A Study of Paint Rollers

Introduction to Paint Rollers - A brief history of how the paint roller evolved in India

 

Micro fiber Roller - European Handle

The evolution of the roller has followed the path of evolution of paint in India. Not too closely though. There have been times when the paint technology was far ahead and the roller lagged far behind. As time progressed and paint graduated from lime wash to distempers and emulsions, the transition of brush to roller was a slow one. This was partly due to unavailability of certain roller products and technologies but majorly due to habits of painters and their reluctance to invest in their trade. Painters were usually part time. The finish of emulsions were not up to the mark due to the use of brushes. To counter this, painters began using cheap foam rollers on wet paint after brush application. The finish was better but still not satisfactory and the paint jobs took longer to complete. This system worked for many years until painters began experiencing problems with application of high sheen emulsions. Around the same time, painters also began facing problems with manpower. The modern cloth roller thus began finding acceptance and quickly replaced the brush as a tool of application. This roller not only provided uniform deposition of paint but also reduced the time taken to paint. After some initial resistance - again due to the painters habit and reluctance to invest in trade - the cloth roller is widely used today. 

Variety of Rollers

. Cloth Vs Foam - Cloth rollers are mats of woven or knitted fiber pasted onto plastic tubes and mounted on to handles. The pasting is done in a spiral fashion so as not to leave any marks on the painted surface. Foam rollers are pieces of foam, cut in uniform cylindrical shapes and mounted onto handles.

. A wide variety of sizes are also available. Width x Diameter - 2 " x 1", 4" x 1", 6" x 1", 6" x 2", 7" x 2", 8" x 2", 9" x 2".

Polyester Roller - Cage Handle

. A Wide variety of materials area also available in cloth rollers : Polyester, Acrylic, Micro Fibre, Poly Amide, Natural Hair and Blends of the above. The material is either warp knitted or woven.

Criteria to choosing a roller

With so much variety there is often a confusion as to which roller to choose. The following criteria will make the choice objective :

. Foam Vs Cloth :

 Low density foam rollers pick up a large amount of material and splatter paint onto the surface and are not suitable for application of paint. This leads to a lot of wastage. They can only be used to remove excess paint or smoothen unevenly applied paint. High density foam rollers pick up less material and cause less splatter when placed onto the surface to be painted. They can be used to apply paint. The problem with foam rollers is that they tend to break after usage. They are also very difficult to clean, as the material is absorbed into the entire thickness of the foam.

Cloth rollers on the other hand provide uniform paint deposition and splatter free painting. They are easy to clean as paint is absorbed only into the mat of the material which is on an average only about 0.5" in thickness.

. Pile / Nap of a Cloth Roller :

The roller pile is the length of the fiber. The longer the fiber, the more material it can hold. Also a larger pile will help the roller cover larger surface undulations. But a longer fiber also means a rougher finish. Rollers meant for rough surfaces such as rough plastered exterior walls have a larger pile.

. Material of a Cloth Roller :

Polyester is the cheapest material but has low paint pickup.

Acrylic is a bit more expensive and has better paint pickup.

Micro Fibre is a bit higher in cost and has excellent paint pickup.

Polyamide fibre has equivalent paint pickup and cost to micro fiber but has much longer life.

. Woven Vs Knitted

Woven fibers pickup more material than knitted fibers and also deposit material more uniformly.

. Handles - Cage Style Vs European Style

Cage handles are more expensive than european style handles but have better grip on the roller.

. Lint Free Rollers do not leave behind any fiber on the painted surface. These are generally more expensive.

Considering the finish required, the surface being painted and the paint being used, a suitable roller can be chosen using the above criteria.

A variety of paint rollers available in the Indian market can be bought here..

Happy Painting!!

How to remove minor scratches and scuffs from car paint

Minor scratches on automotive paint, no deeper than the clear coat, can be easily removed and cleaned using a simple buffing technique.

