resistance.

Alkyd varnish is used to cover wooden parquet, floating floors, as well as for furniture. He emphasizes the beauty of natural wood, highlighting its texture.When working with this tool, the craftsmen note that it does not leak into the cracks, and also does not glue the boards together.

Alcoholic

This type of lacquer is not very popular because it is very limited in use. They are also called polishes. They are made on the basis of resin and ethyl alcohol. This species dries very quickly, because the alcohol evaporates quickly. Full drying is carried out in just one hour. Alcohol varnish gives wood an attractive shine, but its disadvantage is that it does not protect the surface of the wood from moisture. An indisputable advantage is the affordable price.

Lacquers are commonly used to process various musical instruments., products made of glass or leather, occasionally they can be used to cover furniture products. Shellac varnish, which is a kind of political level, is widely used for decoupage.

Alkyd carbamide

This type consists not only of alkyd resin, but also includes amino formaldehyde resins. A two-component tool can be used only after adding a hardener, which contains an acid, because this substance contributes to the rapid drying of the varnish.The resulting mixture should be immediately used for painting, since the term of the prepared solution does not exceed several days.

This type is moisture resistant and durable, creating a high-quality coating with a bright shine. It can be safely used for painting wooden parquet or floor made of wooden planks. It is often used for reliable protection of solid wood furniture, which is designed for indoor use.

Epoxy

Varnish is made on the basis of epoxy resin, which is a film former. This is a two-component version, since it is necessary to use an additional hardener for drying. It is distinguished by high hardness, the formation of a strong film, is not afraid of mechanical effects, and is also characterized by moisture resistance.

This option is always chosen for wood exposed to heavy loads. It is ideal for covering a massive floor or parquet, doors both indoors and for external work. After application, the complete drying of the product takes 12 hours.

Polyester

This multi-component product is made on the basis of polyester resins.The application of lacquer to the surface is carried out with the help of a special gun, therefore, it is mainly professionals who work with it. After drying, a heat-resistant, waterproof film appears, characterized by durability and gloss.

Polyester is ideal for processing musical instruments., flooring and wood furniture products.

Ester cellulose

This type of varnish contains cellulose nitrate, plasticizers, resins and organic solvent. It is quick-drying, therefore it is a good solution for indoor work. The varnished wooden surface can be polished, since the formed film is durable and smooth.

Nitrocellulose means allows to create both opaque, and a glossy surface. It is often used for painting furniture, but it is not recommended to be used for flooring, as over time the coating begins to peel off.

The disadvantages of funds include the presence of an unpleasant odor. And when toxic solvents evaporate, then the smell disappears. Work with varnish is allowed to be done only in a protective mask.Varnish is completely safe for human health after complete drying.

The ethereal cellulose remedy is suitable for processing walls indoors, furniture, pencils and musical instruments, since it is characterized by medium strength and does not effectively protect wood from the sun and water.

Acrylic-urethane

This varnish is completely safe and odorless. It can be diluted with water. Means perfectly lays down on a wooden surface, guaranteeing a strong and high-quality film. The varnish can be used at an air temperature not lower than 12 degrees. During storage, it allows for a temperature regime of at least 5 degrees below zero.

Acrylic-urethane varnish is ideal for bathrooms, baths or saunas. It is often used to process the sidewalls of floating parquet boards.

Alkyd-urethane

This product consists of an alkyd resin and an organic solvent. It has a rather characteristic, unpleasant smell, but it has a good service life.

Frost-resistant alkyd-urethane varnish is also called boat or yacht, because it can be used for outdoor use, because it has a high resistance to various weather phenomena. It is often used to handle ships.

Polyurethane

Polyurethane varnish may consist of one or more components. Two-component versions have a base and a hardener, and three-component ones also have a solvent. This tool is characterized by excellent adhesion and guarantees the hardness of the coating. The resulting whip perfectly protects wood from corrosion, high humidity and chemicals.

The disadvantages of polyurethane varnish should include a persistent and sharp smellas well as a long curing period, which usually ranges from two to three weeks.

It is often used for processing garden buildings, yachts and ships, parquet flooring, the walls of houses inside and outside.

Acrylic

This lacquer is water based. It is among the safest and most environmentally friendly products for processing natural wood. The lack of smell allows you to use it even for processing children's rooms. The lack of water-soluble varnish is that it dries for a long time. Full drying takes about half a month. To begin with the surface of the wood should be primed.

Water-based acrylic lacquer is fireproof. He well emphasizes the beauty of natural wood, but does not provide the necessary level of protection from moisture. Due to its flame-retardant properties, this tool is suitable for decoration of rooms where there is a high possibility of fire. It can be applied even on wet wood, concrete and brick walls.

Bituminous

Bituminous varnish is ideal for processing wood, because it gives the surface optimal chemical and physical properties. It should be applied to the wood in a very thin layer. Small wooden elements can be completely dipped in the tool, and then thoroughly dried. After treatment with bitumen lacquer, wooden surfaces become resistant to both wet and acidic environments.

