Still looking for clarifications between oil-base and latex primers and paints...?
Question:1. With today's latex paint technology, where latex paint is supposedly more durable and also completely water proof, is oil-base primers and paints obsolete?
2. If not, when and what applications is oil-base primers and paint recommended or more suitable than latex products?
3. The newest latex paint contains acrylic combined with built-in primer, and supposedly has a life time warranty for the house for as long as you own it... which brand is the best paint on the market?
Please respond only if you have actual paint knowledge and/or actual paint experience... please DO NOT respond by telling me to go to a paint store and ask the questions.
Thank you.
Answers:
Today, there are a variety of paints on the market. The newer paints have epoxies,vinyls, and acrylics mixed with different oils and vehicles, which make it possible to paintdifferent surfaces and offer a better paint job. Each paint has specific qualities, characteristics,and uses.
General terms used to identify different types of paint are primers, latex, oil base,alkyd, enamel, and acrylic.Primers. These are used under the finish coat for more even painting and to provide abonding between the undersurface and the top paint finish. Primers are also used on surfacesthat need to be repainted after part or most of the paint has been removed or worn off. Thesurface may need to be scraped and sanded before applying the primer. In addition, there are alot of special primers on the market, which make it possible to paint over plastic, glass, metal,and vinyl. Check to make sure you get the right primer to go over the right surface.It is a good idea to read the label of the top coat paint to make sure it is compatiblewith the primer. Under some circumstances, an extra application of the top coat takes theplace of a primer coat.Primers come in both oil-base and latex. Use latex primer on sheetrock and oil-basedprimers on unpainted wood. Do not use latex primers on bare wood, unless information on thepaint can indicates it will not raise the wood grain. It is the water in the latex paint that raises
the wood grain, making the wood surface rough. Under some circumstances the raised woodgrain is not caused by the paint, it is caused by not sanding the wood smooth.To paint wood paneling, use an oil-based primer over the wood before applying thetop paint coat. If the paneling is vinyl, use a special primer for vinyl before painting. Thisprocedure also applies to painting vinyl wall coverings.Usually concrete does not need priming. If painting new concrete, let it set and age afew months before painting or paint will peel. Before painting, remove the alkaline in theconcrete by cleaning it with muriatic acid. Acetone cleaner maybe used to remove grease andother foreign substances. Both of these chemicals are toxic and should be used with goodventilation and caution. After removing the alkali, fill the concrete or cinder block holes withsome type of filler or use a special heavy body paint that primes, fills, and finishes concrete inone operation. After the filler has dried, paint the concrete with two coats of paint.When painting metal, use a metal primer. There are primers that have additives thatinhibit rust development. Before priming rusty metal, you should remove all the rust. If thereis any rust left, it usually discolors the primer and top paint coat as well as continues tooxidize the metal. After priming the metal, use an oil-based or latex paint for the top coat.You cannot always use a latex paint over a metal primer. Some products that are primed at thefactory, such as some metal doors, will not accept a latex paint. So you have to use an oil-based paint.Latex Paint. Top coat latex paints have been around for a long time. Some of the newlatex paints provide an excellent finish. hey consist of pigments suspended in water, therefore,they are thinned with water instead of mineral spirits or turpentine. You may find a latex paintwith the terms acrylic, vinyl, or rubber-based on the label. These materials are added to thelatex to make it dry faster and make it more durable. Acrylic-based latex paints are fastdrying, washable, durable, and ready to repaint in less than an hour. Some vinyl-based latexpaints are self-priming and fast drying. Rubber-based latex paints are effectively used onmetal and masonry.Advantages of latex paint:comes in gloss, stain, and flat finishes dries quicklyis easy to apply and touch up can apply two coats in one day cleans up easily is non-flammablecan be used on almost any surfaceespecially suited for painting sheetrock spots can be touched up easilysometimes a prime coat is not neededcan often be washed, depending on typeDisadvantages of latex paint:may have to wait 30 days before washing does not clean as well as oil-based paints must be sanded between coats on new woodwork.is not as durable as oil-based paintsmay rust metal sometimes does not adhere to glossy surfacessome brands yellow with timemust be stored where it will not freeze may become brittle and chipgenerally cannot be used on metal and woodOil-based Paints. These paints are very common on the market. They