Varnish, today, is the simplest and at the same time the most complex component of all production of paints and varnishes. For its promising application, both objectivity and subjectivity of its performance are equally important. Even if the manufacturer managed to achieve significant indicators in terms of its strength and quality indicators, but the external characteristics are low, then this product will not be in great demand.

At the beginning of the nineties, a good assortment of acrylic paints and varnishes from European manufacturers and their various related materials: impregnations, glazing and tint varnishes began to appear on the markets.

The main advantageous indicators of acrylic varnishes over alkyd ones include: ease of use, fire safety, long-term operation, good environmental and hygienic properties of the product. In principle, everything is clear when comparing the analysis of acrylic and alkyd varnishes.

Let’s consider just one specific property that relates to the transparency of varnishes.

And all because the alkyd coating is not transparent to the solar spectrum. Therefore, it gradually loses its structure and as a result is destroyed.

Acrylic coating is transparent to sunlight, so its effect is much smaller, which significantly affects the durability and performance of acrylic varnish.

Such materials quickly gained popularity as very high quality, but not cheap. Local entrepreneurs are not ready to fill this niche in the construction market. Instead of working hard to improve quality indicators, they put up for sale a group of products that could only be called varnish with a huge effort.

Many companies considered such tactics unacceptable, and began to research in this area of ​​activity, without spending enormous efforts to promote low-quality lacquer components on the market until an acceptable quality comparable to European counterparts was developed. This path was difficult and unprofitable in the short term. Only now, when it turned out to catch up with European manufacturers in terms of quality indicators, this approach began to bring economic benefits.

With outdoor work, you need to be more careful. In pursuit of low prices, industrialists use cheap acrylic dispersions in the manufacture of varnishes. Which are suitable for working with facade paints, but unfortunately, a high-quality varnish composition for outdoor work cannot be produced from them, especially when it comes to colorless varnishes. It gradually becomes yellow in the sun and as a result, flaking occurs. For these purposes, special acrylic dispersions are required.

It is much easier to deal with tinted varnish compositions. To some extent, tinting protects against the influence of solar radiation. But here other imperfections appear. Often, for the sake of economy, manufacturers use pigment materials for tinting with low lightfast properties, which will fade after a few years. Much to our chagrin, this factor applies not only to acrylic, but to all varnishes.

In order to learn how to choose them correctly, we will learn how to deal with a large assortment of varnishes and try to systematize them according to various criteria.

Primary signs are the composition of the varnishes

Acrylic
Acrylic-polyurethane
Polyurethane

Polyurethane-based varnishes are better quality components among water-dispersion varnish compositions.

They have excellent spreading, high water resistance, rigidity and especially abrasion resistance, but also a high cost – four times more expensive than acrylic paints. Therefore, polyurethane-based varnishes are used for expensive products, primarily parquet, furniture, less often for window and door structures (high price).

Acrylic varnishes are more affordable, and in terms of quality they are close to polyurethane components.

Many companies, along with similar varnishes, perfectly sell acrylic varnishes. Which are slightly inferior in terms of characteristics, but with respect to traditional alkyd varnishes, they have significant advantages.

Acrylic polyurethane varnishes are a compromise between acrylic and polyurethane products and in terms of the price group, they are comparable with both those and other varnish compositions.

As for wall coverings and various decorative fragments, both internally and externally, in this situation, acrylic-based varnishes are quite suitable.

Secondary signs are purpose

We will try to analyze them using some general examples.

Impregnating varnish with bioprotective properties

Can be used for initial coating of wood before painting or varnishing with other materials. It can also be used as the main component, unless of course you need a better polymer coating.

Varnishes for indoor and outdoor use

In fact, both of these varnishes have excellent properties to be used for both indoor and outdoor use, but we deliberately separated them, as there are different priorities in their characteristics.

For interior work, abrasion resistance, both dry and wet, is essential. The temperature and atmosphere inside the dwelling is usually always stable.

For outdoor work, on the contrary, in the foreground are resistance to atmospheric influences, exposure to the sun and temperature extremes.

Parquet polyurethane varnishes

To some extent, we have already compared these materials. It is more rational to use acrylic varnish for residential buildings, and polyurethane varnish for office and hotel premises.

Furniture varnish

For furniture varnishes, a good indicator is hardness, good fluidity, resistance to various mechanical influences.

We will discuss specific recommendations for work. If you want to get the greatest decorative effect when using tinted varnish, then it is better to use a colorless one for the primary layer, otherwise you will notice a variety of surface irregularities that arise due to the difference in the absorptive capacity of various fragments of wood.

To apply the varnish evenly on the surface, it is better to use a spray gun.

If you want to show the structure of wood with its natural flaws, then you must first use tinted varnish on the first layer.

To form a flawlessly even surface layer, especially if it will be sanded, we recommend using the “Grinding-primer”. It interferes with the formation of wood pile, which often happens when varnish is applied to sanded wood.

The main properties of water-dispersion varnishes are the rapid drying process of the composition. As a rule, no more than an hour. This significantly increases their consumer performance of organic soluble varnishes.

Imagine being able to walk on a parquet one hour after work.

However, you shouldn’t do this. During the first hour, only the initial formation of a layer occurs, therefore we do not recommend to influence the varnish film from the outside.

If there is a need to walk on a fresh varnished surface, it is better to do it in socks, taking off your shoes. But the next day you can walk on this surface fully.

And one more recommendation

 In almost every article, we consider options for saving money. But in this situation and in this segment of materials, it is better to buy goods with higher prices and higher quality.