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Advice

Are Thorndown paints harmful to the environment?

No, if used correctly and disposed of properly. 

Are Thorndown Paints safe for children?

Yes, both our Wood Paint and Glass Paints are non-toxic so kids can get stuck in and enjoy them too. 

Is Thorndown paint safe to use around ponds?

Yes but we would recommend making sure the liquid doesn’t get into the water as aquatic life is very delicate. Once dry no harm can be caused. 

Can I use Thorndown paints on animal housing/insect houses/bee hives?

Yes, our paints are non-toxic and as soon as they’re dry they won’t cause any harm. We would recommend leaving 24 hours for the paint to totally dry before contact or putting your animals back in. There is no odour to our paints so animals can happily return to their home quickly. 

Why does the colour not look the same as it did on the colour chart?

Basically colour is not an exact science. When you create a colour you add a bit of this, a bit of that, and some of the other. How you create a colour is broken down into colour systems of which there are many, including RGB, CMYK, Pantone and RAL.

We use the colour system RAL to create our paint colours in a RAL calibrated colour mixing machine. Despite the fact that we use precise colour software to replicate RAL colours, you still won’t get an exact match to the corresponding RAL colour on the fan deck.

If you look at a colour swatch on screen it is displayed in RGB, made up of Red Green and Blue. Printing machines use CMYK meaning that there is another colour stream available to printers to create colours, but it is still different to how RAL colours are created, so you work to CMYK conversions of RAL colour values. To get the closest print match you have to physically tweak settings and colour values. Digital print produces the same results every time but then you also have litho print and the variables of what paper you’re using that again will affect colours produced.

Are you feeling sleepy yet? Well there’s more. On screen the colour swatch you see will differ depending on the computer you’re using (e.g Mac or PC), the graphics display software you’re running and the display settings of your monitor, along with a few other things.

The only way you’re going to know exactly what a colour will look like is by buying a sample and painting it up. What you paint it onto (e.g. light softwood as opposed to dark hardwood) will also change the shade and then there’s lighting (dark shadowy corner or south facing spot in the garden) and then of course don’t forget that lighting changes throughout the day and year.

And finally, as they say ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’. We all interpret the same colour in a slightly different way. You can show two people the same colour and one will swear blind it’s blue, whereas the other is convinced it’s green! 

Are Thorndown paints harmful to the environment?

No, if used correctly and disposed of properly.  

There’s green stuff growing on the wood paint in my garden. What is it and how do I stop it?

This is algae and growth can be particularly bad under trees. You can kill it by washing it with a watery dilution of bleach. It will grow back though and the only way to stop it is to use an algae inhibitor. A shiny painted surface does make it harder to stick to and easier to clean off. Alternatively, just paint wood in affected areas in a green shade and let nature take its course. 

How do I stop stains coming through a wood paint coating?

Staining can be caused by tannins in wood or resin bleeding from knots. If you want to stop resin bleed staining the paint coating apply a knotting agent over the knot(s), following manufacturer’s guidelines and allowing to dry before over-coating. We would recommend a water-based knotting agent and if using externally, make sure to buy one for external use.

Staining can be caused by tannins coming out of the wood. If you want to stop this happening then you should apply a stain-blocking primer first before painting. Our wood paint is made from a high-quality resin though so in most cases you won’t need to do this. 

Can I use Thorndown Wood Paint on plywood and MDF?

Yes you can. Paint as if it was softwood. 

Can I use Thorndown Wood Paint on softwood, hardwood and tropical wood?

Yes you can. New softwood is the easiest to treat as the grain is nice and open so wood treatments penetrate easily, fixing well and giving a great, long-lasting coating.

Old softwood, hardwood and tropical woods can be trickier as the grain is usually a lot tighter making it harder for wood treatment to penetrate. Therefore it mostly sits on the surface so can be worn away easier and quicker by the elements, especially if it’s on a horizontal surface. 

What if my animal nibbles the wood with Thorndown paint on?

Our paints are non-toxic so should not cause any harm, however we cannot guarantee against any animal having strange allergies. 

How long will the paint coatings last?

On new softwood 2-3 coats can last up to 7-8 years. We would expect a coating on a horizontal surface to last less time and could need a maintenance coat after approximately 3 years.

Coatings on old softwood, hardwood and tropical wood can erode quicker as wood paint cannot penetrate as deeply and easily. You may need to re-coat after a few years.

On decking we would recommend that you apply a maintenance coat on an annual basis. You can get away with a couple of years in less exposed decking and where foot traffic is light.

In all cases coatings in areas of high exposure will erode quicker than those that are less exposed, so will need maintenance on a more regular basis. 

Are Thorndown paints harmful to the environment?

No, if used correctly and disposed of properly. 

How long will the paint coatings last?
Thorndown’s Glass Paint is very repellent so can be painted on external glass. Wrinkling at edges/in areas of light coating can occur after periods of heavy rain. Painted externally the sun and weather will make the coat brittle quicker so may last 1 – 2 years depending on levels of exposure.
General
Are Thorndown paints harmful to the environment?

