Painting A House In Thailand?

[pianoman]

Our neighbor (a Farang w/Thai wife) wants to have their house painted, have spoken with several painters, received bids and decided on whom to use... I am interested in the situation because I will be having our house painted also in maybe six months or less...

Now the choice of paint comes along and he would like a Good Quality Semi-Gloss paint, but both the painters and his wife are wanting to use the "Thai Emulation" (diluted about 50% with water) paints... His wife knows nothing about painting and is just believing and siding with the Thai Painters because she believes they know best...

Are we (he and I) crazy to think that it is best to use paint straight from the can rather than diluting it and having to do multiple coats??? Or are the painters correct or just using "Thai Logic" which most of use know can be somewhat "diluted"????

I / we would welcome any comments or suggestions... Oh, and yes this is up in Issan rather than around Bangkok...

Pianoman

[Mobi]

Well, I know next to nothing about painting, but all I can say is when I had my house built about 2 years ago by farang builder, his painters used TOA paint straight from the cans - no diluting.

I am now having the house re-painted (it's not bad, but I believe on doing it every 18 months or so in this climate to keep the house looking in top shape), I'm using 3painters form my wife's village, who are doing a very professional job, and they use TOA paint, straight from the cans.

I dare say there is paint available that you can dilute, but most brands are 'ready to paint'.

[PhilHarries]

I know a fair bit about coatings as the subject is part of my professional duties.

TOA paints are good and are used in domestic and industrial applications.

I don't know the term "Thai Emulation" but I suspect it is emulsion paint and can be sourced from many suppliers including TOA I suspect. I say "I suspect" because we never use emulsion paint in my business.

Most, if not all, domestic paints these days are produced ready for use straight from the can. However there is some logic in hot climates in diluting them down a bit and applying several thin coats instead of one thick one. Assuming the paint supplier knows his product and it's applications the best approach is to follow the instructions on the can. If they suggest dilution then okay follow the instructions.

However I suspect the 50% figure, that seems a bit high and will reduce the solids volume of the applied paint such that it's covering ability will be impaired thus requiring possibly four coats (depending on the percentage by volume solids in the start mix).

Another suspicion is that the dilution is to enable the job to be done with less paint.

I would suggest let him get on with it how his wife wants and judge the results yourself remembering that the job may look fine when it is done but will weather rapidly. If it were my house I'd insist on using the paint as the manufacturer intended, straight from the can.

[Mobi]

What a wonderfully informative post

Thanks.

[billaaa777]

I renovate a lot of condos. Does not matter what you do, they are going to add water to the paint. They think it goes on easier. If you tell them not to, they won't while you are there, but as soon as you turn your back they are going to add water to it. Just live with it, and have them put on ten coats. Thats what I do and it always works out.

[wpcoe]

I wondered about the thinning-with-water business, too. In my various abodes in Thailand, I have always painted the vertical walls, but let someone else do the ceilings (i.e. Thai painters). They always thinned the paint. I used the same paint straight from the can. I noticed that they had less roller spatter with the thinned paint than I did, but that may be technique more than the dilution?

[ProThaiExpat]

Of course we are speaking of water based paints or acrylics in this thread.

While paint right out of the can is good for a couple of hours, evaporation occurs, especially if you take a break and the viscosity of the paint becomes thicker as you get to the bottom of the can.

I usually thin paint that seems very thick when opening the can, but do try to put it on without thinning if that works. If you are using an acrylic enamel, thining may be necessary in every case as the way you "lay down" the enamel markedly affects the finish you are trying to achieve. Enamels must "flow" together so brush strokes disappear

When my developments painters painted my house, I insisted TOA paint and colors of my choosing but allowed them to paint the perimeter walls as they wished with the paint they wished. Needless to say, the wall paint lasted a year and the house painted surfaces are still good after five years.

[johnnyk]

I ususally dilute about 10% for spreadability and no pompems.

Maybe they want to go 50% because more coats=more work=more baht for them.