Materials :
. 3M 1-Step rubbing compound
. Cotton waste
. 3M Premium Liquid Wax
. Wet sanding papers grit #1500, #2000

For larger jobs such as the complete painted surface of a car, a Polisher machine fitted with a Wool Pad is recommended.

Application :
. Squeeze a wet rag over the affected area and sand using water emery of grit 1500. Make sure the sanding is to the entire depth of the scratch. The surface will now be dull and devoid of gloss.
. Next sand the surface using water emery grit #2000 by first squeezing a wet rag over the surface. This removes scratches caused by the #1500 grit emery. 
. Apply a small quantity of the rubbing compound on the sanded surface.
. Using a handful of cotton waste gently rub the compound in a circular motion. If you are using a polisher gently press the pad against the area.
. Once the compound has been wiped off , vigorously buff the surface using the polisher or cotton waste.
. Minor scratches and dirt will be removed and gloss will also be restored.
. To further enhance the gloss, buff the surface by applying a small quantity of the liquid wax.

Your beloved car - shiny and scratch free !

Door Locks for Internal Entrance Doors

Europa Cylindrical Lock

Internal entrance doors have different requirements to external doors. Convenience and style become top priority for interior doors. Convenience to match the users lifestyle and style to match the interior decor. Internal entrance doors maybe for rooms, bathrooms etc.

SS finish Cylindrical Lock

For Room Doors
Required features for a lock : style, convenience, safety

Usage : of a room door is for personal privacy and security of valuables. The locks must be stylish and match the interior decor.

Suggested Locks : Mortise handle locks, cylindrical locks, aldrops/sliding bolts with padlocks.

Mortise Lock

For Bathroom Doors
Required features for a lock : style, convenience, privacy
Usage : of a bathroom door is for privacy. The locks must be stylish and match the interior decor.

Suggested Locks : Mortise latches, keyless cylindrical locks

Aldrop / Sliding Bolt

Read All Posts on Door Locks

Shop online @ www.paintnhardware.com

How to Choose Door Locks for Main Entrance Doors

Doors are the gateway to your house. They are the sentry on vigil to keep you at ease. A good sentry needs a good and efficient security mechanism to assist him to keep out unwanted elements. A door lock is the mechanism for the door to help maintain your security. The strength of a well constructed door depends mainly on 2 factors : the hinges and the door lock as these are the contact points of the door with its frame.

Let us understand some materials for door construction before we go on to door locks. Doors are usually made of a wood, metal or a hybrid of the two. 

Metal Doors
Metal doors are constructed using angles, tubes and flats of mild steel or stainless steel. They can be made artistic and are usually installed as an extra protection to wood doors. Door locks are usually welded onto such doors.

The Anatomy of a Wooden Door 
Wood doors are generally constructed depending on the size of the wooden panel available. A single panel wood door is the strongest but also has a problem of bending, warping or shrinking if not seasoned properly. Availability of panels 3 to 4 feet in width is scarce and pushes the construction cost of the door up. Multi-panel doors made of three or more panels are the most common due to wide availability of narrow panels. Multi-panel doors though cheaper are weaker and need reinforcement. This is achieved in 2 ways - with the reinforcement reapers placed on the outside of the door or with cross braces on the inside of the door. The skill of the craftsman also plays a significant role in the construction of the door as the quality of the joints is very important for its strength. Also metal fasteners cannot be used in the joinery of such doors, instead wooden dowels are recommended - again laying emphasis on the skill of the carpenter. In the hands of such a craftsman, the door becomes a single solid unit. Equally important is the construction of the door frame. A door installation is completed using hinges, door locks and other hardware such as handles, tower bolts and stoppers. Most door locks are generally manufactured keeping a wooden door in mind. A wooden door is not only strong, it is also preferred due to the ease of fitting hardware onto it and also due to the aesthetics of the wood grains.

Hybrid Doors are usually a sandwich of a metal sheet between two wood panels. The metal gives added strength to the door, thus allowing for slimmer doors. The wood panels allow for fitting of hardware using regular fasteners such as screws. These doors are fast gaining popularity due to lower cost and improved strength.

