Varnish For Wet Stone Look |
Posted: February 24, 2018 |
There are two reasons to apply varnish to the stone. Firstly, it protects mineral finishing materials from rapid destruction caused by environmental conditions. Secondly, it helps to acquire a particular look. Nowadays, the varnish for “wet stone” look is widely used for both interior and exterior finishing. The chemical composition of varnish must combine good physical and technical properties; otherwise all the efforts put into creation of decor will go down the drain. So what is varnish for “wet stone” look? Read more about the best paver stone sealers here. Choosing varnishChoice of varnish depends directly on the type of stone surface you want to treat and its properties. For instance, a paver stone, brick or finishing facade stone require application of the product that will be able to tolerate any weather conditions. Apart from being water resistant, varnish must tolerate temperature changes, ultraviolet light, winds, and intensive physical impact. In other words, protective agent must be absolutely reliable in order to preserve durability and solid structure of the mineral materials. Stone, tile or ceramic surfaces inside the buildings are not exposed to weather, although the microclimate in the rooms and intensity of their use can affect the material too. Varnish for “Wet stone” look creates a solid, transparent protective film on the surface of the stone and it accentuates the texture and color intensity of the treated surface. For stone surfaces, they use acrylic composition. It can be water-based or solvent-based. Water-based acrylic composition can be used for interiors because water-based equals non-toxic. Solvent-based acrylic composition possesses the best exploitation properties thanks to incorporated chemical agents. However, it increases toxic properties of the mixture itself. When you apply solvent-based acrylic varnish, be sure to use protective equipment. Properties of the materialAcrylic varnishes that use organic solvent and water-based solvent have very similar properties:
Application methodThe varnish can be sold as liquid and ready to use. It should be stirred thoroughly before use. If the substance is too viscous, up to 10% of the total volume of the substance can be diluted. For diluent, they usually use white spirit. To apply the substance to the surface of the tile, a paintbrush, roller or tampon is used. If the surface of the brick or paving slab is smooth, one protective layer for creating a "wet stone" look is sufficient. When treating layers with pore structure, they recommend applying 2-3 layers. The time interval between applications is 6-8 hours. Even if your varnish is water-based, use a respiratory mask. There should be no open fire near the area of treatment because the material is highly flammable. Thorough ventilation of rooms is required (if you are working inside) during and after varnish application. Before applying varnish, the surface must be cleaned of dirt, grease, dust, mold; it should be well dried. If you are planning to varnish the paver stone, you need to make sure that the bedding does not erode away from the bottom. The structure itself should be completely solid. Grades from experts and consumersTo assess quality and reliability of the material, let’s look at the reviews about varnish for stone surfaces. The reviews are, mainly, positive, although there a few exceptions. For example, if the mixture is too thick, we can add water as per instructions:
Increasing durability, extending a service life of mineral materials and adding a decorative appeal to the surfaces is beyond easy. But in order to do that, you should use good quality protective varnish and, of course, apply it the right way. A decorative layer not only provides a long-lasting and reliable protection of stone surfaces from environmental impact, but also makes it look appealing to the eye. Thanks to a “wet stone” effect, the treated area looks clean and shiny, as if after the rain.
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