Water Based Acrylic Varnish

Water-based acrylic varnish is a rather young material that appeared on the market not so long ago, nevertheless, it is rapidly gaining high popularity among consumers. He received his demand due to environmental friendliness, a wide scope of application, as well as the absence of a pungent and unpleasant odor. Therefore, if you are thinking about how to decorate wooden surfaces with acrylic varnish, then we will tell you more about the properties of this material.

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What is acrylic varnish?

The basis for the manufacture of varnish is acrylic acid, which belongs to a number of carboxylic acids. In its original form, the varnish looks like a clear liquid with a sharp chemical smell. After adding special substances to the composition, it turns into a milky white liquid with a homogeneous composition, which when applied lies on the surface with a transparent film and has a beautiful decorative effect.

Important! Acrylic varnish was first invented in Mexico in 1950.

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What is included in acrylic varnish?

In order to significantly improve covering abilities and increase operational qualities, the following components are included in the composition of this material:

• Wheel center. It is added to the composition of waterborne varnishes on wood on an acrylic base in order to improve film formation when applied to the surface.
• Polyurethane thickener. Allows you to achieve the necessary density of the composition.
• Styrene acrylic copolymer. Included in the form of an aqueous dispersion.
• Mineral oil emulsion prevents foaming.
• Preservatives provide protection against various microorganisms.
• Anti-crater additives, wax additives and plasticizers are used to achieve a smooth and glossy surface after drying the varnish on the finished product.

In their composition, acrylic water varnishes are also classified into:

• One component. They exclusively include acrylic.
• Two-component. In this case, polyurethane is also added to the acrylic.

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Main advantages of water-based acrylic varnish

Water-based acrylic lacquer has gained high popularity among consumers due to its advantages over other similar materials. These may include the following:

• Resistance to scratches and other mechanical influences;
• Resistance to household chemicals, as well as other alcohol-containing products;
• Due to the presence of an admixture of polyurethane has a high moisture resistance;
• High adhesive properties;
• Lack of strong and unpleasant chemical smell;
• Fire safety;
• Resistance to high temperatures;
• Quick drying;
• Compliance with all European standards;
• Environmental friendliness;
• Wide scope of use;
• Improves the aesthetic appearance of the product;
• The presence of a wide range of different shades;
• The ability to mix with other water-soluble dyes;
• Ease of application;
• Water-based acrylic varnish does not overlap the natural structure of the tree, but only emphasizes it;
• Sold in ready-to-use consistencies.

Important! Despite the huge number of positive qualities, acrylic varnish has its drawbacks, which also need to be considered:

• Due to the presence of a large amount of liquid, this material may deteriorate under the influence of low temperatures. Therefore, when acquiring a certain composition, pay your attention to the expiration date and storage conditions.
• During the use of acrylic varnish, drafts should be avoided, as well as direct sunlight.

• High price.

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Qualities and Features

Depending on what decorative effect you want to end up with, acrylic varnishes are divided into certain groups:

• Matt Such a coating conceals defects and surface irregularities. As a result, varnishing is obtained without shine, velvet, while not overlapping the original pattern.
• Glossy. The finished product gives a glossy sheen, thereby emphasizing its depth. The main disadvantage of this coating is that it emphasizes all flaws and defects, so it should be applied to the perfect surface of the finished product.
• Semi-matte. It gives the finished product a slight flicker, while at the same time, like glossy, it emphasizes all the shortcomings.

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Scope and features of the choice

Due to the fact that acrylic varnish on wood is a fairly versatile and high-quality material, it is often used not only for coating wooden products, but also in construction, as well as various finishing works. For example, the design of wooden facades. In this case, the most commonly used glossy or matte finish.

Important! Due to the presence of a large number of positive properties, the use of acrylic varnish allows you to increase the operational properties of the object up to 10 years.

In addition to the construction industry, water-based acrylic varnish is widely used for decoration of various furniture, kitchen utensils and various decorative elements.

Important! Due to their environmental friendliness and safety, acrylic varnishes are ideal for covering wooden window frames, as well as stairs.

Application Features:

• The surface is first prepared by removing the old coating, and also cleaned of dirt and degreased.
• The acrylic mixture is applied using a spray or a special brush.

As for the flooring with varnish, here the composition already has its own differences, which depend solely on the type of flooring itself. For example, for a floor lined with a solid wooden board, the film should be selected strong and flexible so that it can maintain its integrity under fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

Important! Very often, many make a typical mistake and acquire the basic varnish used to cover the floorboard. As a result, it gives a too thin film layer, which, when coated with solid wooden boards during drying, gives cracks on the surface.

Drying time

Also, choosing a composition for flooring, you need to pay attention to those paints and varnishes, the drying period of which is 4-6 hours after applying the first, and also 12 hours - after the finish layer.

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Most popular manufacturers

Today, modern stores selling building materials offer a wide range of water-based acrylic varnishes, both domestic and foreign.

Important! Pay attention to the fact that imported compounds are much more expensive, but their quality is much higher.

The rating of such products by popularity can be issued as follows:

• “Akzo Nobel”, “Dulux”, “Marshall” and “Tikkurila” are considered the most sought-after foreign brands.
• As for domestic brands, the leaders among the production of water-based paints and varnishes are “Tex”, “Chief Technologist” and “Neomid”.

Important! When purchasing this or that varnish, pay your attention to the fact that these coatings are highly specialized and that the composition for each type of surface should be selected taking into account its features. For example, varnish, which will be an ideal option for covering walls in a bath, is not suitable for covering the same walls, only in a living room.

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Features of applying water-based acrylic varnish

Despite the simplicity of working with water-based acrylic varnishes, there are still nuances that should be adhered to:

• Before starting work, the surface should be carefully primed. This will significantly reduce the expendable material, and also increase the quality of the coating.

Important! In order for the product to acquire the perfect glossy gloss, it must first be sanded using the “wet sanding” method.

• The previously painted surface must be well sanded, dirt removed and degreased using a soap solution for this purpose.

Important! Always remember the fact that water-based varnish must be diluted exclusively with water.

• Shake well before use.
• In order to give a tint to a wooden surface, first it is necessary to first apply water-based impregnation, and only then the varnish itself.
• To make the color more pronounced or to achieve a densification of the layer, first you need to apply a darker composition to the surface, and after that - a transparent aqualak.
• In order to remove bumps and various defects from the surface, first it is necessary to apply several layers of transparent varnish, and then apply a tinting layer.

Difficulties that may arise during work

As with other materials, when working with acrylic varnish, there may also be possible difficulties, especially if you do not adhere to the required temperature regime. For example, the higher the air temperature, the faster the varnish will dry, especially if you work with large surfaces. In this case, after the varnish has completely dried, you will be able to see errors that can be easily corrected with sandpaper. But this option is only suitable if you applied a matte composition.

Glossy ones will have to tinker with. You will need to remove the already dried layer with a building hair dryer or using a wash for these purposes. After this, the surface should be cleaned, dried well and re-applied a layer of acrylic varnish.

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Stock footage

Despite the fact that water-based acrylic varnishes are ideal at first glance, there are still nuances and certain standards that you must adhere to when working with this material. The quality of the finished coating depends on their compliance. In this article we have given all the necessary rules that you need to know so that in the end the finished coating is of high quality and without flaws.