There are a number of companies producing magnetic paint and primer in the market including Rust-Oleum, Dowling, Krylon, Magnamagic and MagPrime – today I will be introducing a magnetic paint product by MagPaint Europe.
Established in 2003, MagPaint Europe is the world leader in building markets for magnetic paint sold in over 30 countries across three continents, with their head office located in the countryside of The Netherlands. Magnetic paint is marketed by MagPaint Europe under the tradename MagnetPaint.
Use and Purpose of Magnetic Paint
MagnetPaint is simply what it says – paint which is magnetic! MagnetPaint is a dark grey latex dispersion primer containing rust-free iron particles, over which normal paint coats may be applied over. Multiple coats of this primer increase magnetic strength, and three coats at 500 to 800 microns are advised for common use.
So the question is, why would anyone need magnetic paint and what could you possibly do with it? For starters, you could give magnetic property to anything you can apply this paint on – walls, doors, wood panels…just about any surface you could paint on. Let’s just ponder over the possibilities for this:
- Apply magnetic paint on a wall or door and treat it like a fridge door – stick notes on them with a magnet! No need for a corkboard, or pushpins and thumbtacks that could damage the surface and cause wear and tear over time.
- Decorate the wall with magnetic alphabets or action figurines with magnets under the feet (think Starcom figures with Magna-Lock!), and move them around as you please, anytime!
- Put up a paper plan on the wall, and place coloured plastic whiteboard magnets as markers to describe strategies and plans.
- Paint a checkered pattern and use it as a chessboard or for draught.
- Move coloured paper fastened with magnets around to create a new look as and when you please.
…and more, limited only by your imagination! Below are some examples where magnetic paint is used.
At the Home…
At the Office…
At School…
…Or Just About Anywhere!
So, How Does It All Fare…?
Well, I’ve tried testing this paint first hand – it’s magnetic alright, but just don’t expect magnets to stick on it as well as it normally would on fridge doors.
Nevertheless, as claimed by MagPaint Europe, you could hold up to 20 sheets of A4 paper against the wall with a single 29 mm powerful Neodymium magnet.
Under the right conditions, a square metre of magnetic foil could hold hundreds of kilograms, allowing you to create shelves for retail display. And because it is in the form of paint, you are no longer confined to having your invisible noticeboard in the usual rectangular shape, but just about any shape you desire – think heart, circular, and star.
It is interesting to note that the iron powder mixed in MagnetPaint will not rust, so you won’t find brown specks on the wall as you would otherwise expect due to corrosion, especially after a water-based topcoat is applied over this magnetic primer paint.
This product contains no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), and was awarded the European Safety Norm for children toys – the EN71-3, making it safe for use at critical environments such as hospitals, healthcare centres, schools and daycare centres.
More information can be obtained from MagPaint Europe’s website at www.magpaint.com. For other competitor’s products, please see suggested links below.