Kelly-Moore Paints is one of the largest employee-owned paint companies in the US with over 165 stores, 2300 employees and 3 manufacturing facilities. A heritage of paint. We manufacture, distribute, deliver and support a complete line of paint products for residential, commercial and industrial applications. The commitment to service with over 60 years of success is based our dedication to quality products and expert personalized services.

Since 1946, this commitment has earned us the reputation as "The Painter's Paint Store." Ask any professional what matters most in paint, consistency will always top the list. Our laboratories that ensure quality controls for raw materials and finished goods, and produce some of the most technologically advanced paint products available. Full support in the field — our 230 seasoned representatives are a key component of the full-service network KM provides to the professional. Remember, when you enter our stores, you’re talking to the owner!

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Paints: A History Lesson

Today’s paints are safer to use than many of their predecessors, but are much more complex in their composition. The traditional, three-part system of pigment, binder, and vehicle now includes many additives, such as fillers to improve flow and fungal retardants. Along with lead, volatile organic solvents (VOCs) have been greatly reduced or eliminated. The most significant advancements in currently available paints include the use of alkyd oils (derived from soy or safflower) and synthetic resins, such as acrylics and epoxies, in place of traditional linseed oil or animal glue binders.

Historic Paint Types & Ingredients
Paints have traditionally been produced from materials that were readily available in the time and place of their use. (The ingredients used in historic paints were often listed in newspaper advertisements of their era.) Following are brief descriptions of paint types used in the past, along with their components.

Casein: Also referred to as milk paints, casein paints use the protein found in milk as a binder. Oil or other additives may have been incorporated to increase durability. Used for interior and exterior surfaces since ancient times, casein paints reached their peak production during the first half of the 20th century. They are still used in the paper industry and for painting theater scenery.

Glue Distemper: Used on interior surfaces and made from water, animal glue, whiting, and tinting pigments. Glue distempers were used widely in North America from the Colonial period until the mid-20th century. They are inexpensive quick to apply, and easily removed with hot water, but are not durable.

Natural Resin Varnish or Glaze: A translucent layer added on top of a painted surface to create a gloss finish. Usually produced from linseed oil and natural varnish resins, some glazes have pigments added. Oil-resin glazes and varnishes were popular in decorative painting from the mid-17th to the 19th century.

Oil-based Paints: Composed of linseed oil, turpentine, a hiding pigment (frequently white lead), and coloring pigments. Oil-based paints are the most common in historic North American buildings. Linseed oil was most often used as a binder prior to the development of alkyd resin paints in the 20th century. Known for their ease of application and durability, oil paints can also become brittle and yellow with age.

Enamel: Natural resin varnish added to oil-based paints (see above) to produce a harder and glossier surface. Enamel is extremely durable and was often used on woodwork.

Tempera: Also known as egg tempera, this paint was composed of water, whiting, egg yolk, and pigment and used primarily for decorative treatments. The term tempera is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to other water-based paints, such as casein and glue distempers.

Whitewash: Used on interior surfaces in utilitarian spaces or as a coating on structural elements. Whitewash consisted of water, slaked lime, sale, and a variety of other materials. Whitewashes predate oil paints in North American buildings and were widely used until the mid-20th century.

Excerpted with permission from Historic Preservation: Project Planning & Estimating, by Swanke Hayden Connell Architects, published by RSMeans.