Which decoupage varnish to choose: types

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:47

Different types of needlework are rapidly gaining popularity these days. And if earlier the vast majority were familiar only with origami, now, proudly with their noses up, all kinds of techniques are marching around the planet - quilling, scrapbooking, and decoupage. It is the latter that will be discussed below. Or rather, not so much about him, but about the materials necessary for him, in particular varnishes. Which decoupage varnish to choose and what they generally are - we will tell you further.

What is decoupage

Surely the foreign word "decoupage" raises a natural question for many: what kind of animal is this? Therefore, before talking about varnishes for this art form, it is worth at least briefly talking about it.

Decoupage is a type of surface decoration when an image is glued to the right place / thing and fixed with a special varnish on top. Thus, you can create incredible beauty with your own hands - and in a single, piece copy. And anyone can learn how to decorate products using decoupage - both a man and a woman, and a child, and an old man: there would be a desire, but there is absolutely nothing complicated in this technique.nothing.

No need to think that the surface for decoration should be some kind of special. Not at all! Decoupage is perfect, and most importantly, it looks great on anything - whether it's wood, glass, plastic, metal, fabric, leather or cardboard. The choice is huge, there are no restrictions! Plates and boxes, mirrors and chests of drawers, notebooks and albums, covers and flasks, teapots and bottles, boards and trays, photo frames and vases - the list of things suitable for decoupage can be continued indefinitely. Once you start with just one thing, it's very difficult to stop afterwards - such an activity is so interesting and exciting.

History of technology

Despite the fact that decoupage is very popular in modern times, it originates from the time of the "King of Peas", that is, from a very long time ago. And if specifically - then from the twelfth century. This technique owes its birth to the savvy and handicraft Chinese, whose imagination truly knows no bounds. Chinese peasants in those ancient times began to decorate their homes with the help of various kinds of applications. In their country, this type of arts and crafts quickly became fashionable and soon leaked out of China. Walking around the world, the appliqué technique reached Europe, where in the seventeenth century it reached, perhaps, the highest point of its popularity.

The seventeenth century was the time of fashion for the Orient, respectively, jewelry and patterns in Japanese and Chinese style were highly valued. With the help of Chinese applications, European masters decoratedfurniture, the cost of which soared almost to heaven. Such a piece of furniture was considered a luxury, and not everyone could afford to buy it. And I wanted to have something like this in my house, of course, everyone! It was then that a simple thought dawned on someone’s bright head, how to preserve beauty and save money: oriental patterns or fragments of paintings were carefully cut out from their “familiar” places and pasted onto furniture. A thick layer of varnish was applied on top so that even the most picky eye could not distinguish falsification. The appliqué technique, as it was called in China, was renamed the lacquer technique and became very popular.

Gradually, not only furniture, but also walls began to be decorated with carved drawings and pictures - this business started in London, where it was called print rooms ("print room"). The real heyday of the print room reached the eighteenth century, when individuals even had entire rooms in their houses, decorated from and to in this way. It was at this time that they first began to produce special paper with pictures for cutting. As a rule, all kinds of angels and cupids flaunted in these pictures.

It wasn't until the twentieth century that this technique got its current name. As you can guess from the pronunciation, she owes them to the French language, in which there is a verb découpage, which means “cut” in Russian. In addition, it was the past century that gave technology new opportunities for creativity - with the help of napkins, which began to be used in decoration instead of the old paper.

Materials for decoupage

The first thing that is required for decoupage is the object itself, which, in fact, will be decorated. Pictures or napkins will certainly come in handy, with the help of which the necessary thing will gain a second life. You need to take care of the glue in advance - it can be either ordinary building glue, or specialized for decoupage. You need both brushes and sponges. And, of course, varnishes. But what they are for and what types of decoupage varnishes are in general, we will discuss further.

Why varnish is needed

The need for brushes and glue is understandable, but why do you need varnish in surface decoration? It performs several functions. The most important is protective, which requires the so-called finishing varnishes. They are applied to an already fully completed product to protect it from various external influences.

