The paint buckets are all mostly white, have a colored lid and a variety of promises on the labels. But how can you reliably recognize a high-quality emulsion paint in the hardware store? Everything you need to know about to use emulsion paint correctly, we explain below.
Emulsion paints refer to a coating of a plastic binder and are the most commonly used wall paints. They have good adhesion, making them suitable for most substrates. They are easy to paint and are gentle on health and the environment.
The color nuances of an emulsion paint are not covered by any standard. Titanium dioxide makes the color white, but is also expensive. Just a comparison on the wall gives you the certainty that the color matches your wishes. Wall test with color sample if you want to use emulsion paint correctly.
Use emulsion paint correctly: costs
Color is like (almost) all things in life: price is an indicator of quality. Good branded products are rarely sold cheaply. Under $ 20, they either have a super special offer or you have to make quality cuts.
The size of the bucket:
All buckets are (lead) heavy and weigh at least 15 kg. Nevertheless, look carefully at the container size! The industry standard is 10 liters – but there are also 12, 12.5 and 15 liter buckets. That is important for the calculation!
How much color is needed for a painting?
As a rule of thumb, one bucket per room. With an average yield of 7 sqm / l of paint, you can create between 70 and 80 sqm with a bucket. For a single color application.
Yield according to label:
Read this information carefully! For each area promise (“Sufficient for 100 square meters!”) Is an indication of the yield of a liter of color. 7 sqm per liter are standard. If these two values fit together, you have the right balance for your painting.
Durability:
“Color is like yoghurt – it does not last indefinitely!” Some manufacturers quote best before dates (usually two years). In practice closed buckets last up to five years, once opened a maximum of 12 months. If possible, turn off the resealed bucket on your head. Dirty color stinks infernal!
Opacity of emulsion paint:
Opacity is specified in five quality levels according to EN 13 300. Class one is the best. Basically, you should try to work only with opacity one or two. For higher classes, you have to strike more frequently.
How often do you have to coat?
Modern quality products are set so that they cover streak-free when applying paint. But: Slightly gray or yellow tinted color covers better than pure white. Find out how to paint walls correctly.
Gerhardt Richter is a writer and a trainer at trade technical colleges, specializing in carpentry, plumbing, mechanics and construction.
