How to breed "silver" (powder)? "Serebryanka": instructions for use

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Repair is expensive, but, unfortunately, not very long-term. But you really want the fresh coating to last as long as possible. Most modern materials cannot boast of such properties. Then old, time-tested funds come to the rescue. For example, silver powder. Such a coating is widely known for its wear-resistant properties, resistance to environmental influences.

In this article, we'll talk about the amazing properties of this material and learn how to make silver powder at home.

What is "silver coin"

This wonderful tool should rather be called "aluminum". After all, despite the beautiful name, there is not a drop of silver in its composition. The powder consists entirely of fine aluminum and waste of this material. Simply put, silver powder ispowdered aluminum. That is why it has such a beautiful silver hue.

To obtain a coloring composition, “silver” (powder) is diluted to the desired consistency with special means, which we will discuss below. The mixture obtained in this way is widely used for painting various surfaces.

If you don’t feel like messing around, you can buy ready-made paint in a store or on the market and use it for its intended purpose. However, in this case, you risk falling for the tricks of economical manufacturers. Such unfortunate businessmen do not hesitate to add various additives to the paint, reducing its cost, but negatively affecting the quality of the material.

Types of silverfish

Since the silver powder is completely made of aluminum powder, it has only one difference - the fraction. There are two types of silver coins on the market:

• PAP-1 - aluminum powder of a larger fraction;
• PAP-2 is smaller particles of this metal.

The difference lies solely in the size of the fraction, all other properties are identical.

The ready-made "silver" (paint) also has differences. The powder is diluted with varnish or drying oil. Depending on what kind of agent is used, the finished paint may have different properties. For example, when diluted with a heat-resistant varnish, the mixture can withstand temperatures up to 400 ˚С. Such paint is allowed to be applied to heating radiators, car engines, the inner surface of fireplaces and othersurfaces that are exposed to high temperatures.

If there is no need for such properties, then bituminous varnish BT-577 is quite suitable for the preparation of paint.

Where "liquid silver" is used

Powder "silver" is a fairly popular material and is widely used both in everyday life and at production facilities. Silver paint is used for coloring:

• of bridges;
• details of production shops;
• radiator and district heating systems;
• parts of ships, floating stations and docks, port and underwater structures;
• various pipes and metal elements;
• parts of systems that need to be protected from overheating;
• sculptures, monuments, grave fences, souvenirs and other items.

Benefits

The widespread use of this paint product is due to its positive properties.

Here are just some of the advantages of this paint:

• it covers surfaces like a second skin, lays down evenly and quite thinly;
• "Silver" can cover almost all types of surfaces: wood, metal, ceramics, concrete, plastic and others;
• coating is absolutely not subject to rust, does not exfoliate and does not peel off, tightly sticking to the surface;
• can be resistant to high temperature;
• itself non-toxic and dries very quickly;
• byCompared to other coloring materials, silver has a long service life: 3 years under water, 6–7 years outdoors, more than 10 years indoors;
• silver-colored materials look quite original and attract attention.

Flaws

Before you dilute the "silver" (powder) for painting metal and other surfaces, let's talk not only about the advantages, but also about the disadvantages of this material. There are few of them:

1. Dry powder is quite explosive, so you should store it away from fire, in a tightly closed container. It is also worth keeping the silver powder away from children.
2. Silver paint cannot be applied to surfaces previously painted with oil, NBH or alkyd paints, as well as nitro enamel. When applying "silver" on such surfaces, bubbles can be observed. The paint does not lay down well or completely leaves.
3. Contrary to advertising, the acrylic "silver" not only does not have all the wonderful properties of the usual paint, but also misses traces of rust already at the time of painting.
4. Aluminum silver powder solution should not be used on galvanized parts. From the contact of these two compounds, the zinc coating is quickly destroyed. If the need for painting galvanizing is too great, cover it with a couple of layers of a special primer.

Cooking silverfish

So, how to dilute silver powder for painting? Before starting work, you needstock up on everything you need. You will need:

• rubber gloves and goggles;
• brushes or spray gun;
• breeding container (keep in mind, you won't be able to wash it);
• paint thinner: white spirit or similar;
• drying oil or varnish.

If it is necessary to prepare an ordinary, non-heat-resistant paint, varnish and aluminum powder are mixed in a ratio of 1:3. That is, for one part of the powder there are three parts of varnish or drying oil. If the resulting mixture turned out to be too thick, the desired consistency can be achieved by adding a little turpentine, "Solvent" or "White Spirit". In cases where the resulting mixture will be applied with a paint brush or roller, a little solvent should be added. In order to use the spray gun, the mixture must be diluted in a ratio of 1: 1.

If you want a heat-resistant paint, you will need a varnish that has these properties. You need to dilute the mixture like this: two parts of aluminum powder and five parts of heat-resistant varnish. Drying oil is not suitable in this case.

Now it's worth a little more detail on the mixing process itself:

• varnish should be poured into the powder in small portions (not vice versa);
• to make the mixture without lumps, it must be continuously stirred for at least 15-20 minutes;
• best to use a construction mixer.
• if the finished solution is too thick, you can achieve the desired consistency usingtoluene.

Attention! Since any varnish is quite toxic and has a pungent odor, the mixing process must be carried out in a well-ventilated area, protecting the respiratory system with a respirator.

How to apply paint correctly

In order for the painting process to go as well as possible, the surfaces must be prepared: cleaned of rust, scale, dust and dirt. Wooden parts must be carefully sanded and wiped with a damp cloth to remove small chips. If it is not possible to remove the old paint, the surface must be sanded and primed.

Depending on the desired result, it is best to apply paint in several layers, usually two or three are enough. You need to work quite quickly, as a thin layer of paint dries quickly in the open air. If you hesitate, the “silver” will dry right on the brush and you will have to throw it away.

How to clean everything around

Now you know what interesting properties "silver" (powder) has. How to breed this material, you also already understood. But that's not all. Quite often, when working, droplets of silver paint fall on surfaces where they should not be. What to do in this case? How to remove the "silver" after it dries?

If you have diluted the powder at home, then to remove unwanted drops and streaks you need to use the same solvent that was used in the preparation of the mixture.

In the event that ready-made (store-bought) paint and thinner were usedunknown, you can try to apply the well-known folk methods:

1. Apply an acetone-free feminine nail polish remover to the stain. After a while, wash off the dissolved paint with plain water.
2. Densely smear the silver stain with any vegetable oil. Wait 10-15 minutes and rub the paint hard with a dry hard cloth. Repeat the process several times until the desired effect is achieved.