It's Only Paint.

The same but different...

The manufacture of paint is big business. However, this big business is being pushed in a new direction. Millions of litres are made & sold each year and essentially the principle stays the same. A tin full of a beautiful coloured liquid, applied with a brush or roller to create the desired decorative effect. What could be simpler & why change a winning formula ?

Faded mid-century sign in SE22

  

Well essentially nothing has changed, paint is hundreds if not thousands of years old. The principle application is the same and the make up and composition of paint has always evolved. But, we are now going through one of the biggest shifts in the technology and chemistry of paint seen for years; why is that ?

Well, not surprisingly, it turns out that much of the oil based paint we used in the past was in some way or another toxic; it gave off too many nasty fumes and the E.U rightly, in this case, stepped in. New regulations and compliances for V.O.C's were drawn up and their implementation started in 2010.

So, how did this affect us, the end user ? Surely, as it is now healthier to work with, everyone must be happy. Well, yes and no. 

See, some people hate change, not everyone, but some. It's made worse if it's forced on you, even worse if it costs more in time and money.

I'll give you an example: 

The old style oil based-eggshell ( whose smell did knock your head off somewhat ) allowed you to coat the job in hand on day one; next day, a light rub down with flour paper and it was ready to re-coat again. Simple, no messing around. The fumes however, were another thing.

The new 2010 regulation oil based-eggshell still allows you to coat on day one. However, some can require 16 hours between coats. When you do re-coat it even after that time it's still very soft, better if left for 24 hrs plus. That means many jobs aren't re-coated the next day and as we know time is money. It is also more of a challenge to apply; some do dry shinier too, though that does seem to die back after a while. So, as you might guess, not everyone likes it but it is far less odorous to work with.

During the reformulation process some manufacturers did a better job than others. My personal favourite Oil-Based if I do have to use oil is the Little Green Oil based eggshell. It has been reformulated with sustainable vegetable oils, cutting down on V.o.c's and odour. It brushes out well and dries back beautifully flat when cut or thinned with pure turpentine rather than the harsher white spirit. It is still challenging to use, but then again, the water based eggshells are so nice to brush out, maybe i've gone & spoilt myself.

Now, as the regulatory changes occurred it allowed other paints based on aqueous solvent to come to the fore. Farrow & Ball took the biggest step by dropping oil based completely, they now only retail water based eco paints. The brand has grown all the stronger for it. It's become the benchmark for the boutique paint market.

The real plus is; these paints are water based, dry much faster and are virtually odour free. Though not totally new, they are now way better formulated than anything else before them.
All this is a great, but they can require more coats and regular brush rinsing in water however, that given, I really do prefer them. I now use more acrylic eggshell like  Farrow & Ball's eco, Little Green, and Siecle's Pure Acrylic in my work and teaching than any oil paint, by a large margin.

Lastly, I photographed this faded sign in SE22 the other day. I reckon it dates from the around 1950's and "spell" like, it magically reads:

"Noted ****. Genuine Turpentine. Linseed Oil. Boiled Oil . White Lead Colours etc. Ready mixed paints."

It really does make me smile. I see painting as part chemistry, part alchemy. There is a kind of magic when a new colour goes on; it's transformative power still has a hold on me, that much I do know, however formulated.

Mark