How to paint a wooden fence.

decorative wood painting not only gives the product of this material a more attractive appearance, but also increases the service life. A well-chosen varnish can give ordinary pine furniture a touch of noble wood, and paint can hide all the flaws of the old material.

Wood staining - what to choose?

All types of coatings are divided into two categories. The first one includes opaque paintwork, or, in other words, enamels and paints. Until recently, craftsmen had to be content with oil paint, which took a long time to dry and was quite toxic. Today it has been replaced by a variety of enamels and paints - polyurethane, acrylic and alkyd. They are not as toxic, and their drying time is not so long. In addition, unlike oil paints, which will begin to crack and peel off after a few years, they are more durable.

Paints of the first group have some advantages and disadvantages:

• Alkyd paints it is better to use it for processing wood inside the house, since the weather-resistant film that forms on their surface after application is not very durable.
• Acrylic paint, which is slightly more expensive, creates a much more weatherproof coating, so it is worth choosing if it is, for example, on the outside. One of the varieties of acrylic paint is water-dispersion. It is suitable for both indoor and outdoor work. Such paint is non-toxic (water is used as a solvent in this composition) and is very durable.

Another category is transparent paints and varnishes. It includes impregnations, stains and varnishes. A component that protects against ultraviolet radiation is necessarily introduced into the composition of such coatings, since under its influence the tree quickly ages and loses its original color. Here the choice depends on whether the painted surface will be inside or outside the house. So, varnishing a tree is appropriate even when processing. Lacquer can be either colorless or tinted. Also, under a layer of colorless varnish, you can apply a stain that will give the wood the desired shade. If we are talking about or furniture indoors, then we can limit ourselves exclusively to wood stain. intended only for decorative finishes and is not able to protect against atmospheric phenomena.

Wood painting technology - surface preparation

Regardless of which coating will be used, the material must be carefully prepared before processing. If the surface has been previously painted, then the old paint must be removed. This can be done using a special wash (you need to work with it carefully, as it is very toxic) or using a grinder with a special nozzle. Apply a new coating over the old one only if it holds well and does not peel off. In addition, it is imperative to know what exactly the tree was treated with earlier, since some compositions may be incompatible. This means that during operation, the new coating may lie unevenly, bubble or even peel off.

After removal old paint the material is cleaned of dust and dirt, and allowed to dry. Fallen knots and various cracks must be covered with a special putty, and then sanded to smoothness and once again cleaned of dust.

If the wood is painted with varnishes or enamels, it must be properly dried, as in the process of drying on a wet surface, such coatings will bubble and peel off.

Painting wooden surfaces - we take up brushes and rollers

Depending on which coating was chosen for the tree, the staining process will be slightly different, so it is worth considering each of them in more detail.

Let's start with the stain. Experienced craftsmen before application recommend it lightly warm up, and if powder stain diluted in water is used, then strain through several layers of gauze. It can be applied with a swab or brush. Usually it is applied in two or three layers, allowing each of them to dry well. If stain is used for painting on alcohol based, the wood should be lightly moistened before application. This will allow the composition to lie as evenly as possible.

Which tool to choose for working with varnish depends on the composition of the paintwork. To apply oil or other solvent-based varnish, use a brush with soft bristles. You need to apply varnish with it smoothly and uniform movements along the fibers of the wood, making sure that there are no streaks. Lay such a varnish in several layers, and each of them should dry well. Alcohol-based varnishes are not intended for outdoor use - they are used when processing furniture used in the interior. It is best to apply this composition with a swab. This is done in four layers, and the first two of them are considered primers and need to be processed very finely. sandpaper. The third layer is applied to a dust-free surface and left to dry for several days. After that, they put the fourth layer, before applying which the varnish can be tinted if desired.

And, finally, work with impregnations and enamels, the processing technology of which is very similar. For their application, you can choose any convenient tool. The most convenient way, of course, is to use an airbrush, but brushes with rollers will do just fine. They must be applied in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, not forgetting that the work on painting the outer surfaces should be carried out on a dry and, if possible, calm day.

After the wooden surfaces are painted, it is desirable to protect them from any impact. Otherwise, the coating may be damaged and then all work will have to be started anew.

