stirring paint

[rogermatthews]

HI everyone - does anyone know the answer to this?

Recently I did some decorating, and for some reason I looked at the instructions on the tin of emulsion paint bought for the walls. 'Stir thoroughly before use'.

Since when? I always recall emulsions should NOT be stirred. It seemed the same with most manufacturers and their acrylic (water-based) paints. Are they now not putting in something on health and safety grounds or for cost?

Of course, the main reason for stirring any paint is usually to ensure colour pigments are properly mixed, but stirring even seemed to apply to the whites!

Anyone know the reason and when this change took place? I'm just curious

Cheers

Roger

[45002]

Are you sure it's not a tin of soup

There are a lot of fellow stirrers on UKTS who may be able to advise you on stirring things up

MARTIN

[john13]

Hi Roger

Paint formulation ( and performance) has changed over recent years with the reduction of VOC's in paint mixes. Many paints now have 'clean brush after use in water' or similar rather than the tradional 'white spirit'. If I remember correctly, the only 'old-fashioned' type of paint that didn't survive stirring was the 'thixotropic' gel type paints.

Solvent based 'gloss' paints would separate over time and some brands of emulsion certainly do separate slightly. Probably more a suspension that a true emulsion.

cheers

John

[rogermatthews]

Thanks Jon - so it's the reduction of VOCs, is it? I guessed it would be something like that

Thixotropic paints aside (ie rubbish paints!) there were others that did not need stirring all those years ago (I've been painting for 35 years!) Emulsions of all types never required stirring, some acrylic glosses likewise (just superior emulsions, really) or paints with a genuine polyurethane base (not just a dash of poly thrown in, realy poly paints if anyone recalls the old Diamond paint range). I suspect the modern suggestion to stir emulsion is as much to do with storage, to cover manufacturers when paint is stored - as you say, some liquid can form under such conditions. Certainly I've not stirred emulsions over the years and never noticed any colour streaks.

And I think you're right in what you suggest - the quality of paints is not what is was. When I paint the outside of the house, I still feel it's worth getting good stuff (eg Japlac) - anything to delay having to do it again! Still nothing to equal the old lead-based paints

Cheers

Roger

[lenfish]

................Still nothing to equal the old lead-based paints

Cheers

Roger

..........for poisoning people.

[douglee]

Hi,

................Still nothing to equal the old lead-based paints

Cheers

Roger

..........for poisoning people.

Well, if you must lick the walls!!!!

Matron.




I'm back

Good luck
Doug

[lenfish]

Still seem to put lead in paint in India, but a long way to go for a tin of brilliant white!

Regards,

Len