Holkham Linseed Paints - Long-Lasting Cost-Effective Solvent-Free Paints

HOLKHAM LINSEED PAINTS
LONG-LASTING COST-EFFECTIVE SOLVENT-FREE PAINTS

HISTORY OF LINSEED OIL PAINTS

Anyone who owns and takes care of houses knows that window maintenance is extremely difficult on account of the tough environment and all the exacting requirements we have of a window. Large variations in temperature and movements in the materials put very high demands on the construction, choice of materials and surface treatment.

Estate property showing cracked and peeling alkyd paint. Typical rotting caused by water ingress through cracked paint.

Last painted in 1986 (photo taken 2002)

Photo below, the same window restored with Barley White Holkham Linseed Paint.

Over 20 years ago Hans and Sonja Allback and their company Fonster Hantverkarna AB Ystad (The Window Craftsmen Ltd.) started renovating windows, treating them both inside and out with well-known recommended paints from Sweden's biggest paint manufacturers. They were not satisfied with the results. Within a few years, the paint needed touching up. What's more, the solvents used affected their health.

This was the start of a laborious process of discovering: How people painted in the old days and why? What materials were available, in what grades? Why windows and doors from the 1700s, 1800s and up to 1950 lasted better than windows from the 1960s, 70s and 80s? The goal was to research into this forgotten knowledge of linseed oil paints, developed over the course of many centuries up to modern times when plastic and alkyd based paints took over.

Linseed acreage has increased during the last few years and in 1998 is estimated to be around 18,000 hectares. The new interest in linseed cultivation is of course stimulated by the present acreage support. The oil pressing industry vanished back in the early sixties and today, some twenty local on farm pressing installations produce around 1,500 tons of linseed oil and consume about 6,000 tons of seed. The rest of the crop is exported. Small local producers manufacture linseed oil and to a large extent bottle it for use in outdoor wood preservation.

Until the mid 20th century, almost all paints used in America could be divided according to the type of binder each had. Chemists sought to improve paints, especially when the two world wars made traditional paint components scarce and expensive. Modern paints are far more complex chemically and physically than early paints. More ingredients have been added to the simple three-part system of pigment, binder, and vehicle. Fillers or extenders such as clay and chalk were put in to make oil paints flow better and to make them cheaper as well.

Mildewcides and fungicides were prevalent and popular until their environmental hazards were seen to outweigh their benefits. New formulations which retard the growth of the mildew and fungi are being used. Lead was eliminated after 1950. Most recently, volatile organic solvents in oil paint and thinners have been categorized as environmentally hazardous.

A major difference in modern paints is the change in binder from the use of natural boiled linseed oil to alkyd oil which is generally derived from soybean and safflower oil. Use of synthetic resins, such as acrylics and epoxies, has become prevalent in paint manufacture in the last 30 years of so. Acrylic resin emulsions in latex paints, with water thinners, have also become common.

Click colour spots for information

White

Old White
Barley White

Buttermilk

Parchment

Sea Mist

Lichen

Wild Sage
Spruce Green
Holkham Green
Custard

Antique Gold

Ice Blue
Linseed Blue
Midnight Blue

Iron Primer
Brick Red

Chocolate

Houghton Brown
Black