No, if used correctly and disposed of properly. 

Are Thorndown Paints safe for children?

Yes, both our Wood Paint and Glass Paints are non-toxic so kids can get stuck in and enjoy them too. 

Is Thorndown paint safe to use around ponds?

Yes but we would recommend making sure the liquid doesn’t get into the water as aquatic life is very delicate. Once dry no harm can be caused. 

Can I use Thorndown paints on animal housing/insect houses/bee hives?

Yes, our paints are non-toxic and as soon as they’re dry they won’t cause any harm. We would recommend leaving 24 hours for the paint to totally dry before contact or putting your animals back in. There is no odour to our paints so animals can happily return to their home quickly. 

Why does the colour not look the same as it did on the colour chart?

Basically colour is not an exact science. When you create a colour you add a bit of this, a bit of that, and some of the other. How you create a colour is broken down into colour systems of which there are many, including RGB, CMYK, Pantone and RAL.

We use the colour system RAL to create our paint colours in a RAL calibrated colour mixing machine. Despite the fact that we use precise colour software to replicate RAL colours, you still won’t get an exact match to the corresponding RAL colour on the fan deck.

If you look at a colour swatch on screen it is displayed in RGB, made up of Red Green and Blue. Printing machines use CMYK meaning that there is another colour stream available to printers to create colours, but it is still different to how RAL colours are created, so you work to CMYK conversions of RAL colour values. To get the closest print match you have to physically tweak settings and colour values. Digital print produces the same results every time but then you also have litho print and the variables of what paper you’re using that again will affect colours produced.

Are you feeling sleepy yet? Well there’s more. On screen the colour swatch you see will differ depending on the computer you’re using (e.g Mac or PC), the graphics display software you’re running and the display settings of your monitor, along with a few other things.

The only way you’re going to know exactly what a colour will look like is by buying a sample and painting it up. What you paint it onto (e.g. light softwood as opposed to dark hardwood) will also change the shade and then there’s lighting (dark shadowy corner or south facing spot in the garden) and then of course don’t forget that lighting changes throughout the day and year.

And finally, as they say ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’. We all interpret the same colour in a slightly different way. You can show two people the same colour and one will swear blind it’s blue, whereas the other is convinced it’s green! 

Wood Paint
Are Thorndown paints harmful to the environment?

No, if used correctly and disposed of properly.  

There’s green stuff growing on the wood paint in my garden. What is it and how do I stop it?

This is algae and growth can be particularly bad under trees. You can kill it by washing it with a watery dilution of bleach. It will grow back though and the only way to stop it is to use an algae inhibitor. A shiny painted surface does make it harder to stick to and easier to clean off. Alternatively, just paint wood in affected areas in a green shade and let nature take its course. 

How do I stop stains coming through a wood paint coating?

Staining can be caused by tannins in wood or resin bleeding from knots. If you want to stop resin bleed staining the paint coating apply a knotting agent over the knot(s), following manufacturer’s guidelines and allowing to dry before over-coating. We would recommend a water-based knotting agent and if using externally, make sure to buy one for external use.

Staining can be caused by tannins coming out of the wood. If you want to stop this happening then you should apply a stain-blocking primer first before painting. Our wood paint is made from a high-quality resin though so in most cases you won’t need to do this. 

Can I use Thorndown Wood Paint on plywood and MDF?

Yes you can. Paint as if it was softwood. 

Can I use Thorndown Wood Paint on softwood, hardwood and tropical wood?

Yes you can. New softwood is the easiest to treat as the grain is nice and open so wood treatments penetrate easily, fixing well and giving a great, long-lasting coating.

Old softwood, hardwood and tropical woods can be trickier as the grain is usually a lot tighter making it harder for wood treatment to penetrate. Therefore it mostly sits on the surface so can be worn away easier and quicker by the elements, especially if it’s on a horizontal surface. 

What if my animal nibbles the wood with Thorndown paint on?

Our paints are non-toxic so should not cause any harm, however we cannot guarantee against any animal having strange allergies. 

How long will the paint coatings last?

On new softwood 2-3 coats can last up to 7-8 years. We would expect a coating on a horizontal surface to last less time and could need a maintenance coat after approximately 3 years.

Coatings on old softwood, hardwood and tropical wood can erode quicker as wood paint cannot penetrate as deeply and easily. You may need to re-coat after a few years.

On decking we would recommend that you apply a maintenance coat on an annual basis. You can get away with a couple of years in less exposed decking and where foot traffic is light.

In all cases coatings in areas of high exposure will erode quicker than those that are less exposed, so will need maintenance on a more regular basis. 

Peelable Glass Paint
Are Thorndown paints harmful to the environment?

No, if used correctly and disposed of properly. 

How long will the paint coatings last?
Thorndown’s Glass Paint is very repellent so can be painted on external glass. Wrinkling at edges/in areas of light coating can occur after periods of heavy rain. Painted externally the sun and weather will make the coat brittle quicker so may last 1 – 2 years depending on levels of exposure.