Paint and Varnish: A frequent name to every household, these both are finishes (coatings) applied over any object to make it look better and enhance its beauty. Both are different kinds of coatings applied on surfaces such as walls, woodworking, or any other material. While both these products come in liquid form, they have their own set of differences. This post will make it much clearer for the ones who are confused between the two. Moving further, let us know the difference between both these products.
Here in this article, you will find the Difference Between Paint And Varnish, the main difference, and which one is better to opt for.
Difference Between Paint And Varnish
What is the paint?
Paint is a primer coat that contains pigment, which can be semi-transparent or opaque. Paint is applied to provide protective layers to the object along with a splash of a brush to beautify it. It is usually applied with a roller, brush, or spray bottle on the surface. Sometimes the paint can come off and easy to peel out, unlike varnish, regarding which we will elaborate later in the post. It is applied on wooden doors, steel doors, wooden furniture, and outdoor walls as well.
What is varnish?
Unlike paint, the varnish is a liquid that’s wholly transparent or seldom with a tainted color. It is made of oils such as soybean oil, walnut oil, tung oil, and resins and contains no pigment. It is mainly applied over stained wood to add a shine to the surface. It protects the surface from sunlight, excess heat, and scratches. A varnish never really comes off easily, but if exposed directly under sunlight, it may peel off on its own.
What is the primary difference between both? Paint vs. Varnish
Do you know why paint can hide away imperfections? All thanks to the presence of pigment in it, that after its application, the underneath surface is not visible clearly. The only difference that makes both these elements different is the substance pigment. As said before, paint is a mixture of pigments, resin as well as oils. On the other side, varnish contains just resins and oils, meaning no pigment, which allows it to form a transparent layer on the surface. So all it does is polish and shine the surfaces.
Here is a quick table to understand the difference between paint and varnish easily.
| Paint | Varnish | |
| Texture | You will find it from opaque to translucent. | It has little to no color in it, mostly transparent. |
| What Does It Do? | To add a layer of protection and decoration. | To redefine the natural beauty of surfaces, especially wooden items. |
| Drying Time | It takes a minimum of one hour to a maximum of 8 hours to dry off completely. | It takes as long as a day to dry off naturally. |
| Durability | It lasts for 8-10 years after its application. | Varnish stays for a maximum of 2 years or lesser. |
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