The Story in a Can of Paint

Paint such as is most frequently used is the material used for painting buildings, such as houses, barns, stores, and many others which we need not mention here. This paint is used on these buildings mostly for two very important reasons—one being to beautify the buildings, the other being to protect them from the ravages of the weather, much in the same way that your clothes protect you from the weather.

Paint such as we mention here may be regarded as the most simple and useful form. You have no doubt frequently seen the painter-man spreading paint on some building, or perchance, you have seen your father doing it, and have noticed that paint is a fluid substance looking something like cream, which is applied to the surface to be painted with a suitable brush and is brushed out smoothly. After the first coat is dry, other coats are put on in the same way until enough paint has been put on to thoroughly hide the unevenness of the lumber and making it of a uniform color.

This paint is made by simply mixing together dry powder, which is usually called pigment, with a thin, yellowish liquid which is called linseed oil. In the earlier days, the painter-man mixed this paint himself whenever he desired to use it. In these more modern times, he usually buys this paint already prepared.

Perhaps a little history of the preparation of the package of a can of paint which he buys may be interesting to you.

Let us imagine that the can of paint is white. In this case, the pigment which is used is a white powder and is made of either metallic lead or metallic zinc. The preparation of this fine white powder is very interesting and requires considerable time to perfect.

Let us consider the pigment known as white lead first. This is produced by causing metallic lead, which is of a bluish-gray color and very heavy, to change from its original form by a process which is known as “corrosion.” This corrosion is brought about by first taking the metallic lead, which at this stage exists in large pieces known as “pigs.” These pigs of lead are melted in a furnace and then molded into small, thin shapes which are buckles.

HOW WHITE LEAD IS MADE

HOW OXIDE OF ZINC IS OBTAINED

Since we have followed the preparation of the two important white pigments used in making our can of paint, it is now important that we devote a little thought to the liquid which is to be used. This is called “Linseed Oil.” Linseed oil is of a golden yellow color, resembling the appearance of thin syrup which we sometimes have on the table. This oil is taken from the seed of the flax plant. It might better be called “Flaxseed Oil,” yet it is not commonly known by that name, but is nearly always referred to as “Linseed Oil.” Flax is grown in many parts of the world, the most important places being the United States of America, Dominion of Canada, Ireland, India and the Argentine Republic. In the United States, the seed is sown early in spring, much the same as is done with other crops, and ripens and is harvested early in the fall of the year. The harvesting and separation of the seed from the plant or straw is done very much in the same way that other crops, such as wheat and oats, are harvested. The seed is then taken to market and is ready for the extraction of the oil, which is done by men who are known as “oil crushers.”

The oil is extracted from the seed by a very simple process. Usually the seeds are heated by steaming them, after which they pass through a mill, being ground to a coarse mass, which is then placed in very powerful machines called “Hydraulic Oil Presses,” which squeeze the oil from the seed, leaving the remainder in the form of large cakes which are then ground to a mealy-like powder which is used as food for cattle and is very much prized.

The oil which has been extracted by this process is put into large tanks where it is clarified and is then ready for the paint-maker. This oil is often referred to as “Vegetable Oil” and it has one very peculiar and very important characteristic which makes it useful and necessary for use in paint. This property is that of drying or becoming solid, losing all tendency to stickiness after it has been spread out thinly and exposed to the air for a short time.

Now that we have given attention to the preparation of the most important things used in the making of our can of paint, let us look a little to the manner in which they are put together, and the result.

The oil is necessary in making paint in order to make it fluid, so that the paint may be brushed on to the wood or other surface, and also so that the pigment or powdered material which has been put into the paint will have something to hold it to the surface. The oil or other liquid which may be used is usually called “Binder” by the paint man because it binds the pigment in the paint and to the surface on which it has been spread or applied.

In a large paint factory, the two white pigments, lead and zinc, are mixed with linseed oil in large machines known as “Mixers” into a smooth paste which is then run through other machines called “Mills,” where the paste is ground very fine into large tubes where the paint is finished by mixing in enough more oil to make it of the proper thickness or consistency for brushing. In this state it can be used, but would not be entirely satisfactory because it would dry very slowly. For that reason, the paint-maker adds in a small amount of what is known as “Drier,” which causes the paint to dry much more rapidly after it is spread out on any surface.

The paint-maker may also add in a small amount of thin liquid called “Turpentine,” which also aids in the drying and the working of the paint. Turpentine is a very thin liquid which looks like water, and it is derived from the sap of one species of pine which grows abundantly in the southern portion of the United States. The sap is taken from the tree by tapping the tree or making an incision called a box, at certain seasons. After the sap is collected it is put through a heating process called “distilling,” which separates the water-white liquid, called turpentine, leaving a large mass of heavy material which is commonly known as “Rosin.” This turpentine is very useful to the paint-maker and the painter. It is also used for many other purposes.

The paint which we have described is the most simple kind and is white. There are many other kinds of paint used, being of many different colors. All of these different kinds require different treatment and preparation and would require many large books to explain even in a brief way.

The white paint which we have described may be colored or tinted to many different hues by adding suitable color pigments. These color pigments are of many kinds and are derived from many different sources. The vegetable kingdom is represented as well as the mineral and animal kingdoms. The linseed oil which we have already mentioned, is derived from the vegetable kingdom. This also applies to some few of the pigments. A very important instance which we might mention is a beautiful rich brown called “Vandyke Brown.” This is made from decayed vegetation which is found in swampy districts. There are many pigments derived from the mineral kingdom. White lead and zinc oxide have already been described as useful. Among colored pigments coming from this kingdom, we might mention yellow ochre, sienna, umber, cobalt blue, and many others.

The animal kingdom supplies quite a number, one of which is a beautiful red known as “Carmine.” This is taken from a small insect or fly which is found in certain tropical climates. The production of carmine is very expensive and the product is highly prized.

Another important development of the animal world is what is called “Bone Black.” This is made by taking ordinary animal bones, putting them into a suitable furnace and burning them, which really produces bone charcoal, which is refined by powdering and washing, and finally produces a beautiful black, such as used for painting fine coaches and carriages.