Paints, powders and varnishes are all used for provided protection and pigment to wooden or other structures, walls and automobiles. The technique of painting itself has been around for hundreds of thousands of years, since our cave-dwelling ancestors first painted the walls of their shelters with pictures of mammoths and the like. These primitive paints were often made from crushed fruits and berries, or possibly ground stone.

Paints are probably the most commonly used substance of the three, and come in several types, each one designed to work on a specific type(s) of material(s). The two types of paint most used for commercial and household use oil based and water based. Different substances are used as additives to make the paint more water or water resistant, among other things. Powders are most often dried pigments that can be mixed into different liquids in order to achieve the desired effect.

Varnishes are similar to oil paint, except they contain little or no pigment. Varnish is often used on hardwood to not only protect the wood, but to make the wood’s grain more visible. There are different consistencies of this product as well, allowing varnishes to be used for several surfaces (i.e. walls, floors, and furniture).

In recent years, paints, powders and varnishes have undergone significant changes; one of those is the development of paints containing little or no volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), which are a large contributor to greenhouse gas pollution and other health-related problems as well, such as asthma or other breathing difficulties.