Caren Goodrich art

FAQs about using Floetrol in your acrylic paint pouring

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Fluid acrylic paint pouring has been getting more and more popular in recent years and we can see why!

Using Floetrol in your acrylic paint pouring helps to create beautiful strong ‘cells’ and allows for paint to move easier on the canvas. Take a look at these beautiful examples;

Floetrol used in acrylic paint pouring

Floetrol used in acrylic paint pouring

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These beautiful pieces were created by artist Asha Tank, with the helping hand of Floetrol.

Floetrol is a paint conditioner that is traditionally used to help alleviate the appearance of brush and roller marks when painting your walls.

However, we have had many artists asking us lots of questions regarding the use of Floetrol in their art projects, so we thought we would let you all know the answers to the most commonly asked questions.

Can Floetrol be used with acrylic paints? Specifically artists’ acrylics?

Floetrol can be used with any water or acrylic based paints.

Will Floetrol yellow or change the hue of the paint over time?

No

Once cured/dry, should we expect any changes in future? With artwork we like to be sure work is archival in a sense, and whilst this is not an artists material… can we assume the product is inert once dry?

No, Floetrol will not change overtime. Any changes that do occur will be due to the natural ageing of the paint.

Is it safe to heat/torch Floetrol when working?

Floetrol is non-flammable so should be safe to heat/torch when working.

Should we be worried about any fumes or skin contact in general?

When used as is there is no concern needed regarding the fumes and skin contact when using Floetrol, what I can’t guarantee is the lack of fumes when heating/torching Floetrol as this is new area of use for the product and is not something that it has been tested for. As with any item/product that is being heated/torched all necessary safety precautions should be taken.

Will it chalk or flake over time?

No. Floetrol will not chalk or flake but it cannot stop the paint from doing that.

Is there anything that should not be mixed with Floetrol?

Floetrol should only be mixed with water or acrylic based paints. It may also be mixed with paints where acrylic and oil have been blended together. However, for these types of paints, a test should be carried out to check for compatibility and ideally it should be established whether it is an Acrylic/Alkyd paint or Alkyd /Acrylic paint mix and the order in which it is written often determines which medium is the greater in the paint.

Will using higher ratios of Floetrol than those recommended for house paints have any negative or long-lasting effects? (for example, mixing 50:50 acrylic paint to Floetrol, 1 part Acrylic paint to 3 parts Floetrol or 1 part Acrylic paint to 4 parts Floetrol)

It will not have any negative or long-lasting effects. However, you may find that adding more than the recommended values that the paint may start to become opaque. Whether this is a negative or not I guess is determined by what the artist wishes to achieve.

Is there a shelf life to Floetrol?

Floetrol has a shelf life of one year in its original unopened packaging, once opened it is not possible for us to give it a definite shelf life as there are too many variables, however assuming that the Floetrol is kept in the right storage conditions then you should find it still good to use after 12 months.

What about once mixed with paint?

It will last for as long as the paint lasts.

Are there any surfaces you shouldn’t use Floetrol on?

Other than a silicone surface there are no surfaces that we are aware of that you cannot use Floetrol on.

Using it as directed, how soon should you expect to have to repaint where it was used as an additive?

As soon as the paint required a repaint.

Does Floetrol change the sheen of the paint, or dull the colours in any way?

Water/acrylic-based gloss paints that have a gloss level of 70% or greater may have their sheen level reduced slightly, other than that it will have no effect on the sheen level of paint.

When was Floetrol launched?

It was originally launched in 1974.

So there you have it, a nice little list of the most common questions we get asked about Floetrol.

We hope this is of help, however, if you have any further queries regarding the use of Floetrol, then please, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Images and questions courtesy of Asha Tank

Owatrol Team
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54 thoughts on “FAQs about using Floetrol in your acrylic paint pouring”

    1. Hello Sirpa,

      Thank you very much for your query.