The requirements for a good entrance door lock are as below :

. An entrance door lock has to be strong, trouble free and convenient to use.
. Keys that should not be easily duplicated or cannot be duplicated at all.
. Strong locking bolts.
. Crowbar attack resistant.
. Strong locking shackle/clamp.
. Drill Resistant.
. Concealed fitting.
. Ease of use.
. Long Life and trouble free service.

It should have all of the above features and functions and also look good.

Major Components of a Door Lock

. Locking tumbler or cipher.
. Key or the decipher.
. Locking Bolts.
. Locking Shackle.
. Lock Body.

What kind of door lock must one buy?

A few major factors that influence the choice of a door lock are listed below:

Lever Technology, Pin Cylinder technology or Dimple Key Pin Cylinder
Abstraction is what must be considered in the choice of technology. The more abstract or unique the manufacturing techniques used to manufacture the lock, the safer it is. Knowledge or the lack of is definitely the key to the safety of door locks. Another factor for safety is the accuracy or "resolution" of the locking tumbler and key. The higher the resolution, the harder it is to replicate. Higher resolution locks require more sophisticated machinery such as CNC lathes often costing crores of rupees, making duplication prohibitive. The number of key combinations per lock also matters in the overall safety.

One of the oldest technologies in door locks is lever technology. It involves a toothed key and a set of levers set inside the lock. The knowledge of this technology is wide spread and can be easily duplicated. The keys can be made easily using a set of files. Although very dependable, locks using this technology are low in safety.

Pin cylinder locks on the other hand have a jagged key with higher resolution than a toothed key. These locks are popular among buyers looking for an economical and safe lock. Duplication is difficult, but not impossible.

Dimple Key tumbler locks are the next level of locking technology in which the cipher has one or more rows of pins that engages the lock when the dimples in the key match the pin pattern. These locks require accurate, high precision sophisticated machinery to manufacture. The number of key combinations that can be generated for a given lock using this method is in the millions, making each key one in a million.

Advances in technology are producing even higher key resolutions and key combinations. As the key resolution and key combinations go up, the price goes up due to increased cost of manufacturing. It is wise to think of the trade off between safety and price before taking a decision.


One Sided or Two Sided Key Operation:
A door lock with one sided key operation will have a hand operated knob on the inside and a key hole for key operation on the outside. This feature reduces cost due the use of 1 less pin cylinder in the lock and has the convenience of key-less operation from the inside. This kind of lock has one major drawback - the lock can be manually unlocked by reaching in from a window near the door. Also anyone wanting to leave the premises need not have a key to unlock the door.

A two side key operated lock will not have the above drawbacks but will lack the convenience of key-less operation from inside.

Auto-Latch or Dead Lock
Auto latch locks will lock as soon as the door is closed. These locks have a latch which springs into the lock shackle when the door is fully closed. The advantage of such a lock is that one need not worry about the door being locked after exiting the premises. Just pull the door on the way out and it is locked. The auto latch mechanism can also be a bane. Lock out is possible. In the case of absence of keys and no one inside the premises, there is no way to open the lock other than to break open the door.

On the other hand a dead lock is locked manually and lacks the convenience of auto locking.

The above three are the major factors influencing the purchase of an entrance door lock. Any combination of the above three are available in the Indian market today.

Other factors to consider :

Style & Aesthetics and finish also play a role in the choice of a lock. The lock must match the hardware used on the door and should also match the interior decor.

Locking Bolts
Number of locking bolts plays a role and is a matter of personal preference and convenience. More bolts give better security. A locking bolt of minimum 1" length is recommended. Locking bolts that have a double throw are smoother to operate.

Striking Plate or Locking Shackle
Screws used to fasten the locking shackle onto the door should not only be perpendicular to the door plane but also parallel. This applies to the locking shackle and the lock. 

