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Painting on Wood Surfaces
WOOD - A DURABLE AND STURDY SURFACE! Painting on wood is not a new activity. In fact, more and more people have subscribed to painting on wooden surfaces after seeing an episode of Donna Dewberry’s show on TV. However, let’s take it upon ourselves to realize the beauty of painting on wood by actually painting ourselves. We can start with wood since it’s durable and sturdy as a medium to paint on.
However, some are wondering if acrylic paints or water-based paints are best for wooden surfaces. Actually, acrylic is the right paint to choose. FOLLOW THE PROPER PROCEDURE! Painting on wood requires a system of painting which involves: 1) sanding the wooden surface to have a smooth surface; 2) removing dust and other residual sawdust; 3) applying a coat of water-based primer; and, 4) once the primer doesn’t look thin or spotty and has dried, applying a coat of water-based paint in the wood grain’s direction. Afterwards, add another layer of paint if necessary and allow drying overnight. WHICH TO USE? WATER-BASED OR OIL-BASED PAINT? This system or process is adopted to make sure that paint lasts long and protects the wooden surface from natural decay. Compared to water-based paints, oil-based paints become brittle, yellow in color, and crack up through a number of years. They tend to lose flexibility and adhesion to the surface and end up flaking, blistering, and peeling. Upon losing its flexibility, they can no longer conform to their environment and it’s difficult for an oil-based paint to adjust to expansion or contraction of a surface upon exposure to its natural environment. The paint then splits or cracks and allows mildew spores and moisture to seep into the wood and rot in from the inside. Often the loss of adhesion is attributable to the breathability of oil-based paints. It is not as breathable as compared to acrylics since it traps moisture in and leads to fungal growth. ACRYLICS ARE PREFERRED! Acrylics, on the other hand, possess adhesion, flexibility, mildew resistance, and breathability. They also have color and gloss retention and chalk resistance (which is its ability to stay stable and avoid erosion which produces to the powdery layer on the surface of the paint). It is certainly safe to say then that compared to oil-based paints, acrylics or water-based paints have a higher performance than oil-based paints in terms of long-term aesthetics, permanence and stability, low maintenance, and wood protection. CHOOSE YOUR PROJECT AND GET STARTED! With acrylic, you can paint anything you desire on a wooden surface. Whether it is painting wood yard signs, jewelry boxes, doors, and other wooden items, acrylics can really make sure that any unfinished wood item gets a special design that you yourself made. * * * * * * * * * * |
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