Fluid acrylic paint pouring has been getting more and more popular in recent years and we can see why!
Using Floetrol in your acrylic paint pouring helps to create beautiful strong ‘cells’ and allows for paint to move easier on the canvas. Take a look at these beautiful examples;
These beautiful pieces were created by artist Asha Tank, with the helping hand of Floetrol.
Floetrol is a paint conditioner that is traditionally used to help alleviate the appearance of brush and roller marks when painting your walls.
However, we have had many artists asking us lots of questions regarding the use of Floetrol in their art projects, so we thought we would let you all know the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Can Floetrol be used with acrylic paints? Specifically artists’ acrylics?
Floetrol can be used with any water or acrylic based paints.
Will Floetrol yellow or change the hue of the paint over time?
No
Once cured/dry, should we expect any changes in future? With artwork we like to be sure work is archival in a sense, and whilstthis is not an artists material… can we assume the product is inert once dry?
No, Floetrol will not change overtime. Any changes that do occur will be due to the natural ageing of the paint.
Is it safe to heat/torch Floetrol when working?
Floetrol is non-flammable so should be safe to heat/torch when working.
Should we be worried about any fumes or skin contact in general?
When used as is there is no concern needed regarding the fumes and skin contact when using Floetrol, what I can’t guarantee is the lack of fumes when heating/torching Floetrol as this is new area of use for the product and is not something that it has been tested for. As with any item/product that is being heated/torched all necessary safety precautions should be taken.
Will it chalk or flake over time?
No. Floetrol will not chalk or flake but it cannot stop the paint from doing that.
Is there anything that should not be mixed with Floetrol?
Floetrol should only be mixed with water or acrylic based paints. It may also be mixed with paints where acrylic and oil have been blended together. However, for these types of paints, a test should be carried out to check for compatibility and ideally it should be established whether it is an Acrylic/Alkyd paint or Alkyd /Acrylic paint mix and the order in which it is written often determines which medium is the greater in the paint.
Will using higher ratios of Floetrol than those recommended for house paints have any negative or long-lasting effects? (for example, mixing 50:50 acrylic paint to Floetrol, 1 part Acrylic paint to 3 parts Floetrol or 1 part Acrylic paint to 4 parts Floetrol)
It will not have any negative or long-lasting effects. However, you may find that adding more than the recommended values that the paint may start to become opaque. Whether this is a negative or not I guess is determined by what the artist wishes to achieve.
Is there a shelf life to Floetrol?
Floetrol has a shelf life of one year in its original unopened packaging, once opened it is not possible for us to give it a definite shelf life as there are too many variables, however assuming that the Floetrol is kept in the right storage conditions then you should find it still good to use after 12 months.
What about once mixed with paint?
It will last for as long as the paint lasts.
Are there any surfaces you shouldn’t use Floetrol on?
Other than a silicone surface there are no surfaces that we are aware of that you cannot use Floetrol on.
Using it as directed, how soon should you expect to have to repaint where it was used as an additive?
As soon as the paint required a repaint.
Does Floetrol change the sheen of the paint, or dull the colours in any way?
Water/acrylic-based gloss paints that have a gloss level of 70% or greater may have their sheen level reduced slightly, other than that it will have no effect on the sheen level of paint.
When was Floetrol launched?
It was originally launched in 1990.
Images and questions courtesy of Asha Tank
We hope you enjoyed this post on FAQ’s about using Floetrol in your acrylic paint pouring interesting! If you have any other tips, tricks, or advice, please feel free to comment below and share!
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