Naturalpaint, the natural solution for outdoor wood

Remember the oil paints of the old days that used to paint everything in and around the house? Linseed oil sat on top and had to be incorporated into the paint before use. It dried more slowly, but it was the right solution for everything: old stools, windows, garden tables or fences. At that time we didn't know that the presence of that natural oil on top was precisely the guarantee of a product that doesn't harm us, that we can paint without getting poisoned, without getting stains or other allergies. But that's what those who today produce natural materials for finishing outdoor wood thought. Such materials can be found at Naturalpaint.

To be effective outdoors, wood finishing products need to meet several conditions:

• to penetrate as deeply as possible into the wood for better and longer protection
• be resilient, so as not to crack when the wood changes in size due to moisture variation
• allow moisture exchange between the wood and the external environment, let the wood breathe
• be resistant to UV radiation
• withstand negative temperatures and repeated freeze-thaw cycles

Products based on natural oils meet all these conditions and are often even more effective than synthetic ones. For example, natural oils can penetrate much deeper into the wood, providing very good protection because their molecular structure allows this. Oil molecules are also 50 times smaller than those of synthetic products. It penetrates easily into the wood, unlike the resins in ordinary paints, which remain on the surface, forming a film.

Oil-based paints and varnishes are very elasticand for this reason it does not crack or get that peeling look over time. Their ageing manifests itself in wrinkling and the appearance of a chalky appearance. It is basically the signal that the finish needs to be refreshed. The reason for the dull and chalky appearance is the removal of oil from the surface by rain and weather, leaving the pigments without a binder. To restore the finish, it is not necessary to remove the matt layer, but only to clean it to remove impurities deposited over time and apply a new coat of paint.

The lack of synthetic resins in the composition of exterior oil-based lacquers and paints allows better moisture exchange between wood and the outside. Wood should not be totally insulated, stuffed in a bag, without the possibility of exchanging moisture with the environment, and oil paints allow this. Products that do not allow this 'breathing' of the wood are either very rigid and then there is a risk that they will crack when the movements of the wood due to moisture variation become very strong, or they can lead to mould or even rotting of the wood due to excess water.

Resistance to UV radiation is due to the presence of pigments inside the paints or lacquers. A totally transparent product is very poor outdoor resistance and is never recommended for protecting wood that stands outside. The culprit for ageing wood is UV radiation. To prevent it from reaching the wood, a barrier must be placed in its path. This barrier is pigments. Therefore, even when you want to keep the natural colour of the wood, you are advised to use products that are not totally transparent. If you look at them in the bottles, they even look opaque. Applied thinly, they become translucent, with the pigment inside changing the colour of the wood very little, almost insubstantially.

In addition to all the above advantages, you can alsoproducts are natural and safe to use for exterior wood finishing. Only mineral pigments and earths are used for colouring, and the use of products containing heavy metals is totally excluded. As I said, these 'healthy' paints are available at Naturalpaint. Their composition is only based on natural oils and pigments, without resin content. The content in the body is high, 85-87%, and synthetic solvents are totally absent. The products can be used without care when finishing wood in children's playgrounds, cribs and playhouses, even toys.

One thing I appreciate about these paints is that the manufacturer declares - although not obliged to - all the substances that go into the paints. This gives confidence in the product and the brand and gives the user much needed peace of mind about the consequences for their health.

Source images: Naturalpaint

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