When it comes to finishing oak, cherry or maple furniture, the word "paint" sounds blasphemous. But inexpensive and less spectacular wood, such as pine, poplar or alder, paint can transform fabulously. Colorful coatings provide great opportunities for decorating your home. They are easy to restore and repair, and better than transparent coatings, they protect wood from impact. sunlight. However, to give furniture beautiful view, you will have to work more carefully than when painting walls, ceilings or sheathing. Let's demonstrate a simple method, including the actual coloring and applying a decorative antique coating.

The key is surface preparation.

This old rule of painters has not become obsolete in our days. The paint reveals all the defects in the wood surface, so be prepared to spend a fair amount of time removing defects and preparing the surface for painting.

To make wood smooth, sand it with 150 grit abrasive using different sanding pads for flat and embossed surfaces. The primer that you then apply will fill in the small scratches from the sandpaper. When you've finished sanding the flat surfaces, lightly go over the edges with sandpaper (150 grit) to soften the sharp edges. (Paint does not adhere to sharp edges, and they wear out quickly.) Fill in any crevices and cracks with acrylic putty, sand smooth when dry, and then carefully remove all dust with a vacuum cleaner or a cloth swab lightly dampened with the mixture. linseed oil and white spirit (the swab should be almost dry and slightly sticky to the touch).

Sanding tools must match the surfaces.

Priming before painting

We choose a primer depending on the type of surface to be painted. For the kitchen cabinet, they took a pigmented shellac-based primer, which reliably clogs resinous pine knots. With a synthetic or natural bristle brush, first apply one coat of primer to all surfaces and edges of the product, and then a couple more coats at intervals of 5-10 minutes on areas with exposed end grains.

The nailed board supports the primed kitchen cabinet door, allowing both sides and all four edges to be processed in one go. Sharp nail tips provide secure and even support, leaving almost imperceptible marks

To save time when painting the door, a board was placed with sharp tips of nails sticking out of it, on which the door rests on the already treated side while priming the second side and edges. After 24 hours, when the primer is completely dry, sand large flat surfaces with 220 grit abrasive using an orbital (eccentric) sander or sanding pad. Sand small areas by hand with an abrasive sponge or profile sanding pads.

To reveal all the imperfections of the primed surface, use the backlight. Unlike surfaces primed for a clear coat, nothing permanent will happen if you remove the primer coat to bare wood. Simply apply the primer again, let it dry and sand smooth. Then carefully clean the surface from dust.

By directing the light from the lamp parallel to the primed surface, you can see shadows that signal coating defects. Sand these areas and re-primer

Fill with acrylic putty all the recesses that need to be hidden, and level the surface with grinding. Apply another coat of primer and sand it with 220 grit. When sanding a putty surface, a lot of dust is generated, so clean the product with a vacuum cleaner before wiping it with a damp cloth (for latex paint) or a sticky swab (for oil-based paints).

Rough areas and knots show through the primer, so they are easy to identify and smooth out with latex putty

On profile areas, we use the simplest and most affordable tool for applying putty - our own finger

You can restore the clarity of profile parts using a small bar with sandpaper on two faces

How to choose the right primer

Compound	Recommended use	Note	Drying time
acrylic primer(on the water based)	Suitable for all bare woods except pine and other knotty and resinous woods. Apply before painting acrylic paints water based.	Advantages: Low odour, dries quickly and sands easily without clogging the abrasive. Due to the water content, it raises the pile on the wood more than other primers. May adhere poorly to impregnated or previously painted surfaces. Use a brush with synthetic bristles to apply.	Drying time - no more than 1 hour; paint can be applied after 4 hours.
Alkyd primer(oil based)	Suitable for fresh and slightly weathered wood. Deeper than a latex primer, it penetrates the surface. Topically applied to isolate resinous pine knots.	It is used before painting with oil compositions. Check the instructions on the label to see if the primer is suitable for blocking contaminants showing through the paint. Applied with a natural bristle brush.	Drying time "to touch" - 45 minutes; staining after 8 hours (or more at low temperature and high humidity).
Shellac primer(with added pigment)	Blocks resinous substances that can penetrate through latex and oil primers. When renovating coatings, shellac promotes good adhesion of the new paint to the old coating and weathered wood.	Alcohol-based shellac dries in minutes and the smell may be less offensive than some oil based primers. Shellac can be used before painting with both oil and water-based paints. Applied with natural bristle brushes or universal brushes.	Dries in 15 minutes; the next layer is applied after 45 minutes.