For aging of the surface of natural wood bitumen varnish is an excellent solution, because it can be used as a decorative one. The main pigment of the product has a brown color, so each surface after processing gets a pleasant shade.

Tinting

High-quality tinted varnish is indispensable for decoration or repair work. It has much in common with the stain.It can be applied to doors, furniture, wooden parquet. It allows you to give the wood an unmatched view of valuable tree species, and also gives it resistance to mechanical stress and prevents the formation of mold, blue, fungus or decay.

Food

These varnishes are suitable for processing wooden surfaces that come into contact with food and beverages. It is absolutely harmless because it is made from environmentally friendly components. Food varnish can be used to extend the life of wooden utensils. It can be used to dye cutting boards, baby cots, toys, wooden sourdough or fermentation tanks.

In a can

Lacquers in cans are in great demand among customers, since they are characterized by convenience and simplicity when applied to a wooden surface. They have a substance that is inside a cylinder under a certain pressure. Aerosol spray is fairly easy to spray.

Colors

Modern manufacturers of wood lacquers offer a wide range of colors, among which you can choose the best option for decorating the surface of natural wood.

Varnishes can be used to create a glossy or matte surface. Usually the manufacturer indicates this figure on the packaging. Also, if you wish, you can purchase semi-gloss or semi-matte products. High gloss lacquer provides the ability to give the tree a bright shine.

The most common option is a clear varnish. He emphasizes the pattern of wood, gives it clarity and expressiveness. Toning means can dramatically change the color of the wood, so they are also called color.

The most popular paint products are mahogany or walnut colors. White lacquer looks original and spectacular. It allows you to visually increase the volume of the product. Choosing a shade among dark colors, the majority gets a black varnish. It adds surface sophistication and luxury.

Consumption

To correctly calculate how many cans of lacquer will be required to process a certain area, you must make some calculations.

First you need to pay attention to the criteria that play an important role in the flow of funds:

  • The surface of the tree. For wood with small pores, less varnish is always needed than for a surface with deep pores.For example, for the treatment of beech or pine consumption will be much less than for the staining of ash or oak.
  • The quality of grinding wood. On a well-polished surface there is always little varnish. For high-quality grinding of the material should use sandpaper with a grain of P100. To create the second layer should be used sandpaper grain P220.
  • Viscosity. Thick varnish will have a high consumption. To reduce it a little, the first and second application layers can be applied with a varnish diluted with a solvent. If the product is water based, then you can add some water to make it more fluid.
  • Method of application. If you apply a spray, the flow rate will be minimal. With the help of a brush or roller, the consumption of the agent is significantly increased.

The average varnish consumption per 1 m² is 100–125 ml. To create a second layer of lacquer will take less. So, for 1 m² only 80–100 ml will be required. But the above factors play a decisive role, so for an accurate calculation you can buy a lacquer can, use it and measure the area. This will allow a very accurate calculation.

Manufacturers

Today, many well-known companies offer a wide selection of high quality wood varnishes.

Italian products are in great demand. Company Borma wachs It has established itself as a high-quality and reliable manufacturer of products intended for the treatment of natural wood.

Italian brand Sayerlack It offers more than 3,500 items that fully satisfies the needs of woodworkers and manufacturers of furniture products.

Finnish company Tikkurila is a popular manufacturer of water-based varnishes for parquet flooring. It applies exclusively new technologies and computerized equipment to create high-quality and reliable products. The brand offers a wide range of wood varnishes, which are characterized by increased wear resistance.

Swedish company Bona For several decades, it has been offering high-quality water-based paints and varnishes that do not have a characteristic odor. The brand has its own research center, where the development of innovative tools.

This center has developed a unique varnish of polyurethane particles. Traffic. It allows you to impart increased wear resistance to the coating, as well as protect it from mechanical impacts, as a result, Traffic varnish is used to cover parquet in high-traffic areas.

German brand Berger offers a wide range of water-based parquet lacquers, characterized by excellent quality. Polyurethane lacquer Berger Aqua-Seal is in great demand, which not only has high wear resistance, but also protects wooden parquet from chemical attack. The only exception is nitrosolvent, because they can damage the structure.

Italian company Vermeister is a well-known manufacturer of water-based polyurethane varnishes, which include two components, and are intended to create a matte, semi-matte and semi-glossy surface. Lac Aqua Play 2K freezes in just four hours. The company offers products at affordable prices.

How to choose?

