Acrylic paints
Acrylic
— one of the types of paints (see "Type") with the so-called water-dispersion composition.All water-dispersion paints, in accordance with the name, are diluted with water when applied. At the same time, the actual “active substances” do not dissolve in water, but are in a state of emulsion — a suspension of tiny drops. Note that accidental contamination with such paint on hands, clothes, etc. can be easily removed by washing with water, or even simply by wiping with a damp cloth. But after drying (evaporation of water), such paint forms a dense film on the treated surface and becomes waterproof. In this case, the film is permeable to air, the treated surface “breathes”. In addition, among the general advantages of water-dispersion paints, one can note fire safety, non-toxicity, the almost complete absence of unpleasant odours, the possibility of using saturated colours, which, moreover, retain their original appearance for a long time, as well as suitability for use in conditions of high humidity.
As the name suggests, the film-forming agent used in these paints are various acrylic-based polymers. At the same time, the key difference from acrylate compositions (see the relevant paragraph) is that the base usually contains only polyacrylates, without additional impurities. In general, acrylic paints are very popular finishing materials — due to the combination of convenience, practicality and relatively low cost. In some respects, they are inferior to acrylate and latex compounds, but this difference is rarely critical.