Paint like the pros

For latex paint, two synthetic bristle brushes are needed: a 65 mm wide flat brush (flute) for large flat areas and a small 40 mm wide angled brush for narrow profile areas. Practice applying paint on scraps or in an inconspicuous area of ​​your project to get a feel for how the paint flows off the bristles of the brush.

If the brush seems too hard, dip its bristles in water and, while twisting, knead them against the walls of the vessel. This will make the brush more obedient and make it easier to wash it after work. Finally, dip your brush into the paint until it's half the length of the bristles and squeeze it lightly against the rim of the can to remove any excess paint. Hold the brush at an angle of about 75° to the surface so that the paint flows better. Before it starts to dry, smooth (shade) it over the surface, lightly touching it with the tip of the brush. In this case, brush marks almost completely disappear.

Between the application of the first and second coats, sand the surfaces with 320 or 400 grit abrasive. Then remove the dust with a vacuum cleaner and a damp cloth. Let the second coat of paint dry overnight. You can stop there if you want the product to look new and fresh. And if you want to give it a look of noble antiquity, then this can be done with the help of patina.

1. Having collected a new portion of paint, never start applying it in a corner, otherwise puddles or streaks will inevitably form there. When painting a plane, first apply the paint a few centimeters from the edge and move the brush towards the edge to prevent drips and streaks. Then go back to the beginning and continue working with long strokes.

2. If the paint has formed puddles in the corners or depressions, remove the excess with a brush, after squeezing it out.

3. Work with long strokes with even pressure. Then lightly run the tip of the brush over the freshly applied layer to even it out.

4. Divide the area to be treated into separate parts to always maintain a wet border of the painted surface, avoiding the formation of a film.

5. It is better to work on a horizontal surface, even if this requires the product to be laid on its side.

6. Two thin coats of paint are better than one thick coat that may bleed or wrinkle when dry.

How to choose paint

If you paint ordinary furniture latex paint, which we use for painting walls, peeling may occur. This usually happens when the item sticks to a painted surface, such as a shelf, because the paint remains soft and supple even after it dries. Therefore, it is better to use furniture acrylic enamel. To make the coating smooth and the paint flow well, add modifiers that slow down drying and help the brush marks disappear.

Usually add one part modifier to 10 parts paint. Mix it with paint in a separate container rather than adding it to a paint can.

How to age paint with a patina

To give kitchen cabinet kind vintage furniture apply a water-based patina to the painted surface. Lightly go over the dried paint with 600 grit sandpaper first, and on raised surfaces use a gray abrasive sponge to remove the smallest roughness.

Apply the patina room temperature and avoid drafts so that the composition does not dry out too quickly. If you have never used patinating compounds, practice applying it on scraps. Start on the back wall and inside the cabinet to get a rough estimate of how long it will take to apply and level the compound. After applying the patinating composition, let it dry for 24-48 hours. Then protect it with a clear water-based acrylic lacquer.

Apply the patina with the same narrow brush as the paint. Rub the composition into all recesses and corners	Apply with a brush on flat surfaces where it will reveal brush marks and minor paint imperfections.
Wipe off excess composition and evenly, without strong pressure, blend the strips with a clean soft cloth. Avoid completely removing the patina from flat areas	In relief areas, emphasize the contours of the details by lightly tapping the surface with a dry bristle brush.
If you make a mistake or the composition starts to dry, lightly moisten it with water from a spray bottle or wipe it off with a wet cloth.

The porch at the entrance to the house "works" in very difficult conditions, taking on all the blows of the elements and withstanding a serious mechanical load. If you do not protect it from various negative factors, then it will not last long. Therefore, you need to know how to paint a wooden porch on the street and how to do it right.

Many homeowners prefer a wooden porch for many reasons: it's easy to do it yourself, feels good and looks good, but most importantly, wood is a living, warm material. However, it is precisely its naturalness that is also its vulnerable feature, since the tree is prone to decay, poorly resists mechanical stress, insect attacks and fire.

Therefore, it needs protection from all these factors, which alone decorative paint cannot provide. But there are many special formulations, capable of increasing the moisture resistance and fire resistance of wood, protecting it from pests, the destructive effects of sunlight and other aggressive influences.

Ready-made protective compounds

Wood is heterogeneous in its structure. There are many pores, capillaries, knots and roughness on its surface. Grinding allows you to level the surface so that all protective and decorative coatings are absorbed into it evenly.