Decoupage glue is also used to hold each finished layer of work together - provided that there are several layers and subtle decorative effects are supposed to be used. Varnish is needed both to protect the motif before painting the background, and to mask it, and to create any decorative elements (usually voluminous), and as a primer … In general, decoupage varnish has a lot of functions - therefore, without it, well there's no way around it!

What are varnishes

What varnish is used for decoupage? After all, there are probably a lot of them. Indeed, there are many such compositions and they are all different. The most important thing that a beginner decoupage master needs to remember is that all varnishes in their greatvarieties, in fact, are divided into two categories - these are decorative, that is, those that are used for decor in the process of creating a product, and the so-called finishing, which are used at the finish (that's why the name is): their goal is to protect the finished thing from exposure external factors.

Now we will briefly list the varnishes used in decoupage, and then we will dwell on each variety in a little more detail. So, the list includes acrylic and acrylate, alkyd, bitumen, craquelure, polyurethane, bevelled, vitreous, shellac, nitrolac, zapon, oil, dammar, nitroalkyd and porcelain varnishes.

Decorative varnishes

The decorative category of all of the above includes bitumen, oil, facet and craquelure varnishes for decoupage. In addition, any acrylic and alkyd composition can be considered partially decorative (we will turn to this issue again later).

Bitumen varnish

When working with a similar varnish, it is important to remember that it dries quickly, so you need to act without delay. Bitumen varnish is used to create the effect of antiquity, antiquity: thanks to the dark film that forms when it dries, it seems that you have a retro object in front of you. The disadvantage of such a composition is its sharp specific smell and instability - however, the latter is characteristic of all decorative products, which is why they need to be coated with a finishing agent.

It is recommended to apply bituminous varnish with a thin brush, and it is also good to have cotton pads on handdisks, so that if necessary it was possible to quickly erase the excess.

Craquelure polish

Just like bituminous, this decoupage varnish is needed to create the effect of antiquity. In addition, with its help, special cracks are created on the surface (by the way, the bituminous composition closes them up perfectly).

Craquelure varnish is found in two types - one- and two-component. The first is always water-based, odorless, approved for use even by allergy sufferers. The second is needed at the last stage of decorating to create the effect of cracks on the topmost layer, already on top of the decoupage.

Facet varnish

A kind of craquelure. Such varnishes for decoupage have a water base, they are self-cracking - after drying (it takes about a day), they give cracks on the surface of the product. It is best to apply it not with a brush, but with a sponge, since in its original form the product is a paste.

Oil varnishes

Another type of decorative varnishes - oil. They consist of vegetable oils, organic solvents and resins. Depending on how much oil is in these products, they are medium, oily and skinny. Oily varnishes provide the greatest protection to the product, but still you should not rely on them and use them as finishes.

Oil varnishes dry for quite a long time - from several hours to several days. Gives a bright shine to the product.

Finish polishes

Finishing varnish for decoupage, as already mentioned, is necessary for the finishing touch, forsecuring all work. These compounds are distinguished by their increased durability. As a rule, they are colorless, but have a rather specific smell. Lots of finishes. Let's try to identify at least some of them.

Acrylic

A feature of acrylic lacquer for decoupage is that it can be used not only as a finish, but also as a decorative one - in the form of a primer. These tools are especially popular precisely due to the fact that they are suitable for almost any purpose in this technique. They dry fairly quickly, are non-toxic, non-flammable, do not smell, do not turn yellow over time, do not let water through. Acrylic varnish for decoupage is most often made on a water basis, but there are compositions based on synthetic resins. They are very durable and flexible. If such a varnish has thickened, it can be easily diluted with water, it is also very easy to wash the tools after work - the product can be easily washed off them.

In addition to acrylic, there are also acrylate varnishes. The difference between them is insignificant - it only consists in the fact that the latter contain additional additives, thanks to which the varnishes become even more elastic.

Of course, acrylic and acrylate compositions are not ideal, they also have their drawback - dependence on humidity. In order for the product to dry well and the varnish to lay down qualitatively, the humidity of the air in the room where the work is or was being done must be maintained at least fifty percent.

