A Closer Look at How Paint Is Made

We use paint for all sorts of purposes—identification, sanitation, protection, and decoration. Of course, what comes to mind first when we think about paint usually isn’t what it’s being used for, but rather, all of the impressive colors, shades, and hues that it can produce to liven up our homes and brighten our world! That said, how are all of these paints manufactured? Let’s take a closer look at this process.

The Ingredients Used to Make Paint

In the past, there wasn’t a set list of ingredients used to make paint; rather, people simply used whatever was at their disposal, including things like colored rocks and earth, or even organic matter like bits of insects and bone. These days, paint makers use a specially curated list of ingredients to ensure that the cans of paint that hit store shelves meet every standard and expectation. Here’s a very brief breakdown of what goes into the paint:

Pigments

Pigments are used to provide the paint with color, hiding, and gloss control. A few common ones include zinc and titanium oxide (white), iron oxide (red), and carbon (black).

Resins

Resins are binders used to hold the pigment particles together and provide adhesion and some level of protection to the surface being painted.

Solvents

Solvents act as carriers for pigments and resins, and they might be organic (such as turpentine) or water-based.

Additives

Additives are used to enhance certain properties within the paint, including the ease of brushing, mold resistance, scuff resistance, and drying and sag resistance.

The 5 Main Steps of the Paint-Making Process

Generally speaking, paint is manufactured in large batches; around 200 liters at a time for specialty products, and around 10,000 liters at a time for mainline whites. The timeline can vary from a couple of days to a couple of weeks depending on the type and grade of paint being made. That said, here’s a summarization of the five key steps of the process:

#1: Measurement of the Ingredients

All of the ingredients are measured either by weight or volume using highly accurate scales and placed in measuring containers. These scales allow the addition of ingredients with incredibly precise accuracy, no matter the size of the batch.

#2: Preparation of the Mill-Base

Since pigments are typically powders of such a small size that they tend to clump together, they need to be wetted with resins and additives and milled until they’ve been broken down. This process is called dispersion, and the mixture it forms is called the mill-base.

#3: Addition of the Let-Down

The rest of the paint ingredients (resins, solvents, and additives) are combined in a separate vat; this new mixture is called the let-down, and it needs to be added and stirred into the mill-base. During this step, some final additions might be necessary.

#4: Testing the Product

The quality of the product is monitored throughout the entire process, and near the end, the mixture needs to be tested for specific properties. These final tests evaluate the paint’s degree of dispersion, viscosity (consistency), density, hiding, tint strength and color, application, dry time, and gloss and dry film appearance.

#5: Canning and Distribution

Once the batch has passed inspection, a sample is taken to be stored for future reference. Finally, the paint is ready to be canned and distributed to various branches and warehouses, where it will eventually find its way to you!

About Platinum Painting of Plano

The talented team at Platinum Painting of Plano has helped countless homeowners around Plano and the surrounding areas with a wide variety of paint projects, including both interior and exterior house painting! If you have any questions about the blog or you’d like to set up a free at-home estimate, don’t hesitate to contact us today for further information or assistance! Telephone: (469) 570-6137.