Before painting a wooden porch on the street, it is recommended that you first sand it, and then treat it with the following tools:

• Moisture protective impregnation- it is very important to protect the tree from the effects of precipitation and moist air, as they can cause rapid destruction from rot.

• Antiseptic impregnation- will not allow fungi and mold to develop in the material, protect it from the attacks of carpenter insects.

Antiseptic "Neomid" for wood

• Fire retardant impregnation- performed with special flame retardant compounds, makes the tree more resistant to fire.

Flame retardant "Ogneza"

These compounds are applied in this sequence in turn, with breaks for the absorption and drying of each layer.

Advice. Can buy universal remedy 3 in 1, but the effect of each of its components will be weaker than with the action, according to the described algorithm.

What can replace special tools

The price of each of the described means is quite high, so instead of them you can use materials that are found in most households:

Type of product	Properties and application
	Composed of turpentine and natural oils, drying oil penetrates deep into the wood, giving it water-repellent properties. With this material, even those parts of the porch that are in contact with the ground or go into it can be processed.
	The so-called "working out" also perfectly protects the tree from moisture and decay.
	A well-known antiseptic that destroys any bacteria and microorganisms. A solution of potassium permanganate has not only disinfecting, but also decorative properties. After processing, the wood pattern becomes clearer and more contrasting, and changes color.
	Unlike many other antibacterial agents, it does not create an airtight film on the surface, allowing the wood to breathe. It is useful to process ends and saw cuts with lime.

Note! There are no improvised analogues of fire retardant impregnations. They need to be purchased separately.

Types of decorative coatings

Varnishes and paints also have a protective effect. Most of them form a durable coating on the surface of the wood that prevents mechanical damage and abrasion.

But the main function of such compositions is decorative. Therefore, if you are thinking about how to beautifully paint a wooden porch, pay attention to the composition of the material, and to its color and texture, which should be combined with the facade of the house and the adjacent area.

Paints

Paints are different, including covering and glazing (not hiding the texture of the wood):

• The first will become good choice for the old porch, as they will hide all the defects under them. They are also chosen when they want to “make friends” with the entrance group with a painted facade of the house, or they think how beautifully to paint the steps wooden porch in different colors.
• The latter are used only for new, previously unpainted structures.

All compounds must be designed for outdoor use, withstand significant temperature fluctuations and high humidity.

Among facade paints, intended for coating wood, most often use the following:

• Oil paint- the most popular, long-used material. It protects the tree well from weathering, but does not shine and has a pungent odor. However, it disappears after drying, so this property can not be considered a minus. Here's a big plus: wide selection colors and shades.

In the photo - high-quality oil paint from the Finnish manufacturer "Tikkurila"

• Alkyd enamel from oil paint characterized by the presence of alcohol and organic acids in the composition. It creates a more durable surface protective layer preventing mechanical damage to wood. The composition dries quickly.

On the one hand, this is convenient, because you need to climb the porch into the house, and the faster it dries, the better. But applying quick-drying formulations is more difficult. In addition, the choice of colors for alkyd enamels is not so rich. But they can be matte, and glossy and semi-matte.

Wooden houses appeared long before it became a trend in modern construction. The tree has a minimum thermal conductivity, which has a good effect on thermal insulation and performance.

But during the first wooden buildings few people realized that such material needed additional protection. Thus, most of the cultural monuments have not survived to modern times.

In this article, we will consider in detail the question: how can you paint wooden houses?

Causes of tree aging

Initially, it is important to understand why wood undergoes destruction. Initially, it is a living material, which in any case undergoes aging, like a person. Therefore, in order to extend the service life as much as possible, you need to take care of the appropriate treatment of your home.

Another reason is the natural effect on the tree:

1. The sun.
2. Mold.
3. Fungus.
4. insects and so on.

Such natural factors destroy the original properties of wood, and as a result, the material coarsens, grayness appears, and the fibers lose their former strength. Such negative processes can be noticed in the first weeks after the construction of the facility.

Precipitation also adversely affects the tree - the material simply swells. When dried, the reverse reaction occurs.

As a result of such changes, cracks may appear in which the fungus develops well. The emerging mold develops inside and is very difficult to notice.

Another reason can be bark beetles. Such pests can safely be in the house for three years in hibernation, and you will not even know about their presence. But when they are activated, your building can be severely damaged.

The next reason is the atmospheric loads on the building, which is located in the coastal zone or on open space. The closer the house is to moisture, the faster it will age and, accordingly, collapse. The northern part of the structure is less prone to damage than the southern and western sides.