Fastners
It might seem trivial to think about screws, nuts and bolts but they are the ones that attach the lock to the door. Good quality stainless steel fastners are recommended for strength and resistance to corrosion. Screws of length 3" are recommended for the lock shackle and lock.   

Balcony/Terrace Entrance
Balcony or terrace locks need not have a key hole on the outside. The absence of the key hole not only leads to lower cost but also added safety. There is no risk of the lock being picked.

Hope this helps you to pick out a lock !! Happy locking!

Here is a great place to have a look at a range of entrance door locks available in the Indian market. 

How to Choose Paints for Internal Wall Surfaces

Interior walls look best when smooth, even and clean. Acrylic Emulsion paints, also known as Latex Paints are the best choice for interior painting as they give a smooth, even and tough, cleanable finish. Interior paints are available in a variety of finishes ranging from matt to silky to glossy and metallic. With today's technology and polymers the possibilities for paint is endless. Techniques for creating textured, faux and designer finishes are fast gaining popularity. These techniques are possible due to innovation in the use of polymers in paint. It is the new application of thought in the use of polymers as paints which brought about this explosion of variety. With so much variety, a consideration of budget, finish, paint application and purpose of use is essential.

Interior painting as such, lets be honest, is a messy affair. Shifting furniture, covering floors, removing light and electric fixtures, making sure the kids don't mess with the paint, hope the painters are not part time thieves  etc. Not to forget the smell of paint and discomfort of your routine being disrupted. 

Another prohibitive factor now a days is the cost of labour. With daily wages for painters going above Rs.600.00 and in some cases of specialized jobs, it can be in the range of Rs. 1000.00 to 1500.00. As a general rule, the cost of labour in a project is far higher than the cost of material used. The fact is painting cannot be repeated very often.

In such a situation, it becomes imperative to apply paint which gives a long life, is easily cleanable and gives a rich finish.

The quality and finish of the paint depend mainly on the binder polymer and the fillers used. A larger percentage of a high quality binder in the paint mixture will give a much smoother finish and a more impervious film. Lower percentages of binder and low quality fillers will result in a rough finish, lower area coverage/spread, a more porous finish and lower washability. It also makes the paint cheaper by volume but not necessarily cheaper per square foot . The use of fillers also increases the chance of dust pick-up. Hence, cheaper paints not only get dirty sooner but are also not resistant to the abrasion of washing.

Another factor to consider before buying paint of a particular sheen level is the level of the plastered surface and the skill of the workman. Unskilled or partly skilled manual labour find it very hard to level highly uneven surfaces. The lack of use of techniques such as automated sanders is also wide spread. Owing to this, a high sheen paint is not recommended to be applied by unskilled labour on uneven surfaces, as the surface irregularities will stand out under light. A matt finish will dull the light and cover the irregularities.

A number of products in today's Indian market have been tailored to fit every finish and budget requirement. Products such as Asian Paints Tractor Emulsion are at the lower end of the spectrum while other products such as Asian Paints Royale and Dulux Velvet Touch are at the higher end of the spectrum.Value for money products such as Asian Paints Apcolite Premium Emulsion do the bulk of the decoration in the mid price range.

Luxury and super-engineered products such as Asian Paints Royale Aspira are quickly catching up in the Ultra Luxury Segment, giving the buyer much more than expected.

The paint industry has never been this vibrant with new entrants almost every month spoiling the customer for choice! Happy painting !!!

How to Polish, Harden and Seal Marble Flooring with Materials Available in the Indian Market

Marble is one of the most exotic and luxurious stones available for interior and exterior decor. Its translucence has mesmerized generations and inspired legends. Cool to touch and exudes royalty. The almighty is often represented in marble with exquisite carving. One of the most sought after stones today is marble.

The very properties which makes marble so desirable are also its short falls. Due to its soft and porous nature it is very fragile and prone to stains. To make marble suitable for the purpose of flooring, it is essential to harden and seal it.