      Yes we have Floetrol in both Greece and Finland.
      For Greece you can get in touch with our Sales Agent Mr. Orestis – his email is: ory@otenet.gr
      Or, for Finland, you would need to get in touch with Mr. Ilpo Jousimaa – his email is: ilpo.jousimaa@bogenland.com

      I hope this was helpful to you – please don’t hesitate to contact us again in future should you have any more questions.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hi there Josephine,

      Thank you for your query.
      I’m not certain that Floetrol is available in Malta, however, I have the contact details for the sales agent out there who will be able to assist you further on this matter:

      Name: Mr. Oleg
      Number: +356 79 970 970
      Email: owatrol@go.net.mt

      If they do not hold Floetrol, there is a chance he could potentially get it shipped to you from a neighbouring country.

      I hope this information is helpful to you.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

  4. Could you please tell me if Floetrol is available (and under what name) in Turkey, and who distributes it?

    Thanks very much

    Alex

    Reply

    1. Hi there Alex,

      Thank you very much for your query.
      One of our sales agents in Turkey, who works for Shible, is surveying the option to bring Owatrol Easy Flow (it is Floetrol branded outside of Europe) to Turkey.

      The contact details for the sales agent are:
      Name: Mrs. Fahriye Akçal
      Number: +90 (543) 496 11 75
      Email: fahriyeakcal@shible.net

      She may be able to assist you further and get some shipped to you from a neighbouring country.

      I hope this information is helpful to you.

      All the very best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hi Fiifi,

      Thank you for your recent query regarding Floetrol’s availability in Ghana.
      Sadly, we do not currently have a distributor in Ghana, however, I have passed your information onto someone who might be able to help in getting some shipped to you.

      I hope this was helpful.

      All the very best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    2. Can you also provide the contact information. I am in Ghana and have not found Floetrol here. I’ve asked at every paint store.

      Reply

      1. Hi there Kathy,

        I have passed your information on to Head Office and they should be in contact with you soon.

        All the best,
        Th Owatrol Team

        Reply

    1. Hi Aneta,

      Thank you for your recent query regarding Floetrol.
      We are happy to inform you that Floetrol is available in Sweden!

      Our distributor in Sweden is as follows:

      Contact person: Ulf
      Address: Vattengatan 1, 702 27 Örebro
      Tel: +4619446485
      Mobile: +46733857353
      Website: http://www.owolja.se

      I hope this is helpful.

      All the very best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hi there Rasha,

      Thank you very much for your query.

      I can confirm that we have a stockist in Germany who sells Floetrol and their details are as follows;

      Name: Mr Oliver Werner
      Phone number: +49 (0)4193 754020
      Email address: o.werner@innoskins.de

      I hope this is helpful. If you have any other queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us further.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hi Helena,

      Thank you for you query regarding the price of Floetrol.
      We can see that there is one seller in the UK on eBay that currently sells 1l Floetrol for 45p less than we do.
      We sell our products at the Recommended Retail Price (RRP), so other sellers / companies may be able to sell the products for less than the RRP if they have less over heads etc.

      I hope this is helpful and answers your query – If you have any further questions, please do not hesistate to contact us further.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

  9. why is Floetrol SO expensive and difficult to find in Dublin Ireland?? I am shocked and disappointed that in the USA it costs so little but for me it is €38 a gallon…

    Reply

    1. Hi Clare,

      Unfortunately we don’t have any control over pricing or availability of Owatrol products as Owatrol UK only ship within the UK and and not to The Republic of Ireland. For information about Owatrol distribution in your area please contact your distributor. The details can be found here https://owatrol.com/en/our-distributors/.

      Many thanks,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hi Lakshmi,

      Thank you for your query regarding the availability of Floetrol.
      I am afraid we do not have a distributor of Owatrol Floetrol in India, however, we do have a distributor in Dubai which is the closest country to you and they may be able to assist you in getting some shipped over to you.

