---
title: "Ingredients of an oil bound paint"
subject: "Building Technology"
chapter: 9
key: "semester_6/building_technology:oil-paint-ingredients"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/building_technology/oil-paint-ingredients
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Ingredients of an oil bound paint

Building Technology · Chapter 9: Finishing works

- Asked in: 2073 Magh
- Video: [Components of Paints](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyjYsKfEz88) — Engineering Motive
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/building_technology/oil-paint-ingredients
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_6/building_technology/chapter-9

## Question

Explain ingredients of an oil borne paint.

## Short answer

Oil paint consists of a base (e.g. white lead, titanium dioxide) for body and opacity, a vehicle (linseed oil) to carry and dry to a film, pigments for colour, driers (litharge) to speed drying, thinners (turpentine) to adjust workability, and extenders (barytes) to add bulk.

## Answer

**Oil paint** is a mixture of pigment suspended in a drying oil and thinned with a solvent. Its ingredients are:

| Ingredient | Example | Function |
|---|---|---|
| **Base** | White lead, zinc white, titanium dioxide, red oxide | Gives body, opacity and covering power |
| **Vehicle (carrier)** | Linseed oil, tung oil, poppy-seed oil | Carries the pigment, spreads and dries to a hard film |
| **Pigment** | Iron oxide (red), chrome (yellow), carbon black, ultramarine | Gives colour |
| **Drier** | Litharge, red lead, manganese salts | Speeds up drying of the oil |
| **Thinner (solvent)** | Turpentine, mineral spirit | Makes the paint workable; evaporates after application |
| **Extender (adulterant)** | Barytes, gypsum, china clay | Adds bulk, reduces cost |

The mixture is ground to a fine paste. The paint dries by evaporation of the thinner and oxidation of the oil, forming a tough, glossy film.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. The base of oil paint gives
   A. Colour only
   B. Thinning
   C. Body, opacity and covering power
   D. Fast drying
   Answer: C. Base gives body and opacity. (Key point: Base)

2. A drier such as litharge
   A. Adds bulk
   B. Gives colour
   C. Thins paint
   D. Speeds up drying of the oil
   Answer: D. Driers speed oxidation. (Key point: Drier)

3. Turpentine as thinner
   A. Makes paint workable and evaporates after application
   B. Gives colour
   C. Stays in the film
   D. Binds pigment
   Answer: A. It evaporates. (Key point: Thinner)

4. Extenders like barytes
   A. Give gloss
   B. Add bulk and reduce cost
   C. Give colour
   D. Speed drying
   Answer: B. Also called adulterants. (Key point: Extender)

## Related in Building Technology

- [Paints, oil paint ingredients, painting woodwork](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Apaints-characteristics-066bh) — Building Technology, chapter 9
- [Pointing, plastering defects, oil paint constituents](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fbuilding_technology%3Apointing-plaster-defects-paint) — Building Technology, chapter 9, asked 2×

## Related in other subjects

- [Ingredients of paint and their role](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fcivil_engineering_materials%3Aingredients-of-paint) — Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 9, asked 5×