Marble Hardner and Crystallizer

Materials Required to Polish, Harden and Seal Pores in newly laid Marble :
. Marble Polishing Stones
. Polishing Machine / Hand Machine
. Floor Cleaner
. Marble Crystallizer
. Stone Sealer
. Liquid Wax
. Buffing Pads
. Polisher
. Rags
. Masking tapes and sheets.
. Protective equipment such as Gloves, Boots and Glasses.
. Wiper with handle.

Polishing Stones for Polishing Machine

Application for newly laid Marble :
1. Cover and mask furniture, walls, curtains, adjoining wooden flooring etc.
2. Wear protective equipment.
3. Grind the surface with stones 0M, 1M and 2M progressively, using water as lubricant on the surface, with either a hand machine or a polisher machine.
4. Dilute a neutral pH Floor Cleaner with water and clean the surface of the dirt generated. A neutral pH is very essential for a calcium based

Polishing Machine

stone such as marble.
5. Remove excess water using a wiper and dry the floor completely with rags.
6. Pour the marble crystallizer on to the surface and spread evenly with a wiper.
7. Wait for the crystallizer to be completely absorbed into the stone.
8. Repeat the above 2 steps 5 to 6 times for best results.
9. Stop applying the crystallizer when the stone no longer absorbs the material.
10. Wait for at least 24 hours before the next steps.
11. Grind the surface with stones 2L, 3 and 4 progressively, using water as lubricant on the surface, with either a hand machine or a polisher machine.
12. Apply additional 2-3 coats of the crystallizer.
13. Wait for at least 24 hours before the next steps.
14. Grind the stone with abrasive 5 for a smoother finish.
15. Finish the process using 5X abrasive for the final finish.

Hand Machine

This completes the hardening process for the marble. Polishing and leveling is also partly achieved in the above process. The process for sealing and polishing the stone further is as below :
16. Mark out a 3m x 3m grid pattern onto the surface of the stone to ensure even application. Treat marked areas one after another. 
17. Soak a rag with a stone sealer and apply onto the surface of the stone. Ensure that you cover the marked grid areas.
18. After about 10 minutes, remove the excess/in-absorbed sealer using a polisher fitted with a straight or twisted wool pad.
19. Wait for about 24 hours for the sealer to completely cure.
20. Pour the liquid wax onto the surface and spread evenly using a wiper on to the marked areas.
21. Using a polisher, buff the surface to get a high gloss finish.

Polishing Stone for Hand Machine

Application for already polished or stones that have to be refinished :
. Cover and mask furniture, walls, curtains, adjoining wooden flooring etc.
. Wear protective equipment.
. Clean the surface thoroughly using a neutral pH cleaner. Remove excess water using a wiper and wipe dry with rags.
. Grind the surface using stone 4 to make the stone absorbent.
. Apply 2-3 coats of crystallizer using a wiper.

Neutral pH Stone Cleaner

. Wait for at least 24 hours before the next steps.
. The rest of the process remains the same as that for newly laid stones i.e. steps 14 to 21 have to be followed, the same as above.

Sparkling and fresh floors!

Maintenance
. Neutral floor cleaners in diluted form can be used regularly to clean the finished floors.
. For sealed and polished floors, the maintenance is very low. Sealing and polishing can be repeated when desired, usually in an interval of 2-3 years.

Polisher and Wool Pad

Liquid Wax Polish

Stone Sealer

 

A Beginner's Guide to Angle Grinders

An Angle Grinder (AG) is another power tool that is very handy to have. A basic AG can be used with a variety of accessories such as grinding wheels, cutting wheels, metal cut-off wheels, buffing pads, rotating wire brushes etc. making them very versatile.

An AG such as the Bosch GWS 6-100 fits the bill perfectly not only for beginners but also for professionals.

Its ergonomic design and powerful 600W motor make it the preferred tool for jobs around the house.