      The details for the Dubai distributor are:
      Tel. : +971503005963 / +971566457210
      Email : sales@almutlaqgroup.com

      I hope this was helpful and wish you the best of luck.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hello Angvic,

      Thank you for your query. You can find Owatrol products in Portugal here:

      OWATROL IBERIA
      Travesera de Gracia 62, 1e-5e
      08006 Barcelona
      España

      Tél. : +34 931 258 868
      Fax : +34 931 060 213
      Email : info@oiberia.com
      Website : http://www.oiberia.com

      I hope this was helpful.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

  12. Where can I get Floetrol for my acrylic painting? I live in Almuñecar Spain . Closest bigger towns is Motril Malaga and Granada. Or from where to order?

    Reply

    1. Hi Irene,

      Thank you for your query regarding Floetrol.

      We can confirm that we have a distributor in Spain. It is not close to you but they will ship it out to you.
      Their details are as follows:

      OWATROL IBERIA
      Travesera de Gracia 62, 1e-5e
      08006 Barcelona
      España

      Tél. : +34 931 258 868
      Fax : +34 931 060 213
      Email : info@oiberia.com
      Website : http://www.oiberia.com

      Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Owatrol-Iberia-273677293122829/?ref=br_rs

      I hope this was helpful.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

      1. Hi Rogerio,

        We apologise that Floetrol is expensive to get shipped over to you in Portugal.
        I have passed your details on to the international head office to see if there is anything they can do for you.

        All the best,
        The Owatrol Team

        Reply

  13. So from all your above answers re Floetrol, we’re all those statements about Flood Floetrol, or only in relation to Owatrol products? Is there a big difference or perceivable difference between Flood Floetrol, as to Owatrol? Or are they the same thing?

    Reply

    1. Hi Laureen,

      Thank you for your query.

      I can confirm that these answers are correct only for Owatrol Floetrol.
      We cannot comment if Flood Floetrol will give you the same desired effect as Owatrol Floetrol as we do not know what Flood Floetrol consists of.
      We can say that we have heard from many customers that they prefer Owatrol Floetrol over Flood as it is much better at delivering the effects that they want to achieve in their paint pouring.

      I hope this answer was helpful – please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any further questions.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

  14. I bought my Owatrol on Amazon UK and it has just arrived.
    However all the instructions are in – I think – Dutch.
    I will be using the Owatrol for my Acrylic Painting, the same way as Flotarol, which I have never used.
    Where can I get English instruction pacifically for acrylic painting.
    Thank you
    Anne Hunt

    Reply

    1. Hi Anne,

      Thank you for your query.

      Owatrol is a product that is sold world wide and as such, can be found in many countries. There are various sellers on Amazon.co.uk that sell Owatrol products, however, these are 3rd party sellers that have purchased the products and are re-selling them.
      It can be confusing considering the name of the sellers would suggest that it is coming from us, but this is not the case.

      We recommend you purchase products directly from us, or from our Authorised Partners list, which you can find here: https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/authorised-partners/
      This is because you will receive an extra level of customer service and after care. Products purchased from other sources will not be covered by the same support and after-care systems.

      We do not have instructions for acrylic paint pouring as most artists like to use varying amounts of Floetrol, depending on the look they are trying to achieve.
      We are aware that there are many Facebook pages and YouTube videos that may be able to help you further. For instance, there is a Facebook group called, “Paint Pouring People” that is very popular and has people posting to it every single day.

      I hope this answer was helpful, please do not hesitate to contact us again should you require further assistance.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hi Alina,

      We have a distributor in Romania that may be able to assist you.
      Their details are as follows:

      S.C. Dejmark Partners SRL
      Str. Cernat nr 27.
      525400 Targu Secuiesc
      Judeţul Covasna
      România

      Tél. : +40 0734 542 253
      Email : info.ro@dejmark.com
      Website : http://www.dejmark.ro

      I hope this is of help to you.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

  16. Hello! I live in Malaysia now and cannot find the Flietrol here.
    Do you have any distributors in that country?
    Also same question about Russia as I’m going for a summer there and can buy floetrol there if find.

    Reply

    1. Hi Julia,

      Thank you for your query.