As you have noticed, there are plenty of reasons for the aging of a tree, but do not get upset. There are also plenty of different methods and methods for protecting wood.

Preparing your home for painting

Before you start painting at home, you will need special training all surfaces. After all, you will not work with bricks, but with living material. Proper preparation will improve the adhesion of paint to wood and significantly extend the performance of your home:

1. Take a garden sprayer and, together with a brush, remove dust and various small contaminants from the tree. Moisture absorbs dust well - it's much better than just brushing wood with a brush.
2. If blue or mold is present, remove it all with the help of Tikkurila.
3. Residual resin is recommended to be removed with a metal spatula. Treat the places after removal with knot varnish so that the surface is even.
4. Coat metal parts with a primer that is designed for the respective use.
5. Upon completion of all work, let the tree rest for 14 days. To do this, cover it with a film. Don't forget to leave holes for ventilation. If the weather is warm, then you can not cover the tree.
6. If the wood is damp and it cannot be dried, then apply a primer-type antiseptic to the damp material. After that, wait for the moment when it will be possible to dry the house.

Using all the recommendations for preparation, you will lay a good base for painting the house. Thus, the coating will last much longer, in fact, which is what you need. Now you should move on to choosing the paint that you have to use.

What can be painted

For the selected purpose, there are three types of coatings:

• antiseptic;
• acrylate paint;
• Oil paint.

An antiseptic is a coating that has a very good penetrating ability. The depth can reach seven millimeters. Such a tool reliably protects the tree from various atmospheric loads, as well as from rot and mold.

Antiseptics are glazing and covering. The first ones are a transparent coating, which means that your house will retain the original wood pattern with a noble shade.

Opaque antiseptics completely hide the wood structure, but retain the relief of the material.

Acrylic paints are highly weather resistant. The appearance of such a coating is preserved for a sufficiently long period of time. The paint allows the material to breathe - this means that the house will be alive. Acrylate in the composition of the paint makes the product elastic, which avoids the appearance of cracks and all kinds of damage.

Oil paint also has good weather resistance. By absorption, the coating is comparable to antiseptics.

The only significant drawback is the long drying time, which can take a day or more. In addition, over time, the surface of oil paint is prone to discoloration, and it can also become matte. A similar defect is not noticeable only on light colors.

We hasten to warn you that paint of any quality and cost will require updating over time. You can see for yourself in the following list:

• antiseptics last up to 5 years, and the figure varies both up and down;
• coating antiseptics - service life up to 7 years;
• acrylate paint can last up to 10 years;
• oil paint - up to 6 years.

All figures are indicative, after painting the house you will immediately notice the moment when the coating loses its original appearance.

The process of painting a wooden house

You do not need special skills in this matter, however, several nuances should be observed when performing such work:

1. Primer. It is important to apply a primer antiseptic in order to protect the material from the appearance of fungus, blue or mold. If you miss this moment, then in two years you will most likely need to repeat all the paint work and pay double the cost for it all. You should not initially save on the use of an antiseptic - it significantly prolongs the life of the paint.
2. Applying paint should be carried out on a dry surface in several layers. Each layer must be dried.
3. A few rules for applying paint to wood.
4. Stir the paint periodically. Thus, the shade of the coating will be the same.
5. Apply paint with a brush. Only in this way can a uniform color be achieved. Don't overdo the paint.
6. For high-quality painting, you can use a color for a primer. In this case, the color will be simply exceptional.
7. Do not paint in very hot weather under the scorching sun. The paint will dry faster than expected and the quality of such a coating will leave much to be desired. The most suitable conditions for painting works– windless, warm and slightly cloudy weather.
8. The process of applying antiseptic and paint should be longitudinal.
9. The end points of logs and boards must be carefully treated with several layers of primer and coating material. Thus, you will protect these parts of the house from the rapid absorption of moisture and stop the process of decay.

The process of painting an old house

If your house was built a long time ago, and there is mold on the wood, the paint is falling off and other unpleasant defects are visible, think about painting your home. Fresh paint will not only update appearance facade, but will also allow you to experiment with the future color.

Before you start painting, carefully examine the entire surface of the house. Maybe somewhere something has fallen off and needs prompt repair. The western and southern facades lose their good appearance faster than others.