Alkyd varnishes

Perhaps the second most popular decoupage varnishes. They are verydense, stable and for this reason are in great demand for covering such products that will be constantly exposed to external influences - for example, key rings. The basis of these varnishes is alkyd resin and organic solvents. They do not react to heat or cold, they are universal - they can also be used for decoration, they are indifferent to the sun's rays. When working with alkyd varnish, it is important not to inhale its fumes, as they are toxic, and to prevent moisture from entering the coating. Drying alkyd varnish with a hair dryer is also not worth it - it will crack or may even turn yellow.

The disadvantages of such products are: firstly, the duration of drying is at least two hours, maximum - several days, and secondly, the laboriousness of washing the tools after use. Water is not a helper here, therefore, choosing an alkyd varnish for work, you need to take care of special solvents for tools in advance.

Dammar Lacquer

Unlike the above compositions, this one is not very common in decoupage. It is recommended to use it only if you have previously worked with oil paints - for example, to cover paintings.

This lacquer is based on Dammar resin and turns yellow over time, giving an amber sheen from the start.

Nitro varnishes

Like dammar, nitrolac is rarely used in decoupage. He, perhaps, has more minuses than pluses: toxicity, poor resistance to light and time (wears out quickly, exfoliates), strongbad smell. It is chosen for use by those who have “burning” deadlines - the advantage of nitrolac is that it dries in a maximum of half an hour. In addition, it is quite cheap, which also attracts many. However, choosing a nitrolac for work, you need to take care of a well-ventilated area, otherwise there is a great chance of poisoning it in pairs.

Polyurethane varnishes

Which decoupage varnish is the most expensive? Perhaps polyurethane - its high cost often scares off potential buyers. But in vain - this is the only minus of this varnish with a large number of pluses.

Polyurethane varnish is waterproof, durable, environmentally friendly, dries quickly enough, suitable for any surface. It is found both on a water basis and not on a water basis (it is better to purchase the first ones). Resistant to all kinds of influences, both chemical and mechanical, does not wear out, does not turn yellow over time. Some call it the best decoupage varnish. It can be one- and two-component, as well as self-priming.

Vitreous

Vitreous decoupage varnish is used to create a shiny glossy finish. It is made on a water basis, elastic, resistant to external influences, dries quickly. Its peculiarity is that it is self-spreading - that is, it “spreads” over the entire surface when applied, while lying down in an equally even layer. Transparent as glass - hence the name.

The disadvantages of this tool include its rather high cost, small volume, as well as the fact that he does not like the cold and in the cold can change hisproperties.

Tsapon

A distinctive feature and the main advantage of this type of varnish is heat resistance. It is easy to apply, inexpensive, durable, versatile, can be diluted with acetone. Its basis is dissolved nitrocellulose and artificial resins. Tsapon is harmless to humans, it is safe to work with it. Of the shortcomings, it is worth mentioning the smell.

Shellac

Shellac is used not only as a nail coating, but also as a decoupage varnish. It consists of natural insect repellent resin. It comes in amber and transparent colors and dries to a glossy surface.

Quick-drying varnish with a slight smell, which, however, is easily weathered. The disadvantages include the high price.

Choosing varnish

Which decoupage varnish to choose? In this matter, it is necessary to rely on the following points. Firstly, take into account where the work will take place - on the street or indoors (it depends on whether you buy varnish with a smell or not), secondly, decide what you need to get as a result - gloss or not, and thirdly, remember, for what purposes the finished product will be used - that is, how much it will be subjected to any external influences and, accordingly, how strong the decoupage varnish should be. In addition, the object itself is important - what it is made of (glass, wood, and so on). And finally, price is an important factor. The combination of all of the above criteria will help you decide which decoupage varnish you need in each case.

We are always afraid to start something new. Scary: suddenly something goes wrong. However, the eyes are afraid, but the hands are doing it - you just have to try, and such a truly exciting activity as decoupage will no longer be able to leave anyone indifferent.