Let us look at a simple application of an AG.. Re-grouting Bathroom Tiles

Materials :
. Bosch GWS 6-100 Angle Grinder - shop here
. Bosch Diamond Saw 105mm - 4" - shop here
. Grouting materials as described here
. Skil Air Blower 8600 - shop here

Procedure :
. Mount the diamond saw onto the AG. To mount the saw, first clamp on the safety cover at an angle such that debris fly away from you. Now remove the top mounting chuck using the spanner and tool provided. Place the saw onto the bottom mounting chuck. Hold on to the rotation stop provided at the top of the AG to arrest the motion of the machine. Tighten the top chuck with the provided spanner. Ensure that at all times during mounting or un-mounting of the saw, the machine is not plugged in and switched on as it can be a serious hazard to your safety.
. Wear gloves and safety glasses.
. Plug the machine in and test for connection.
. Place the diamond wheel directly above the joint you want to re-grout.
. Squeeze the trigger and gently lower the saw into the joint. Moving slowly along the joint, ensure uniform removal of the old grouting material.
. Using the blower, clean out the loose material and dust from the joint.
. The tiles can now be re-grouted using the procedure given here.
. Re-grouting not only enhance the beauty of the bathroom but also stops any leaks.

Note :
The Angle Grinder is vital in this application as the removal of the old grouting material is essential to this procedure. Manually removing the grout can cause the tiles to chip and break. Also the material cannot be removed uniformly manually.

A Beginner's Guide to Drill Guns

Why invest in Power Tools? 
With labor and skilled workmen in shortage, it is increasingly difficult to maintain our property and furniture in an orderly manner. Small jobs are not a priority to professional workmen and even after months of follow ups are not willing to take up odd jobs. In such a situation it is time to take matters into our own hands... literally.

With the wide spread usage and availability of reliable and user friendly and affordable hand held power tools, the time is right to invest in a few power tools that are useful around the house. Some are listed here :
1. Drill Gun
2. Angle Grinder
3. Sander
4. Circular Saw

Drill Guns
Out of the above the most useful and versatile power tool is the drill gun. It can be used to not only drill holes in wood, metal and walls, with the right accessories, it can also be used to tighten and loosen screws and wrench nut and bolts.

A Basic drill gun with a power rating of 450W is sufficient for home and personal use. An impact drill with forward and reverse functions is the most useful. It can drill holes of upto 10mm Diameter in masonry, about 16mm in wood and about 8mm in mild steel. It has more than enough power to screw and unscrew fastners and wrench bolts and nuts.


Accessories
For drilling :
1. Masonry Bits
2. Wood Bits - twist and spade
3. Metal Bits - twist
4. Multi purpose bits - Can be used for any of the above.
Wood bits can generally be used for plastics too.

For fastners : 
A variety of bits with different heads for different headed screws such as 
. Slotted head
. Phillips head
. Pozidrive
. Polydrive
. Hex etc...
A magnetic holder for these bits is usually supplied as an accessory with the gun.

For Bolts and nuts :
A Variety of spcket wrench bits are available for different headed bolts and nuts.

A Basic Application
Lets look at a basic a application for an impact drill. Say you want to put up your favorite picture frame on the wall. Lets look at what we will require :

Materials 
1. A Stool or ladder to reach the spot on the wall.

2. A measurement tape to locate the exact point to mount the frame.
3. An Impact Drill - such as Skil 450W Impact Drill (you can buy it from my store by clicking here)
4. A 6mm Masonry / Multipurpose drill bit.
5. Phillips head #8 Screws (38mm x 8 are ideal).
6. A Phillips drive
7. 6mm Fischers or Rawal plugs.
8. A Hammer
9. An Extension cord for the drill gun.

