Universal thinner for oil paints. Solvent for oil paints: characteristics, reviews. Main types of thinners

If for watercolor, gouache and acrylic paints For dilution purposes, water is suitable, but with oil paint everything is much more complicated. A special solvent is used for it, which has different composition and functions. The artist store has a large selection of such goods. But how to choose the right solvent or thinner for such paints? Let's try to figure it out.

For creative works, master painters use oil paints, the main advantages of which are:

• thick structure;
• wide color gamut;
• ease of mixing;
• It is easy to correct mistakes made during work.

When diluted, oil paints are an excellent material for painters. They wrote many immortal works of art at all times. But such compositions dry out quickly, so they need to be diluted. Painting solvents make paints thinner, making it easier for the artist. Compositions for painting are odorless and therefore absolutely safe.

How to dilute oil paints? You can dilute them with a solvent containing white spirit. But for coloring pigments, oil is a binding component. Therefore, professional artists recommend diluting oil paints with a special thinner, which consists of vegetable oils.

The drying time of the applied image depends on the amount of oil in the paint. You should not add a lot of thinner to the paint, since the oils do not evaporate when drying. The ideal component for diluting paint is poppy seed oil.

Main types of thinners

There are four groups of oil paint thinners that paint brush artists use in their work:

• on vegetable oil;
• on varnish;
• “double” and “tee”;
• diluent – ​​pinene.

Every artist knows how to thin oil paints. In addition, he knows very well how to cheat oil paint. The thinner contains turpentine, white spirit and pinene. It is sold under different numbers depending on the composition.

Oil

One of familiar types thinners, which have been used for painting for quite a long time, is vegetable oil. Hence the name oil artistic paints. Oil is produced from flax, sunflower, hemp and poppy seeds.

Varnish

The solvent for oil-based paints is also varnish, which uses diluted resin. Thanks to the use of varnish, the paint structure becomes denser and adheres to the canvas much stronger. Such varnishes are added to solvents for artistic oil paints.

Double and tee

In painting, a double-solvent is a thinner that includes two components: varnish and oil. Moreover, these two components are mixed in certain proportions, or more precisely - 1 part varnish + 2-3 natural oils.

“Tee” is a composition in which, in addition to the main two components, the third component is a diluent.

Pinen

Thinner No. 4 for oil paints has another name - pinene. It is used to dissolve and dilute compounds. Such solutions are easily applied to the drawing.

Brush masters choose what to dilute their paints with, depending on the task they have set for themselves. Oil paintings amaze the imagination of visitors to museums in all countries, which house masterpieces of great artists of all times and peoples.

On the video: details about thinners for oil paints.

How to properly thin paint

As solvents that artists use, it is better to use vegetable or linseed oil. As a rule, diluted paints are changed bright color to a duller color, but after drying the original shade returns.

You need to dilute the compositions carefully; excess solvent can make them loose, depriving them of their natural properties. To the question whether it is possible to achieve a softer effect by dissolving the paint, there is a clear answer - yes. You just need to dilute it slowly and test it on a test canvas. If you overdo it with solvent, the paint will not adhere well to the canvas.

With the correct ratio of composition and solvent, the paint is firmly fixed to the canvas.

Oil solvents are created for paints used in artistic creation. You need to choose a solvent for oil paint that is odorless. For example, it could be a mixture of turpentine and white spirit in equal proportions.

Additional Information

Binders are an essential component in the production of oil paints. These include oils that, when dry, form protective film on the surface of the painting. Thanks to her, the paintings of great creators are preserved for centuries.

Thinners for oil paints are used to reduce the viscosity of paints during operation. Terpenes and white spirit are also used for painting.

Those who want to paint need to select the correct pigment number, find a good solvent, select high-quality brushes and treat them with care. Samples of foreign-made solvents are presented on the sales market. This gives the consumer the opportunity wide selection materials for diluting oil paints.

Oil paint dries on the brush, so it needs to be washed thoroughly when finished. Do not leave brushes in paint. It is important to dry a clean brush to prevent mixing of paints. Also, do not let the paint dry on your hands.

When using oil paints, you must follow the drawing sequence, the rules for using paints and caring for brushes. Paints must be properly prepared using the correct solvents.

Various products (24 photos)

Oil paint thinners are used mainly for thinning (thinning) oil paints, although manufacturers write that they can also be used for washing brushes and cleaning the palette, which from my point of view is simply wasteful. The palette can be washed with cheaper thinners purchased at a hardware store, and brushes can be washed with just laundry soap and warm water. The main thing is not to let them dry - when you finish working, wash them immediately. However, in this issue The artist himself decides how to wash his favorite brushes.