consist of alkydresins thinned with solvents like paint thinner or turpentine.Advantages of oil-based paint:can be purchased from high-gloss to flat finish wall easily cleaned after being painted may resist chips and mars covers some wall imperfections resists stainsmay not need a prime coatDisadvantages of oil-based paint:fades faster than latex paint hard to touch up may become shiny after repeated cleaning can discolor if applied over masonry thinned with a solvent, therefore more costly requires solvent to clean brushes flammablehas an odor when newly appliedEnamel Paint. The term enamel used to mean that the paint dried into a hard shinysurface and cleaned easily. Today, however, the term enamel is less precisely used. Enamel isavailable in oil-based and latex and comes in high-gloss, semi-gloss, or satin finish.WHERE AM I GOING TO PAINT?It is important to consider the kind and condition of the wall surface before selecting apaint. What is on the wall determines whether to sand or prime the surface. The paint surfacealso affects the type of paint you purchase and the number of coats needed.Poor surface preparation is where most paint failures occur. Any time you paint over aglossy, slick, dirty, greasy surface that is not properly prepared, you are asking for paintproblems.Liquid sand paper removes grease, dirt, and dulls the finish so the paint will adhere tothe wall surface. It is easy to use. All you have to do is dampen a cloth with the liquid andwipe the wall surface.Other surfaces that have potential paint problems are cement, paint with mildewgrowth, vinyl, peeling paint, new sheetrock, and new wood. Cement contains alkaline, whichcauses hot spots and burns on the painted surface. This problem is eliminated by washing offthe alkaline with one of the many compounds available for that purpose before painting.Some people think they can cover mildew by just painting. The problem is the mildew has tobe removed before painting or the mildew continues to grow and works up through the newpaint. Trying to paint over vinyl presents some painting problems. Vinyl paneling or vinylwall covering cannot be painted unless the vinyl has been prepared with a special material, which makes it so the paint bonds to the vinyl surface. A flat finished wall can also present apainting problem. If you paint a flat finish onto another flat finish, the paint may appearshinier in some areas. You may need to prime the wall surface and then use a paint with a flatfinish. Peeling paint may mean moisture is under the paint. If there is a moisture problem,determine where the moisture is coming from and eliminate the moisture before repainting.To paint new sheetrock, the first coat should be a latex primer, not an oil-based primer. Thelatex primer lays the sheetrock nap down, resulting in a smooth finish coat. On new wood, usean oil-based primer. This is because the water in the latex causes the wood to swell, therefore,requiring more sanding.WHICH FINISH IS APPROPRIATE FOR MY WALL? Before you can determine which finish is appropriate for your wall, you need to decidehow often you are going to clean your walls. This is one of the factors that determines whichfinish you select.You can determine how much wall cleaning you will do by how much the room isused. Living rooms and bedrooms are not used very much, so they will not need to be cleanedvery often. Halls are used more than living rooms and bedrooms, so they will need a littlemore cleaning. Kitchens, recreation rooms, and bathrooms have large amounts of moisture,grease, and dirt in the air and surfaces in these rooms need to be cleaned often.All paints have a finish and each finish differs in wearability and washability. The typeof finish, therefore, should be considered when selecting the right paint for a specific room.Paint comes in several types of finishes. They are flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. The higher the gloss, the easier it is to wash.Flat paint finishes have no shine and a dull mat finish, which reduces glare andabsorption of fight. Flat paints are best painted on walls and ceilings that need little cleaning.If you need a wall surface that is more washable, select a paint with a little more shine.Eggshell and satin finishes are nearly the same in their degree of shine. They providea dull surface with a light shine. Both are washable. Anything as shiny as or shinier than satinis washable.Semi-gloss paint finishes are between a flat finish and a high-gloss finish. Two coatsof semi-gloss paint make the wall washable and possibly scrubbable. When a paint iswashable it means that you can wash it carefully with soap and water. When a paint isscrubbable, it means you can take a sponge, soap and water, and clean the paint. Semi-glossfinishes are a good choice for walls and ceilings in kitchens, bathrooms, and children’s roomswhere washability is important.High-gloss paint finishes are very shiny and bright. They may however, produce aglare, which shows wall surface imperfections. These finishes are the easiest to clean and areused on the walls and ceilings of kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms where grease andmoisture may present a cleaning problem.