Procedure
1. Locate the exact spot you want using the measurement tape and your own judgement.
2. In case more than one hole needs to be drilled, always double check the alignment before placing holes in the wall.
3. Fit the drill bit into the drill gun using the key provided.
4. Make sure the drill is in "Impact" mode and rotating clockwise.
5. Place the drill bit in the stationary position on to the spot you want to drill with a steady hand and squeeze the trigger.
6. Drill a hole about 25-30mm in depth.
7. Clean out the dust remaining in the drill hole.
8. Gently hammer the fischer into the hole.
9. Mount the phillips drive onto the holder and fasten the holder onto the drill gun. 
10. Fasten the phillips screw using the gun.
11. Hang the frame onto the screw.

15 minutes well spent!

Laser Measures - Electronically measure distances and areas

When it comes to distance and area measurement, accuracy is always of top priority for architects, designers, engineers and contractors. Laser measures are a sure fire way to ensure accuracy.

Laser measures also have the following advantages:
. No need to use different measurement tapes for different applications.
. Eliminates ambiguity in fraction measurements.
. No help required to measure ceiling heights and large distances.

. Most laser measures have a memory function,  which can be handy.
. Some models have a built in area and volume function as well.
. Some models also have extensions to measure distances from corners.




More advanced models
. have the ability to store and transfer measures to a computer.
. have a built-in angle measure which can be used as a part of a spirit level and can also be used to measure large buildings using angles.


Bosch Laser Measures

Bosch Laser Measure DLE 40

 

In Store now @
Shree Venkateshwara Traders
#712, Modi Hospital Road, WOC,
Mahalaxmipuram, Bangalore 560086

ph: 9036092531
email : venkateshwara.traders@gmail.com

Wall Putty

Wall Putties are used to level uneven surfaces that are meant to be painted. Depending on the composition of the wall putty, it can be used to cover small undulations and/or large dents in plastered and other surfaces.
Certain varieties of Wall Putties can also help water proof cement plastered walls.


Wall Putty application is the single largest skill a painter requires. Wall putty application takes up the maximum time and resources on any new painting project. They are the largest purchase item Volume-wise on the shopping list of a new painting site.
  
In the Indian market, the 2 most popular types of putty are 1. White cement based Wall Putty 2. Acrylic Wall Putty.


1. White Cement Based Polymer modified Wall Putty.
White cement is used as the filler and body while acrylic modifiers are used as bonding agents and plasticizers. These putties are supplied in powder form and require addition of water to form a paste before application. They can be applied directly to interior and exterior cement surfaces and do not need any prior priming. White Cement based Coarse putties can be used instead of lime rendering to level rough cement plaster. Good water resistance is observed in walls finished with these putties. Priming is a must after application of the putty. They however cannot be used to touch up patches as they require priming after application.

2. Acrylic Wall Putty.
Acrylic Putties are polymer based putties which are supplied in a paste form. The quality of the putty largely depends on the proportion of acrylic binder and filler. These putties are used as a final finish coat to level slight surface imperfections on interior walls. They are also ideal for touch up jobs as there is no observable patch after painting. Priming is a must before and highly recommended after application of the putty.

Acrylic putties which are formulated as a mix of primer and putty are quickly gaining popularity as priming is not required before or after the application of the putty.

Putties which use chalk powder as a filler are fading in popularity with the advantages of acrylic and white cement based putties.

Certain putties are marketed as spray plasters and can be sprayed using airless spray machines. These are economical only in large projects, as the cost of machinery and the need for masking make them prohibitive for small projects.

A common practice of applying white cement based putties initially and acrylic putties for finish is followed. The combination of the 2 putties can give you both economy and finish at the same time.

Ofcourse, the final finish of the wall depends largely on the evenness of the wall putty applied and hence on the skill of the applicator.

Putties provide a strong and aesthetically pleasing base for your expensive paints. Choose wisely before you apply!

Wall putties available at our store,

1. Asian Wall Putty - White cement based smooth putty.

2. Asian Filling Putty - White cement based coarse putty.

3. Asian Acrylic Wall Putty

4. Asian Paints Smartcare Primer Putty 2X Mix



5. Birla Putty - White cement based smooth putty.

6. Sika Wall Decor - White cement based smooth putty.