      I am afraid to say that we do not currently have any distributors in either Malaysia or Russia, however, if you speak with the team over at Owatrol international they may be able to assist you.
      Their email address is; info@owatrol.com

      I hope this is helpful.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hi Lesley,

      Flood Floetrol and Owatrol’s Floetrol are not the same product, no, and they are manufactured separately by different companies. We cannot comment if Flood Floetrol will give you the same desired effect as Owatrol Floetrol as we do not know what Flood Floetrol consists of.

      We can say that we have heard from many customers that they prefer Owatrol Floetrol over Flood as it is much better at delivering the effects that they want to achieve in their paint pouring.

      You can purchase Owatrol’s Floetrol in the UK by ordering direct from our website here: Buy Floetrol. I hope this answer was helpful – please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any further questions.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hi Jane,

      Thank you for your query.
      I’m afraid we do not have a distributor in Western Australia, however, we do have one in East Australia should this be of any help.
      Their details are as follows:

      ‘Huehn & Partners’
      ABN 75077287953
      PO Box 227
      Cannonvale QLD 4802
      Australia

      Email: w.huehn@owatrolasiapacific.com
      Website: https://www.deksolje.com.au/

      I hope this is useful – please don’t hesitate to contact us should you require further assistance.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hi Jay,

      Thank you for your query.

      We have a distributor in Cyprus and their details are as follows:

      SPANIAS Hardware
      Cyprus engineering stores (Nicosia)
      25 kalamon street
      2032 Nicosia
      Cyprus

      Tél. : +357-22467467
      Mobile : +357-97794493
      Fax : +357-22467466
      Email : stefanos@spanias.com
      Website : http://www.spanias.com

      I’m not sure if they stock Floetrol but if they do not, they may be able to order it in for you.

      I hope this answer was helpful.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hi Sherif,

      Thank you for your query.

      Sadly, Floetrol is not currently available in Egypt. However, it is available in Israel and they may be able to get some shipped over to you.

      Should you wish to contact them, their details are as follows:

      SUNDECK LTD
      33 BEN GURION ST.
      HERZELIYA
      Israel

      Tél. : +97299517338
      Email : info@sundeck.co.il
      Website: http://www.sundeck.co.il

      I hope this was of help.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hi Bhagyashree,

      Thank you for your query regarding the availability of Floetrol.
      I am afraid we do not have a distributor of Owatrol Floetrol in India, however, we do have a distributor in Dubai which is the closest country to you and they may be able to assist you in getting some shipped over to you.

      The details for the Dubai distributor are:
      Tel. : +971503005963 / +971566457210
      Email : sales@almutlaqgroup.com

      I hope this was helpful and wish you the best of luck.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

    1. Hi Viveca,

      Owatrol Floetrol is a water based paint conditioner that can be used with acrylic paint pouring as a pouring medium.
      I’m afraid we do not know about about using latex based products as we do not stock this type of product.

      I hope this was helpful.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

  24. Hi Owatrol
    I want to use Floetrol with vinyl paint (Flashe from Lefranc & Bourgeois). Flashe has a lovely matte surface which I really like.
    How glossy is the Floetrol medium?
    What would you do to achieve a matte surface once a floetrol-mixed painting had dried?
    Or can can this be achieved by mixing something in the medium? Like alcohol?

    Reply

    1. Hi Helena,

      Floetrol does not change the qualities of the paint at all, so doesn’t give any type of finish (gloss, matte etc) nor change the colour of the paint.
      I’m afraid we do not stock anything that would create a matte finish for your art work and so sadly this is something you may need to experiment with.
      There are quite a few Facebook and Instagram pages (such as https://www.facebook.com/groups/paintpouringpeople/) that may be able to assist you further.

      Apologies that we could not be of more help.

      All the best,
      The Owatrol Team

      Reply

  25. is Owatrol Floetrol latex based…or water based? I’m in the United States and our Flood Floetrol is latex based. Where can I get the Owatrol Floetrol? Thank you for this article on acrylic pouring.

    Reply

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