Hammer paint
Encyclopedia
Hammer paint is a special lacquer with a surface that looks like hammered metal when dried.
The slightly iridescent areas are caused by the different orientation of very small shiny particles which are suspended
in the lacquer. These particles are often made of the mineral mica
. Mica is chemically inactive and very resistant.
Hammer paint is often used to beautify technical apparatus and not so commonly as a protective coating. The optical advantage of hammer paint is that surfaces look acceptable even if the underlying surface is not flat and smooth. To get a regular paint to look smooth the surface would have to be prepared first, for example by spackling, sanding, grinding or polishing. With hammer paint, this step can be omitted.
Beyond that, the resistance of the mica improves the durability of the paint job. The mica reduces aging by protecting the underlying binders from UV radiation. The mica also makes hammer paint relatively hard and scratch resistant.
The slightly iridescent areas are caused by the different orientation of very small shiny particles which are suspended
Suspension (chemistry)
In chemistry, a suspension is a heterogeneous fluid containing solid particles that are sufficiently large for sedimentation. Usually they must be larger than 1 micrometer. The internal phase is dispersed throughout the external phase through mechanical agitation, with the use of certain...
in the lacquer. These particles are often made of the mineral mica
Mica
The mica group of sheet silicate minerals includes several closely related materials having highly perfect basal cleavage. All are monoclinic, with a tendency towards pseudohexagonal crystals, and are similar in chemical composition...
. Mica is chemically inactive and very resistant.
Hammer paint is often used to beautify technical apparatus and not so commonly as a protective coating. The optical advantage of hammer paint is that surfaces look acceptable even if the underlying surface is not flat and smooth. To get a regular paint to look smooth the surface would have to be prepared first, for example by spackling, sanding, grinding or polishing. With hammer paint, this step can be omitted.
Beyond that, the resistance of the mica improves the durability of the paint job. The mica reduces aging by protecting the underlying binders from UV radiation. The mica also makes hammer paint relatively hard and scratch resistant.