I am a fan of the St. Petersburg art paints factory “Nevskaya Palitra” (hereinafter simply “ZHK”), whose paints I found to be the best among domestic ones, and therefore I mainly use its thinners. But sometimes I also buy some thinners from the Novosibirsk manufacturer, Experimental Workshop of Art Technologies LLC (hereinafter simply EMTI).

I want to warn you: I’m talking about thinners, not solvents. At first glance, there is no difference between them - they both thin the paint. However, the thinner simply reduces the viscosity of the paint without disturbing its structure, and after drying it evaporates, leaving the paint in its original form. To put it simply, thinner simply makes the paint "smear" easier, but other than that it makes no difference whether you used thinner or not. By the way, I almost never use thinners now, although they used to leave me with bubbles.

But the solvent interferes with the structure of the paint, dissolving its film-forming substances, that is, oil, and after it dries you get a modified paint, the properties of which may differ dramatically from those declared. For example, it can delaminate and crumble. In addition, the solvent is able to dissolve the already dried layer of paint, on top of which you apply a new layer with solvent. So instead of, say, glazing, you will, roughly speaking, get a “raw” painting, as a result of which the glazing paint will mix with the base paint and change both its color and the color of the base, guaranteeing you an unpredictable and, most likely, disastrous result.

Unfortunately, not a single diluent is a diluent in the pure sense of the word: it does not dissolve some substances, but dissolves others. Therefore, the less thinner and the less often you use it, the better. And under no circumstances use a “thinner” purchased not from an art store, but, for example, from a pharmacy. Even if it has a similar name and the same composition, you are still buying a pig in a poke. And one more thing - try to use thinners exclusively from the same manufacturer as the paint being thinned. This will most likely save you from problems, although, for example, the same ZKH warns in its catalog: “ Oil paint thinners are a group of products whose use requires special knowledge».

I won't go into Chemical properties thinners, but I’ll just give thinners for oil paints from the above manufacturers, which I have tested and which can be bought at any art supply store. Let me emphasize again: in an art supply store, not in a hardware store, pharmacy or anywhere else!

Thinner No. 1 (ZHK)

This thinner consists of a mixture of turpentine and white spirit (turpentine is a product of pine resin processing, white spirit is a product of oil refining) in a 1:1 ratio.

If you need to work with paint “wet” for a longer time, then most likely this solvent is what you need. The annotation for it says, “when added to oil paint, it reduces its concentration, makes the paint less saturated and increases drying time.”

It is not suitable for thinning varnish or for cleaning surfaces of varnish, but it does an excellent job of cleaning oil paint from palettes and brushes.

Thinner No. 2 (ZHK)

This thinner is pure white spirit, a product of petroleum refining. Suitable for thinning oil paints, cleaning surfaces, brushes and palettes from oil paint. It should be used with caution - it has a high penetrating ability and can seep onto the back side of the canvas through microcracks in the ground.

Excessive dilution of paints with it can make the paint layer loose and fragile, which can lead to crumbling. It is not suitable for diluting varnishes and cleaning surfaces and brushes from varnish, because it has low dissolving ability.

Please note that when diluting paints with either a mixture of white spirit and turpentine (thinner No. 1) or pure white spirit (thinner No. 2), the paint layer darkens over time. The same applies to the gum turpentine produced by EMTI, mentioned below. Therefore, I recommend using pinene (thinner #4) instead.

Thinner "Tee" (ZHK)

It is often called thinner No. 3. A mixture of dammar varnish, linseed oil and turpentine. Gives shine and bright rich tones. The thinner is used to dilute oil paints, and also as an intermediate layer to enhance the adhesion of paint layers. Do not use brushes or surfaces for cleaning.

Each component of this thinner is a thinner in itself. In addition, since linseed oil can cause shrinkage of the paint layer, especially the intermediate one, many artists use not a “tee”, but a so-called “double”, which pure form not released. This is dammar varnish mixed with a thinner such as pinene (thinner no. 4).

Thinner No. 4, p inen (ZHK)

Pinene got its name from the Latin name for pine - Pinus. Pinene is a component of turpentine and is obtained by purifying gum turpentine from resinous substances.

