DC Paint Solutions

In order to help our customers better understand the specific paint types that we stock, we have created a series of dedicated blogs exploring each of these paints. These blogs aim to provide information about the specific characteristics of these paints, their benefits, and also the appropriate safety procedures that should be observed when working with each of these paint types.

In this blog, we will look specifically at Cellulose paints. Historically, this paint type was used utilised widely in the automobile industry. This is perhaps unsurprising, since cars require incredibly hard paintwork in order to survive the general wear and tear of their usage and Cellulose paint coatings, once cured provide an incredibly durable coating.

However, due to the fact that Cellulose paints are highly toxic, flammable and very fast drying, working with them can be extremely unforgiving. Especially if you are inexperienced with working with this paint type and spray paints in general. One way in which these shortcomings can be avoided is by making use of a Cellulose based spray primer. This is because these spray based primers apply only a light dusting onto the surface that they are applied and dry within seconds. This is especially beneficial if you wish to use your Cellulose paints with plastic surfaces, as in larger quantities with longer exposure, this paint can actually cause plastic to melt. However when applied as outlined above the paint dries before any damage can be done to the underlying plastic, enabling the advantages of Cellulose paints to be enjoyed on this material.

What are the ingredients of Cellulose Paints?

Pigment: This ingredient is what gives the Cellulose Paint its colour, it also successfully hides everything that is beneath the coating, providing opacity. In metallic paints, perhaps unsurprisingly, the pigment is provided through the inclusion of little pieces of metal within the paint itself. Equally, cellulose paints that are sold as primers, typically do not have a pigment included in them, therefore the paint is colourless.

A Binder or Vehicle: The binder is just as important as the pigment. This is the ingredient that ensures that the pigment particles actually stick to one another, whilst at the same time making sure that the paint successfully bonds to the surface to which it is applied. The strength and durability of Cellulose Paints can be attributed to the binder that is used to create them. This is because the binder is the factor that determines the overall hardness or flexibility of the coating once it has dried. Additionally, the binder is responsible for the level of chemical resistance provided by the coating. Often it is the binder that differentiates paint types from each other, for example, cellulose paints utilise a different binder to enamel paints.

The Liquid, Solvent, Carrier or Dispersent: This third ingredient of Cellulose paint is sometimes called any one of the above four names, which can lead to confusion. The liquid or solvent can serve a number of purposes. In many cases it is utilised in order to thin the paint and to make it more liquid in consistency. Many paints, before the addition of this ingredient have a paste like consistency, making them unsuitable for easy application. Once added, the liquid makes it easier for the paint to be applied and also affects the drying time. The amount of liquid or solvent mixed to a paint determines its consistency. To demonstrate the greater the level of liquid, the thinner the coating of paint. Typically, cheaper paints have far higher levels of liquid added to them as this is by far the cheapest ingredient. In the case of cellulose paints, it is the cellulose that is added as this ingredient that gives the paint its name and qualities.

Additives: In addition to the three ingredients outlined above, cellulose paint may have a number of additional additives that are added to it. In many cases these are added in order to enhance the characteristics of the paint. These characteristics can include:

• To disperse the pigment of paint throughout the solution and to prevent it from settling at the bottom of the spray can.
• To change the surface texture of the paint once applied, to give it a finish that ranges from gloss to matt.
• Preservatives to lengthen the longevity of the paint prior to its usage and application.
• To adjust the surface tension of the paint and to improve the flow of application.
• To either increase or decrease the overall time that it takes the coating to dry and cure once it has been applied.

In order to enable you to take advantage of the exceptional advantages provided by cellulose paints, we have created a dedicated range of this paint type. Included within this range are numerous colour options, including the tones, hues and shades contained within a number of globally leading colour coding systems, such as Pantone and the British Standard. However, should your desired colour not be in our existing product range of Cellulose Paints, then we can still fulfil your order. This is because we offer a colour matching service and custom orders. Therefore we can match your desired colour and provide your desired order quantity.

To ease the application of our range of Cellulose Paints and enable you to effectively utilise these spray paints on larger applications, each can is equipped with our unique spray nozzle. Unlike other nozzles, ours enables for the spray width to be adjusted from between two inches to twelve inches. For more information, click here.

Speedy next day delivery can be enjoyed on all orders with a value of over £25.00. Provided that the order is placed before 2pm and that the address of delivery is on the UK Mainland. Orders with a value of less than £25.00 can still take advantage of this service, for more information, click here.

For more information about our range of Cellulose Paints, or to enquire about our colour matching service, a member of our dedicated customer service team can be contacted by calling: 01908 953 631.