In order to choose the right varnish for natural wood, you should consider several factors:

  • Terms of Use. The manufacturer indicates the operating conditions on the packaging.If you need to paint wood on the street, you should understand that the material is affected by ultraviolet light, high humidity, as well as a change in temperature, so it is necessary to use only options for outdoor use. Varnish for work in rooms is ideal for painting walls, floors and various items.
  • Wear resistance. It is worth paying attention to what will be the load on the surface of the tree. For furniture you can buy nitrocellulose lacquer, which should be applied in a thin layer, it is not characterized by strength. To paint the floor you need to take compositions that provide increased strength.
  • Toxicity. Many modern varnishes are composed of organic solvents that have a sharp and unpleasant odor. After drying the surface, the smell will disappear, but when working with it you need to follow safety measures. If you need to do work at home, the best solution is water-based varnishes, which have virtually no odor.
  • Full drying time. Different options have different drying times. It can vary from 5 hours to two weeks.The fastest dried ones are nitrocellulose and alcohol products, while oil lacquers and water based products dry longer than others. This characteristic plays an important role in order to correctly calculate the duration of the work.
  • High temperature resistant. In places where there is a high probability of fire, it is necessary to use only heat-resistant means. It is necessary to pay attention to the technique of applying varnish, because it depends on security.
  • Shine Lucky can be matte and glossy. Their choice is usually made depending on personal preferences, since they practically do not differ in performance. The matte surface attracts attention with the beauty of the tree, glossy - visually makes it larger. Semi-gloss and semi-gloss products are also on sale.
  • Components. Lucky can consist of several or one component. The options of the two components are used by professionals. The peculiarity of the two-component composition is that in order to form a film, two substances enter into a chemical reaction.Such a film is characterized by strength and durability. One-component tools can be used for personal needs, for example, if you need to process a plinth or furniture.
  • The need for primer. This factor is very important, because if you do not primed the surface before applying the varnish, it will soon begin to flake off. Today, there are already self-priming lacquers for sale, which can immediately cover the wood.

For interior work

When choosing a varnish for interior work, you should look at the recommendations of the manufacturer. Means for wall coating can be of average wear resistance, and to create a durable flooring this figure should be much higher.

Parquet flooring or stairs can be varnished.designed for premises with high traffic. For processing wooden utensils, you can use only food varnish, because it is non-toxic and safe for human health.

Also worth paying attention to the smell of the tool. Varnishes with an unpleasant, pungent odor can be used to paint surfaces only in non-residential premises, as long as it does not dry out, it can adversely affect human health.

For exterior finish

To cover the tree in the open, only varnishes with high strength and wear resistance are suitable. They protect the tree from ultraviolet radiation, temperature changes, withstand frost, and are not afraid of high humidity.

For exterior finish, you can purchase products with a smell, since in the open air the effect of varnish on the human body is minimal.

For furniture

Manufacturers make separately varnishes for furniture from wood. They help not only to update the appearance, but also give the coating strength and reliability, protect against mechanical and chemical influences. Depending on personal preferences, you can choose the option of matte or glossy. A matt table does not require special care, since there are no traces or stains on it. Glossy coating is characterized by the presence of gloss, which must be maintained with the help of special tools designed for polishing furniture.

An important criterion is the environmental friendliness of the product. Water based paints should be preferred because they are odorless, safe. Organic solvents can also be used, but the dyeing process should be carried out in a mask or respirator to protect the respiratory system.It is worth remembering that paints without organic solvents are fireproof.

Craquelul lacquer is like to give furniture the effect of antiquity. The tool dehydrates the paint, which contributes to the appearance of cracks. It should be applied only on the dry surface of the tree. Paint should not be applied over the fully dried varnish.

The depth of the decorative effect depends on the degree of stickiness of the dye. Such decor should harmoniously fit into the interior design.

Useful recommendations

In order to properly carry out the application of varnish on a wooden surface, simple rules should be followed:

  • The surface of natural wood must be polished.
  • If the wood is varnished or painted, then these layers must be removed. You can use sandpaper or special wash.
  • It is necessary to remove all the dust after grinding.
  • Primed surface. This will avoid the formation of bubbles and other visual defects.
  • Apply varnish on the wooden surface.

It is possible to varnish a wooden surface in several ways:

  • The brush is ideal for processing small partsand also for drawing means in hard-to-reach spots. To avoid divorce, it is worth using brushes that have “fluff” on the tips of the fibers.
  • The roller is a good choice for applying varnish on large areas. When choosing a roller, you should give preference to models having a nap of no more than 5 mm.
  • Spraying is a convenient way of coloring with a spray gun and compressor. This option not only saves varnish consumption, but also treats even hard-to-reach places quickly and easily.

Before using the varnish should be thoroughly mixed, especially this rule should be followed if the product includes two components. This will positively affect the durability of the coating.

If the varnish needs to be applied in several layers, then you need not only to wait until the previous layer is completely dry, but also to go over the coating with emery paper and then remove all the dust.

The number of layers depends on what can be processed. For example, two layers will be enough for painting furniture, and for a floor covering you will need to apply varnish three times.

In the next video you will find a review of toning varnish for wood Kudo KU-904x.

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Information provided for reference purposes. For construction issues, always consult a specialist.

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