Our production process
is a true masterpiece
In the production of linseed oil-based paints, two ingredients are combined, linseed oil and colour pigments. The professional approach in this production is based primarily on the knowledge of the properties of different pigments in relation to linseed oil and the ability to evaluate them professionally. Each pigment behaves differently when mixed with linseed oil. First of all, it is the mechanical processing that is most important.
We use different types of mixers and grinders to achieve the optimal result. I would especially highlight our three-cylinder mixer. “Grinding” the paint, i. e. The refinement of the grain of the pigments in order to disperse them evenly in the linen colour is already mentioned in the literature from the 16th century. Until the mid-19th this work was done exclusively by hand, but later on machine three-cylinder mixers gradually began to be used. Some of our paints are milled in modern dispersing machines, but some special natural pigments require a roller mill to get the best result. Linseed oil is added to the ground coloured paste in such a quantity as to achieve the desired viscosity, resembling thick yoghurt. The balance between linseed oil and pigment is important because of the storage of the paint. In our sealed cans, linen paints should be usable for many years.
When creating the shade nuances of our standard paints, we always start from our basic range of shades, in which the paint contains one colour pigment and linseed oil. A few basic shades are weighed and then mixed to create a new shade. For example, Köpenhamnsgrön (Copenhagen green) is made from the basic shades järnoxidsvart (iron black), kromoxidgrön (chromoxide green) grön umbra (umber green), guldockra (golden ochre), järnoxidgul (iron oxide yellow), as well as a little bit of the shade zinkvitt (zinc white). When the paint is finished, it goes through the inspection and approval process. It is then either stored or filled into cans.
Much of the work is done by hand, which is why the process is referred to as industrial craft production. The production of a special shade usually proceeds as follows. The customer requests a shade based on their own sample, which can be a piece of peeled off old paint or an object of a certain colour. Our knowledge of colour matching allows us to quickly evaluate which of our base shades should be used to produce the customer’s desired shade. This mixing process bears a striking resemblance to when a chef is seasoning his food. Everything is governed by the senses; for a chef it’s taste, in our case it’s sight.
The linseed oil-based paint has a high density. The weight of one litre ranges from 1.5 to 2.2 kg, depending on the pigment used. Thanks to its high pigment content, this paint has excellent coverage and high (area) yield.
Raw materials: pigments and linseed oil
Colour pigments are chemically organic or inorganic compounds. Organic pigments are formed by hydrocarbons, inorganic pigments are mainly compounds of metals with minerals. Inorganic pigments are generally more stable when exposed to light and air, and work best with linseed oil. Inorganic pigments are, for example, all naturally occurring earth pigments (alumina), as well as all pigments from iron oxides, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and cobalt compounds.
We strive to use inorganic pigments in our paints, thus being able to satisfy the market’s demand for a wide range of shades as well as remaining environmentally friendly. Recently, we have discovered new modern inorganic pigments that can replace the colourful chromium, cadmium and lead pigments. The new pigments contain compounds of other metals that are harmless to the environment.
You can rest assured that our products do not replace natural ochre, umber or terra with any similar iron oxide pigments. So bensvart(bone black) still contains burnt animal bones and koboltblått (cobalt blue) contains real cobalt pigment.
Our company uses only cold-pressed linseed oil.
If the linseeds are pressed without pre-heating them, less oil is obtained, but the product is cleaner and clearer. Freshly pressed linseed oil is calledcold-pressed crude linseed oil. The oil is left to stand for at least half a year before use. In that time, the impurities settle to the bottom of the container, then the clean oil is curled up and ready for use. Since its surface tension is lower compared to water, crude oil has the amazing property of penetrating the surfaces to be painted without the need to heat it before application. Thanks to this property, linseed oil can be used for the production of exterior primers. We also use this oil to make art oil paints. Raw linseed oil dries relatively slowly, but people have long since figured out that it dries faster if heated. This process is generally referred to as ‘boiling’ and the product is sold under the namecold-pressed boiled linseed oil.
In the cooking method we use, the oil is heated to about 140°C and enriched with oxygen and metal salts to make it more reactive. The oil is then slightly thicker than the original raw product, but has the same excellent adhesion and penetration properties. We use the oil treated in this way as a binder for our paints.
To refine raw linseed oil, we also use a very old method in which it is exposed to natural sunlight and oxygen in an outdoor environment for several months. During this process, the oil not only oxidizes and thickens, but sunlight also lightens it. Such a product is called sunlight-thickened linseed oil and is used as a paint additive for the last/final coat, the purpose of which is to increase gloss as well as improve hiding and drying properties.