Paint, Architectural

Abstract Paint is one of the most common and widely used materials in home and building construction and decoration. This broad use comes from paint's ability to provide improved appearance, decoration, as well as protection of the substrate to which it is applied. Paint is defined as “any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition designed for application to a substrate in a thin layer which is converted to an opaque solid film after application.” This article focuses on the types of paints commonly referred to as architectural coatings, house paints, or trade sales paints. Familiar coatings cover a wide range of products such as paints, primers, stains, varnishes, and sealers. Most paints are available in a wide variety of colors and appearances, and are made up of four basic groups of chemical raw materials: binders or resins, pigments, solvents, and additives. Proper choice and amount of both binder and pigments, as well as the volume relationships between the two, govern the overall performance properties of paints. The manufacture of house paints involves mixing together these raw material ingredients in such a way that the finished paint is a homogeneous mixture of evenly distributed ingredients. Along with the formulation and manufacture of high quality paint, proper surface preparation and correct application of house paints are important for good durability and performance.