Paint is one of the best substances ever invented. There is nothing in your life that is not in some way affected by paint. We put paint on our walls, our appliances, and on the hood of our cars, to protect these valuable surfaces.
WHAT MAKES A HIGH-QUALITY PAINT?
You are likely wondering what makes a high-quality paint. First, there is a misconception that thicker paint is better paint. This is simply not true. The best definition of ‘paint’ is a blend of liquid materials applied to a surface in thin layers that dry to form a solid film protecting the substrate’s physical properties. This is achieved by mixing paint’s four basic components in precisely the right amounts.
The highest quality paints are not always thick, heavy solutions. Performance depends on the surface materials and the performance expected. Quality paints for the space station’s surface are designed to withstand extreme cold and continual bombardment from dangerous cosmic rays. They are extremely expensive and applied in many layers only microns thick.
THE FOUR COMPONENTS OF A PAINT
No matter what a paint is designed for, it contains four primary components. It does not matter if you apply paint as an aerosol by spraying, a liquid in brushing, or as a solid through powder coating.
Paint is always a medium composed of four parts or raw materials. Each component has its purpose, and it is the properties and proportions which make a high-quality paint mixture.
1. Pigments
Pigments are fine particles giving color and texture to paint’s solid components. Pigments give durability and hiding power, giving paint its bulk while providing aesthetics and substrate protection.
2. Binders
Binders are bonding agents which work to keep pigments together in a liquid suspension. Binders stay behind after paint dries and support performance and durability.
3. Solvents
Solvents are the liquid agents allowing paint pigments and binders to flow onto the painted substrate. Solvents work as the vehicle delivering the mixed paint from the can to the surface.
4. Additives
Additives are low-level ingredients providing specific paint properties such as mildew resistance, de-foaming, and good flow and leveling. These ‘chemical helpers’ support a paint’s pigment, binder, and solvent solution. Additives are additional ingredients that improve paint performance and aesthetics.