Does this answer your question
Oil-based paint is excellent for outdoor things. Patio furniture, grills, anything that could potentially rust. Latex paint is best for wood (like a patio or deck), dry wall, porous surfaces. I do suggest using gloves with oil-based paint, because it doesn't wash off like latex.
1&2) Oil paint holds up to weather better, and is still much more durable. In commercial applications, you will see oil applied to metals - handrails, hollow metal doors & frames, etc. Even on wood, you might see it applied to doors, door trim, base, and mouldings for the high-gloss, and ability to get dirty/scrubbed clean many more cycles than a latex.
3) As for a "best" paint on the market, most brands are now owned by Sherwin-Williams, so quality of the mixes kind of respond to spending more. As for a lifetime warranty, make sure you keep all of your receipts & paint cans in your garage for the next 30 years :)
Finally, as in all painting/wood finishing...90% of the work is prep.
ok the first answer is a novel but does have alot of good information in it.. the region you are in could also be of some iomportance.. i assume since your asking about being waterproof that this will be going outside and possibly to pain the house.. i have been in construction my whole life and do alot of painting.. but i dont know of a paint that has a lifetime warranty.. depending on how much money you want to spend depends on how long it will last... the better the quality the longer it will be before it fades... also depends on sun exposure and what region of the country you are in..house paint will do different in the north with the colder and more harsh winters than it will in the south where it gets alot hotter.. one region has all the cold and snow and the other has all the heat and humidity..
if you are painting over existing oil based paint then you will either need to use oil base paint to cover it or use a stain killer such as kilz or durons terminator line or somthing along those lines... this will allow you to paint a latex or water based paint over the top of the oil based paint and it wont allow it to bleed and or crack the surface of the new paintng... if you are painting over the top of a latex paint then just make sure the surface is cleaned and you are good to paint.. oil based paint isnt as commonly used anymore since the new technologies with paint have made it so more latex's are a good quality paint... not to mention the fact that with latex paint the cleanup of tools and people and other things is alot easier... if your on a 20' ladder and you spill some on the driveway below you then its easier to clean it with water when you get time rather than with oil itll be alot more work.. so over all ease of use all around latex paint is alot less problems.. and you dont have to be a painter to use it...
depends on the situation as to whether or not i would use a primer... if you tryin to cut costs and use a good topcoat or finish coat then yes you can use a primer BUT have the finish color shot into your primer... they wont tell you that at the store but you can have your primer color matched to the finish color and that will allow you to only have to use one coat of the finish paint... and the colors will match so if you accidently miss a spot it isnt as noticeable.. for me when i paint my house i just use two coats of the finish color and be done with it.. unless im brushing the trim then i use one good thick coat..
i recommend using duron brand or sherwin williams.. which now is the same company but they still have seperate stores ..with duron my lowest grade would be the ultra deluxe line.. i use this everyday in office buildings and it gives you a good finish as well as some life and a good working paint.. on my house i use a better line.. as in weathershield.. im not sure what sherwin williams line is but they are also good.. if your buying from a major store like home depot the behr line isnt bad and glidden is a good paint.. but dont buy the bottom end lines...im not a fan of dutchboy or benjamin moore or the true value brands.. hope this helps you a little...
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