Pinene oxidizes much less than turpentine, which is not recommended for use in painting due to its tendency to yellow and tar. Pinene almost does not tar and does not turn yellow.

It dilutes both paints and varnishes well. It evaporates faster than thinner No. 2 (white spirit). Pinene reduces the gloss of paints, so some care must be taken when using it.

Low odor thinner (Sonnet)

Well-cleaned white spirit. Makes paints more transparent, allowing for smooth transitions of tones. Improves paint flow and adhesion of paint layers. Dries quickly and does not turn yellow.

Used for diluting oil paints, washing paints from canvases, washing brushes and palettes. Does not dilute varnishes.

Please note that the lack of odor does not make this thinner less toxic than thinner No. 2, which has a rather strong odor.

Thinner for artistic oil paints (ZHK)

A mixture of bleached refined linseed oil and white spirit with the addition of a drier. Makes paints more transparent and less saturated, allowing smooth transitions of tones.

Reduces drying time for oil paints.

Can be used as a brush and palette cleaner for oil paints. Although, as I already said, it is better to use cheaper solvents for this.

Oil thinner (EMTI)

Similar to the previous thinner for artistic paints produced by ZKH Nevskaya Palitra.

That is, it is the same mixture of bleached refined linseed oil and white spirit with the addition of cobalt drier.

Used to dilute quick-drying oil paints. Increases the drying time of paints both on the palette and on the canvas, allowing the artist to work “wet” longer.

Gum turpentine (EMTI)

Yellowish liquid with a characteristic pine odor. It is obtained by distilling resin coniferous trees) using water vapor. Pine resin contains up to 30% turpentine. Gum turpentine is completely natural product, so to speak, the “sap” of a pine tree. In the light and in the presence of air, it resinizes, turning into a thick yellow mass, so it should be stored in a well-closed bottle and in a dark place.

Used as a solvent and thinner for oil and alkyd paints, as well as varnishes. In addition, it cleans brushes and palette well.

Refined bleached linseed oil (ZHK)

Used to dilute oil paints. For its production, the plant uses only natural, polymerized, cold-pressed oil. In addition, during its production, the quality of the oil is carefully ensured at all stages of its preparation: pressing, evaporation, bleaching, filtration.

Adding linseed oil to paint provides great benefits: the paint's spreadability and adhesion to the blank and underlying layers of paint are significantly improved. Also, the paint becomes less concentrated, more transparent, bright, and shiny.

Slows down the drying time of the paint film. An artist can work “raw” for longer and create glazes.

Flaxseed oil, compacted No. 2 (ZHK)

Applicable in oil painting as a paint thinner.

The film of this oil is more moisture-resistant and less prone to yellowing than the above-mentioned refined bleached linseed oil.

Dammar varnish (ZHK)

Consists of a solution of dammar resin in pinene or turpentine. Completely natural product.

It is a painting varnish used as a thinner for oil paints, but many artists also use it as a topcoat for finished works. It is also used for fixing intermediate layers and for wiping intermediate layers during layer-by-layer painting, i.e. as a retouching varnish.

Dammar varnish may become cloudy during storage, but after drying (evaporation of pinene) it regains its purity. In addition, during storage, it may thicken, but is easily diluted with pinene.

A painting coated with dammar varnish may darken and turn yellow over time, so it is better to use acrylic-styrene varnish for this purpose, which is also produced by ZHK.

Fir varnish (ZHK)

Consists of a solution of fir resin in pinene or turpentine.

Unlike dammar varnish, this varnish cannot be used as a finishing varnish, since its film dissolves easily even after complete drying.

Therefore, fir varnish is used exclusively for diluting oil paints or applied to intermediate layers of paint to prevent paint fading and enhance the adhesion of paint layers. When added to paint, fir varnish prevents wrinkling and fading, maintaining the brightness and purity of the original color and enhancing the depth of tones.

Well, that seems to be all...

Disclaimer: I do not undertake to judge imported thinners. Their properties are basically similar to domestic ones. In some ways they are (possibly) better, and in some ways even worse. I'm not even talking about possible fakes. If you are a “fan of Western”, you can use them, but I am not your advice on this. There are so many foreign brands of thinners and their manufacturers that it would take a whole book and many months of experiments to describe them. So see for yourself.

Just try different thinners (based on what I wrote and what you need) until you find yours. This, by the way, also applies to domestic thinners. There is simply no universal, ideal thinner. You must find your favorite yourself. For me, pinene, thinner No. 4 from Nevskaya Palitra, became such a favorite. EMTI also has a thinner with the same number and the same name, but I can’t judge it.