Perhaps you need to paint only those areas that are significantly worn out, or you decide to completely paint and radically change the color of the building. For painting, use either the same paint that was used previously (according to the manufacturer), or a coating of the same type.

For the experiment, eight identical stools, four alkyd and four acrylic enamels of different colors were purchased. price categories, brushes.

We decided that hardly anyone would buy a primer in addition to the enamel to paint the stool. We also did not do this, although for some formulations, according to the manufacturer's instructions, this is a violation of technology. So keep in mind if you need to decorate large wooden surfaces (for example, interior doors), the primer is very useful, and then its purchase is economically justified.

It is convenient to start painting the stool from below - back side seats, legs and crossbars. Then you need to turn the stool over, put it on its legs and finish painting the remaining sections on the crossbars and the upper side of the seat. Subsequent layers were applied in the same way until the black squares were completely painted over.

In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the protection environment and people's health. That is why in a number of countries already by 2010 solvent-based paints and varnishes, including alkyd enamels, will be completely replaced by water-based compositions, in particular, acrylic enamels.

Enamels were evaluated according to the following parameters: ease of use (paint characteristics), smell, quality of the resulting coating. To determine the hiding power of the compositions, we drew a checkerboard on the seats of the stools with a black felt-tip pen. And then successively (letting it dry) layers were applied until the drawing was completely painted over.

As a result of this impromptu test, we were able to do the expected, but no less interesting findings:

• The price determines the quality of the material. Yes, for good enamel you will have to pay 300-1000 rubles. But the quality of the coating (at least visible) will be much higher: the composition will show itself as more opaque, it will be easier and faster to work with it.
• To obtain bright colors and an accurate match to the tone, you need to use the paint of the appropriate base. In addition, it is necessary to adhere to the tinting system of the same manufacturer. There are systems from Beckers (Sweden), Dulux (Great Britain), Caparol (Germany) on the market; Teknos, Tikkurila (Finland), etc.
• If on the packaging of the composition white color it is written that it is tinted according to the RAL fan, this does not mean that it is possible to achieve bright color(it will be lighter). In some cases, after drying, the color of the coating becomes darker by about a quarter of a tone. Therefore, it is first advisable to try the paint on a small piece of hardboard or plywood.
• The absence of smell greatly facilitates the work, so it is much more convenient and pleasant to use water-based materials (in our case, acrylic enamels).

hiding power- this is the ability of a paint and varnish composition, when applied evenly on a monochrome surface, to hide its original color.

Paint or enamel?

In general, this division is conditional. In Germany, for example, there is no word “enamel” at all - either “paint” (farbe) or “lacquer” (lack).

When choosing a material with a high degree of gloss Special attention should be given to the smoothness and cleanliness of the surface to be treated, because all the imperfections will appear.

• Dye consists of a film-forming substance (resin, latex or other), pigments or their mixture with fillers, solvent and additives. Pigments are mainly responsible for the hiding power of the material. Titanium dioxide is often used in this capacity. The film-forming agent mainly determines the resistance to water and abrasion.
• Enamel consists of the same set of components. But sometimes there is much more film-forming substance in it, and fillers - the very minimum. After drying, it creates an opaque coating with varying degrees of sheen. As a rule, enamel is superior to paint in terms of protective properties, hardness and elasticity.

Alkyd enamels

They consist of alkyd resins, pigments, various additives and a solvent. They can be applied to almost any substrate. After drying, a durable coating is created that reliably protects the base from the effects of water, alkalis and withstands wet friction. However, this coating has low vapor permeability, which is critical for "breathable" wooden surfaces from which it often flakes off. The disadvantages of alkyd enamels include toxicity and a very pungent odor both during operation and during drying (12 or more hours).

Dulux Trade High Gloss (UK) Alkyd gloss paint

To receive orange color RAL 2008 used the appropriate Extra Deep base and was tinted twice: once with a Tikkurila machine (the same equipment was in the store), the second with the “native” Dulux. The difference in price turned out to be quite noticeable - 40 and 555 rubles. respectively. The properties of the two enamels differed approximately in the same way.

When tinted on a "foreign" machine, a translucent composition of intense orange color with a liquid consistency was obtained. And although the coating came out smooth and mirror-gloss, each layer was thin and translucent - overlapping the wood structure, the enamel did not paint over the dark squares even after four layers.

