What is red ochre paint and what is it used for?

Magnificent two-tone houses from Ostrobothnia and red barns: the word red ochre immediately brings to mind a traditional rural landscape. Red ochre paint is indeed an important part of the Finnish landscape.

Red ochre paint is easy to recognize by touch: when you rub the surface with your finger, the red ochre comes off as a fine pigment, and it doesn’t crack. But what exactly are red ochre and boiled paints?

A glimpse of history

Red ochre is an earth color pigment, meaning a pigment obtained from the soil. It is iron-rich clay soil that consists largely of iron oxide. Red ochre has been used since ancient times in cave paintings.

In Sweden, red ochre paint was produced hundreds of years ago as a byproduct of mining. For a long time, red was only the color of the city’s most important buildings and upper-class homes: in Finland too, churches were red for a long time. Later, the use of red ochre became more common in Finland, and by the time of the 1952 Olympics at the latest, every cottage along the roads was to be brought up to presentable condition.

Red ochre is a boiled paint

Red ochre paint is a boiled paint: boiled paint is made, as the name suggests, by boiling, and earth colors are used as its pigment. During boiling, the paste formed from starch helps the pigment adhere to the wall surface.

Making red ochre

Red ochre paint is traditionally made from water, iron sulfate, fine rye flour, and red ochre. Additionally, varnish and salt can be used: Varnish helps the paint adhere slightly better to its base, and it darkens the paint color slightly. Salt, on the other hand, extends the shelf life of boiled paint. A metal barrel, for example, is suitable for making it, placed over a fire pit.

Wheat flour can also be used instead of rye flour: the popularity and tradition of rye flour is simply based on the fact that it was readily available. When using rye flour, you must be careful not to let the mixture boil vigorously, or the paint will become watery. Additionally, rye flour needs to be boiled slightly longer than wheat flour. The longer cooking time produces a slightly darker shade, so red ochre paint made from rye flour is slightly darker.

Boiled paint can be made industrially or at home. You can learn more about the exact recipe and cooking instructions, for example, on the Finnish Heritage Agency’s repair card or the Satakunta Museum’s website.

What is red ochre paint used for?

Red ochre paint is suitable for decorating traditional buildings and is also a refreshing choice for newer houses. Red ochre paint can be chosen for unpainted walls or walls previously painted with boiled paint. Red ochre paint doesn’t adhere well to freshly planed surfaces, so a brand-new wall should be left untreated for at least a year. Red ochre paint can only be applied over boiled paint.

Today’s boiled paint selection offers more than just red: paint manufacturers also offer, for example, yellow and green boiled paints.

Painting over red ochre

Red ochre paint usually ages beautifully and is long-lasting. It doesn’t peel off but wears away as if by dusting.

When it’s time to repaint a red ochre wall, it’s safest to repaint the wall with boiled paint. However, for example, Virtanen Paint Factory’s 4 Oil Paint is also suitable over old red ochre, as long as the preparation work is done carefully.

Maintaining a red ochre painted wall

Preparation work includes brushing off old, loose paint and thoroughly cleaning the walls. The old paint surface can produce a lot of dust when brushed, so using a respirator and safety glasses is appropriate.

Surfaces painted with red ochre paint are not washable in the same way as surfaces painted with film-forming paints. Red ochre painted surfaces must be handled carefully. If necessary, a soiled surface can be lightly brushed. Red ochre painted walls should not be washed unnecessarily.

After brushing, the wall is washed with a mold prevention agent according to the selected product’s instructions. After this, you can pick up the brush. We recommend investing in a quality brush that makes it easy to apply a generous amount of paint to the wall at once.

Are you planning red ochre painting or other exterior maintenance for your home? You can trust the work to Väriset’s professionals. We’re happy to come for a free assessment visit.

Check out our customer’s experience painting a red ochre building here!