And I repeat again: I usually use thinner only in the first layers of painting, when I do a classical imprimatura. At subsequent stages, I add thinner to the paint only occasionally, since I believe that good paint in its factory form it already has an optimal consistency (viscosity) and does not require dilution. You just need to tinker with the paint a little longer to get exactly the same result as with thinner.

Unless, of course, you are painting something expressive, dripping from the canvas, like in the next video. :)

My advice does not apply to such “artists”...

And I wish the rest success in mastering this important, but very capricious component.

Tatiana Kazakova

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Instructions

In order to make the paint more liquid and return it to the consistency necessary for work, use solvents. Of course, you can paint with ordinary solvent, which is available in any hardware store, but a special solvent for painting is better. These products do not give a yellow tint to the paint over time and have a less intense odor. Be sure to consult with the salesperson at the art store and, if in doubt, ask him to help you.

Try thinning your paints with oil. For artistic purposes, any vegetable oil is suitable, but linseed oil is most often used. Ordinary gum turpentine or artistic varnish is also perfect for these purposes. Keep in mind that when diluted, oil paints can lose color and look much paler, but after the solvent evaporates, their color returns to its original color. That is why it is necessary to dilute paints very carefully, constantly checking the result on a separate test canvas. For a softer effect, use a mixture of artist's varnish, oil and turpentine in equal proportions.

Adjust the amount of solvent very carefully. If the ratio is incorrect, the solvent can make the paint too loose, depriving it of its original properties. In addition, even if the color and structure do not change, heavily diluted oil paint will adhere worse to the canvas, since the solvent destroys connecting links in paint. If the ratio of paint and solvent is chosen correctly, they increase the permeability of the paint and help it adhere more firmly to the canvas, making upper layer stronger.

note

It should be remembered that the drying speed of the work on the canvas depends on the properties of the solvent you choose for your paint. If you need the paint to dry faster, it is better to use turpentine or artistic varnish, and if you need longer drying, add oil to the mixture in the required proportion.

Helpful advice

If, when diluting oil paints, you want to make their shade less bright and intense, you need to add white or white to the solvent or varnish. light tone warm shade.

Sources:

• how to dilute oil paints

Oil paints are widely used in construction. They are relatively inexpensive and also dry fairly quickly. Most often they are used when painting walls and roofs, but painting floors and ceilings with oil paint is not recommended. The fact is that the oils included in their composition do not allow air to circulate and moisture to evaporate. There are two types of oil paint: liquid and thick. If the first paint is ready for use almost immediately, then the second one must first be diluted.

You will need

• In order to dilute oil paint you will need: a container, drying oil, a fairly long stick, and a fine sieve.

In oil painting, artists most often dilute paints with so-called “doubles” or “triples”. But, before you understand what they are, you need to learn more about painting varnishes, oils and thinners.

Varnishes for oil painting: painting varnishes and coating varnishes.

Painting varnishes They are used as an additive for artistic oil paints and are solutions of resins in pinene. Megilp It is made from mastic resin and can be used not only as an additive for paints, but also as a retouching varnish for wiping paint layers, and also as a topcoat. Dammar varnish is a solution of dammar resin in pinene with the addition of alcohol. Dammar varnish can be used both as a paint thinner and as a topcoat. Dammara has both pros and cons. The main disadvantage is the cloudiness of the varnish when long-term storage. However, compared to mastic varnish, dammara yellows less when aging than mastic. copal varnish is a mixture of copal resin, linseed oil and pinene. Varnish is used as an additive to paints, but its color is dark, which can affect the paint mixture. Fir varnish- transparent in appearance and has a pleasant fir aroma. Used as an additive to paints.

Topcoat varnishes serve to cover oil paintings in order to protect them, as well as to give the paint layer richness and shine. When paints lose their sound, or dry out, or become dull from excess thinner, a varnish coating corrects the situation. But varnish is used not only to correct mistakes or protect the paint layer during long-term storage of paintings. Varnish can simply enhance the sound of paints and make colors more saturated. Therefore, its use is not limited to one reason. Today there are various varnishes on the market. But the following can be called the main and traditional ones. Pistachio varnish. It has an important advantage - its film is almost colorless. This transparency makes it indispensable for covering paintings with a protective varnish layer. Retouch varnish- made from mastic resin, solvents and acrylic. Retouch varnish is used in multi-layer painting, but not only. The varnish is relatively liquid, so it penetrates well into the paint layer and, thus, prevents the paint from fading. They can simply cover layers of paint to make them more saturated. Also, retouch varnish increases the strength of the paint layer. Acrylic lacquer consists of synthetic acrylic resin and solvents. Its film is colorless and elastic.

