Volume solid is the

volume Volume is a measure of occupied three-dimensional space. It is often quantified numerically using SI derived units (such as the cubic metre and litre) or by various imperial or US customary units (such as the gallon, quart, cubic inch). The de ...

paint Paint is any pigmented liquid, liquefiable, or solid mastic composition that, after application to a substrate in a thin layer, converts to a solid film. It is most commonly used to protect, color, or provide texture. Paint can be made in many ...

after it has dried. This is different than the weight solid. Paint may contain

solvent A solvent (s) (from the Latin '' solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for ...

resin In polymer chemistry and materials science, resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses on natu ...

pigment A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use. Generally dyes are often organic compounds whereas pigments are often inorganic compo ...

s, and additives. Many paints do not contain any solvent. After applying the paint, the solid portion will be left on the substrate. Volume solid is the term which indicates the solid proportion of the paint on a volume basis. For example, if paint is applied in a wet film at a 100 μm thickness, and the volume solid of paint is 50%, then the dry film thickness (DFT) will be 50 μm as 50% of the wet paint has evaporated. Suppose the volume solid is 100%, and the wet film thickness is also 100 μm. Then after complete drying of the paint, the DFT will be 100 μm because no solvent will be evaporated. This is an important concept when using paint industrially to calculate the cost of painting. It can be said that it is the real volume of paint. Here is the formula by which one can calculate the volume solid of paint, :(Total sum by volume of each solid ingredient in paint x 100%)/ Total sum by volume of each ingredient in paint. A simple method that anyone can do to determine volume solids empirically is to apply paint to a steel surface with an application knife and measure the wet film thickness. Then cure the paint and measure the dry film thickness. The percentage of dry to wet is representative of the percentage of volume solids. In earlier days, the volume solid was measured by a disc method but now a sophisticated instrument is also available which takes only a drop of paint to check the volume solid. Understanding 'volume solids' allows knowing the true cost of different coatings and to know how much paint is being used to perform its function. Generally, more expensive paints have a higher volume of solids and therefore provide better coverage.

References

{{reflist Painting Materials science