Borax and Calcite Modified Water-Based Acrylic Varnish: A Comprehensive Characterization Study

Wood surfaces should be coated in order to protect wooden materials from adverse environmental conditions. In this study, calcite (CaCO3) and borax (Na2B4O7·10H2O) were added to the varnish to increase the protection effectiveness of the water-based acrylic varnish used for protection on fir tree (Abies alba L.) timber. The varnish mixture was applied on the samples with a brush. Rapid aging was applied to the samples with the QUV accelerated weathering tester to determine the surface durability of the samples. After rapid aging, color analysis and Taber abrasion test were performed on the sample surfaces for surface characterization. Then, thetest results were compared with the pre-aging test results. The results were statistically analyzed. The results showed that the addition of filler did not significantly affect color stability after UV exposure (p > 0.05). Abrasion resistance was affected by both the type of filler and the UV treatment. 4 % calcite provided the highest resistance before aging. High filler content reduced UV resistance in some cases. Overall, lower filler ratios (≤ 2 %) resulted in a more balanced performance.