Oils for oil painting.

The most common oil for painting is linseed oil. It dries relatively quickly and is transparent. However, some artists prefer to write in sunflower oil. It is believed that over time it turns less yellow. I myself write using refined sunflower oil. I am more than satisfied with the result. In addition to linseed and sunflower oils, of course, there are other oils, for example nutty or cotton. But they are rarely used. In addition, you need to be careful because some types of oils do not dry well or do not dry at all. Eg - olive oil. It is not suitable for painting as it does not dry completely and leaves the painting sticky.

Painting oils are lightened by aging in ultraviolet light. This procedure can also be done at home. The oil is placed in the sun and kept long time. This removes the yellowness from them and they become more transparent. Compacted oil for painting is also produced. In Soviet times it was produced under No. 1 and No. 2. This oil polymerizes when heated without access to air. It becomes denser and therefore dries faster. In general, the average drying time for regular sunflower oil is about one week. Some sources say that complete hardening of the oil film occurs only after 12 months. Flaxseed oil dries on average in 5 - 6 days. At favorable conditions it can dry in three days. But here we mean drying until there is no tack, i.e. the paint stops sticking.

Thinners for artistic oil paints.

In painting, solvents are used that were produced in the Soviet industry under No. 1, No. 2, No. 4. But their essence has not changed over time.
Thinner No. 1 is a mixture of gum turpentine and white spirit. It is used in less critical work, for example in sketches. Thinner No. 2 is essentially white spirit and is used for cleaning brushes. Thinner No. 4 or pinene. This is a fraction of gum turpentine. He is considered the best thinner and is used in important painting works.

Well, now, we can return to where I started this article - to the “doubles” and “triplets” in painting. "Double" is a mixture of pinene and oil (or varnish). “Tee” is a mixture of pinene, oil, and varnish. Depending on the task, you can use both. Pinene thinner - dissolves paint. Oil compensates for the lack of binder in paint pigments when diluted with a solvent. Varnish - makes the paint layer thicker and more saturated in color, as well as quickly thickening and glossy. This feature is used in underpainting and glaze writing. The paint layer dries faster, the colors retain their saturation, and the translucent paint layer itself is denser and more shiny. If it is necessary to give the painting a matte finish, then, on the contrary, you need to paint on a pure thinner. The paint layer will become matte and softer in color. Most often, artists use a mixture of thinner and oil. This mixture is universal, it is suitable for most tasks in oil painting.

To apply oil paint to a surface, sometimes it is necessary to obtain a more liquid consistency, so it becomes necessary to dilute the composition. This procedure will also be required in cases where the solution was left for some time in an unsealed container, which led to its hardening. To dilute the mixture, various substances are used, which are selected based on the purpose of the paint.

When choosing a solvent, pay attention to the purpose for which the paint is intended. The fact is that this type of material includes two large groups, divided by area of ​​application:

1. Solutions used for painting surfaces of residential or commercial premises. Suitable for these purposes traditional compositions, which are presented in abundance on the shelves of hardware stores. Although in Lately The demand for these products has decreased; in certain situations, an oil solution may be the optimal solution.

This mixture must be diluted in the following cases:

• The material is too thick.
• A base layer needs to be laid.
• Painting is done on wood. A composition that is not too thick fits well on such a base, otherwise it will not be possible to achieve strong adhesion.

In addition, it often happens that after use some of the paint remains, which manages to dry even in a short period of time. This is what dilution is required for.

2. Artistic oil paints. They are great for amateur or professional drawing, as well as painting interior compositions. It is necessary to dilute such compositions with great care, so special diluents are selected for them.

Thinner for painting surfaces

Can be used as a solvent for exterior and interior painting available materials. Their selection is quite large.

This composition has steady popularity when diluting coloring products. The following types are used for working with oil solutions:

• Woody. It is made from the bark and branches of trees containing an abundance of resin. The initial solution is dark, but after processing it becomes transparent.
• Turpentine. It is obtained by distilling the resins of living coniferous trees and is essential oils. It has many positive properties, so its scope of use is much wider than its use as a solvent.

Attention! The mixture has specific smell, therefore it is recommended to carry out work in a ventilated area.

