Omya Fillers in the Paint Industry
There are many different mineral fillers used in the surface coatings industry. The main ones are natural, ground calcium carbonate, barium sulphate (barytes), talc, mica, and china clay (kaolin).

The range of extenders available is extremely comprehensive and the correct choice can influence many of the paint properties including gloss, opacity, flow and levelling, durability, film toughness, permeability and rheology.

A good paint technician therefore will try to formulate the paints as cheaply as possible whilst maintaining the quality.Fillers should be used correctly to obtain the full measure of their benefits.

Chemical composition is far less important in determining the influence of extenders on paint formulations than physical characteristics such as particle size and shape, oil absorption, specific gravity and the nature of any surface treatments or calcining.

OMYA fillers such as OMYACARB 1, 2, 5 and 10 are the main fillers used in the Australian paint industry.

Extender properties and selection