Tinting on a Dulux machine gave a completely different result. Thick thixotropic enamel was evenly distributed over the surface, spreading over it and almost immediately hiding brush marks. Even the smell during operation was less than in the first case. The black squares were painted over with two (!) layers of enamel. The coating is even, mirror-glossy, without streaks and brush marks.

• Tinting: there are four bases (Light, Medium, Deep, Extra Deep) that allow you to more accurately hit the desired color. Enamels of bright white and black colors are offered separately.
• Consumption: 1 liter covers up to 18 m² in one coat.
• Drying: before applying the next layer - 16-24 hours.
• Packing: metal cans, 1; 2.5 and 5 liters.
• Price: from 286 rubles. for 1 liter of Extra Deep base (to obtain rich colors) up to 1716 rubles. for 5 liters of Light base (white, for pastel colors).

Dufa Hochglanzlack (Germany) Enamel glossy

Unfortunately, tinting bases are delivered to Russia only on order, and we did not find a Dufa tinting machine. Therefore, we chose white (RAL 9010) from the range. Naturally, as a result of its tinting with the help of the Tikkurila system, a tone lighter than RAL 2008 was obtained. The moderately thick consistency of the paint resembled soft ice cream. The composition immediately laid down well on the base with a thick, opaque layer. However, I had to work quickly, because the film quickly "grabbed". The indisputable advantage of the product is the absence of aromatic hydrocarbons in the composition and, consequently, the pungent odor characteristic of most alkyd enamels. In three coats, the enamel covered the surface completely, forming a semi-gloss finish without streaks, but with slightly noticeable brush marks.

• Tinting: 25 ready-made colors.
• Consumption: about 1 liter per 8–10 m² in one coat.
• Drying: before applying the next layer - 12 hours.
• Packaging: metal cans of 0.375; 0.75; 2.5 l.
• Price: from 200 rubles. for 0.75 l.

"Oreol" (Russia) Enamel universal alkyd, glossy

Enamel has a strong specific smell, so you should work in a respirator in a well-ventilated area, and optimally - on the street.

Since Halo is only available in ready-made colors, we took white for our test and tinted it. It is quite natural that the color turned out to be not as saturated as RAL 2008.

In a jar, the composition resembled sour cream in consistency. The result was a matte finish that completely hid the texture of the wood, on which the visible traces from the brush. The black squares were completely painted over with only four layers of enamel.

• Tinting: 8 ready-made colors - white, black, gray, blue, green, yellow, beige, red.
• Consumption: for white color - 1 kg per 8–10 m² in one layer.
• Drying: before applying the next layer - 24 hours.
• Packing: metal cans, 1; 2.2; 3 kg.
• Price: about 100 rubles. for 1 kg.

Acrylic enamels

They consist of an acrylic binder, pigment, water and additives. They practically do not smell, they are easy to use, they are easily washed off the tool with water, they dry quickly. And if a few years ago they were somewhat inferior in properties to alkyd enamels, then modern compositions demonstrate the same high resistance to abrasion and water. In addition, they form a vapor-permeable film, which is especially important for wooden surfaces.

Beckers Elegant Aqua Lackfärg Halvblank (Sweden) Acrylic enamel paint, semi-gloss

Two cans of paint of the required base were tinted in RAL 6018 color (C - translucent). One - with the help of a Beckers tinting machine (cost 120 rubles), the other - with a Tikkurila machine (cost 40 rubles).

In both cases, the color of the finished coating was the same, but the difference in formulations and the amount of colorants caused discrepancies in the painting properties of the two products.

When using a "foreign" system, too liquid enamel was obtained, which practically flowed over the surface. Each time it was required to apply very thin layer. However, the result is not bad: the black squares were painted over in three layers. In the process of work, there was almost no smell, which made the work comfortable. Tinting on a Beckers machine provided the composition with a fairly thick consistency and thixotropy. Enamel lay well and densely on the surface. Already after applying two (!) Layers, the black squares were barely distinguishable. In both cases, a smooth finish with a noble sheen and visible wood texture without streaks was obtained.

• Tinting: Base A (white) for pastel tones and Base C (translucent) for saturated colors.
• Consumption: 1 liter per 8–10 m² in one coat.
• Drying: before applying the next layer - 4 hours.
• Packaging: metal cans of 0.9 and 2.8 liters.
• Price: about 575 rubles. for 0.9 l.

Sadolin Master Lux Aqua 70 (Sweden) Water-based enamel for wood and metal, glossy