Turpentine can be successfully replaced with white spirit. The demand and popularity of these products is explained by their wide distribution and availability. In addition, there are varieties on sale that do not have a strong unpleasant odor.

The work process when using such a composition is very convenient. The mixture does not evaporate as quickly as other solvents, which allows you to paint without haste. Also, white spirit when added does not change the color of the composition.

Solvent

This thinner for oil paints has the number 647. Product designation may vary and depends on the components included. It is not recommended to use solvent number 646 due to the presence of acetone in it.

It is not always easy to dilute oil paint with this substance: excess leads to a deterioration in the properties of the product.

Gasoline and kerosene

These options are recommended for use in the absence of other mixtures and only for outdoor use. Significant disadvantage solutions have a specific odor that can cause dizziness and poisoning. This is due to rapid evaporation. But it is kerosene that is the best solution when it is necessary to dilute old composition, which has had time to thicken greatly.

Drying oil

This is a universal solution; besides, drying oil is included in oil paints. But it must be taken into account that the diluent must correspond to the type of substance that is included in the coloring material.

To obtain the necessary information, you need to pay attention to the labeling of painting mixtures. The following designations are distinguished:

• PV-024. Such products are made on the basis of pentaphthalic drying oils.
• MA-021. The composition includes natural drying oil, which contains more than 95% vegetable oils.
• GF-023. Produced with the addition of glyphthalic drying oil. It is an alternative to natural.

Correct identification of components helps to obtain the desired result.

Dilution procedure

No less important is the process of diluting the paint yourself, because its accurate implementation is the key to the absence of further problems.

Activities are carried out in the following order:

1. The container of paint is opened, the thickness is assessed and thorough mixing is performed. To do this, use a handy tool or a prepared clean stick.
2. The required proportion is determined. For each solvent, the indicator may be different. The exact amount of the substance depends on the thickness of the paint, but should not exceed 5% of the total mass. Although, if necessary, obtain a mixture for the base layer or primer of walls, the volume of white spirit and drying oil can reach up to 10%. To dilute the mixture the best way, the diluent is added directly to the jar. It should be poured in gradually in small portions. This will allow you to restore the composition and mix it well.
3. Next, the paint is poured into containers for use. During the painting process, the material may thicken, so you need to periodically mix the solvent.

It is more difficult to thin paint that has been left open for a while. Work order:

1. The film that has formed on the surface due to exposure to oxygen is carefully removed. You cannot leave it or mix it, otherwise it will be impossible to completely get rid of hard lumps.
2. A small amount of kerosene mixed with white spirit is poured into the container, everything is mixed well. If required, more thinner is added.
3. Then you can paint with this mixture or wait until the kerosene evaporates and use only one component for dilution.

Important! The work is carried out in compliance with increased precautions, since oil paint and all substances used for dilution are flammable and toxic.

Dilution of artistic paints

Drawing materials can also be of different thicknesses, which requires bringing them to the desired consistency. In addition, the mixture is applied to different surfaces(wooden, fabric). Therefore, oil art paints require a different approach and a list of diluting agents.

Such compositions can be diluted with the following substances:

• Oil. Purified hemp, sunflower or flax oil is suitable for the process.
• Pinen. Its other name is “Thinner No. 4”.
• Multicomponent mixtures. This can be a double and a tee: the first contains varnish and oil, and the second has pinene added to them.

It is recommended to select material exclusively from own preferences, this will allow you to achieve desired result. That is why such paints are diluted in proportions that are determined individually after several samples. But it is worth remembering that excess solvent can destroy the structure of the coloring material.

How to thin oil paint for application with different tools

Usage different instruments for painting walls, ceilings or other substrates, it involves diluting the composition to the desired viscosity level. At home, this parameter is determined using simple device- a viscometer, which can be purchased at the store.

The device is a funnel with a nozzle, which can be different sizes. Based on the period of time during which the poured composition flows through the hole, the viscosity level is determined in seconds.

The process looks like this:

1. After adding the solvent to the paint container and mixing, the viscometer is immersed in it.
2. A stopwatch is prepared in advance. You can use any other device.
3. The device is removed from the composition, and the timer is turned on at the same time.
4. After the mixture completely empties the glass (funnel) of the device, the stopwatch turns off. The value is fixed.

To paint the surface with brushes and a roller, the viscosity should be at the level of 10–15 seconds, and for a spray gun – 25–30 seconds, depending on the model.