Glassprimer™ catalyst – what exactly does it do?

A common misperception about Glassprimer™ catalyst is that it turns any paint into glass paint. Here’s a rundown on what the catalyst is and what it does.

Glassprimer™ catalyst works with Glassprimer™ paint

Paint (of any kind) doesn’t like to stick to certain surfaces, glass being one of them. Generally, paint “prefers” porous surfaces. If the target surface isn’t at least somewhat porous, the paint will not adhere well.

Liquid paint contains solvents. When the paint is applied to a surface, the solvents gradually evaporate from the paint and the paint dries. Oil based paints dry to the touch in about 6-8 hours. Latex paints dry to the touch in about an hour. But just because a paint is dry doesn’t mean that the paint is “cured.”

Oil-based paints cure in about 7 days. Latex paints take much longer – about 30 days to cure. Once a paint is cured, it is hardened and firmly bonded to the surface. Left to itself, glass paint might take as long as a year to cure. That means the paint would be soft, easily damaged or dislodged, and not firmly bonded to the surface it was applied to. Most folks don’t have a year to wait for paint to cure, so to help reduce the curing time for glass paint, we strongly recommend the addition of something to speed up the curing process.

The Glassprimer™ component B catalyst does just that. When you add the catalyst to Glassprimer™ glass paint, the curing time is reduced to about 24-48 hours – much faster and more practical than a year! Once the paint is cured, the bond to the glass is permanent. Humidity in the air won’t cause the paint to peel, chip or flake, and glues and caulks won’t show through backpainted glass.

The catalyst is designed to work exclusively with Glassprimer™ glass paint to help the paint cure. It does not work with other paints, and it will not allow an ordinary paint to create a permanent bond with glass. It was designed specifically to help reduce the curing time of Glassprimer™ glass paint.

If you’d like more information about working with glass paint, or the Glassprimer™ component B catalyst, please visit our online store.

Photo Credit: Cagatay Cevik, via FreeImages.com