Before you begin that paint job for the remodeling of your house, you may need to decide between water-based and oil-based paints. How do you know which is the better choice? Which kind of paint should you use when painting over surfaces already painted? Which paint is best for interior or exterior surfaces?
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued warnings against the adverse health effects of volatile organic compounds found in many paint mixtures. Water-based paints (also called latex paints) have the advantage of emitting fewer volatile compounds than oil-based paints or alkyd paints. Latex paints dry quicker than alkyd paint and provide an elastic, flexible finish that is resistant to cracking. Water-based paints also adhere to surfaces much more neatly and are less likely to retain stroke marks during painting.
When choosing between latex and alkyd paint, you need to consider where the paint will be applied. Latex paint is versatile and dries quickly without giving off toxic fumes, while alkyd paint is best suited for use on doors, cabinets, kitchen surfaces, bathrooms and any surface where a nice, glossy finish is desired.
When painting over any surface that was previously painted with an oil-based paint, make sure that you use paint of the same kind. Latex paint retains moisture and due to its elastic nature is much more likely to expand or contract with changes in the weather. Therefore, if you use a water-based paint to cover an oil-based paint, you run the risk of the undercoat peeling beneath your new Washington DC painting job.
Before painting over an exterior surface that has already been painted, be sure to scrub the surface with a piece of sandpaper or wire brush on it. This will roughen up the gloss enough to allow the layer of paint to better bond with the surface. Using multiple coats of oil-based paint can help protect the surface, but be sure to test a small area first. This should help make your Washington DC remodeling job less of a hassle.
If you are planning to do a Washington DC painting job over an exterior surface that has not yet been painted, then you can go ahead and use a water-based paint. This way, the surface will be able to "breathe", and the exterior paint can better adapt to severe climate changes.
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued warnings against the adverse health effects of volatile organic compounds found in many paint mixtures. Water-based paints (also called latex paints) have the advantage of emitting fewer volatile compounds than oil-based paints or alkyd paints. Latex paints dry quicker than alkyd paint and provide an elastic, flexible finish that is resistant to cracking. Water-based paints also adhere to surfaces much more neatly and are less likely to retain stroke marks during painting.
When choosing between latex and alkyd paint, you need to consider where the paint will be applied. Latex paint is versatile and dries quickly without giving off toxic fumes, while alkyd paint is best suited for use on doors, cabinets, kitchen surfaces, bathrooms and any surface where a nice, glossy finish is desired.
When painting over any surface that was previously painted with an oil-based paint, make sure that you use paint of the same kind. Latex paint retains moisture and due to its elastic nature is much more likely to expand or contract with changes in the weather. Therefore, if you use a water-based paint to cover an oil-based paint, you run the risk of the undercoat peeling beneath your new Washington DC painting job.
Before painting over an exterior surface that has already been painted, be sure to scrub the surface with a piece of sandpaper or wire brush on it. This will roughen up the gloss enough to allow the layer of paint to better bond with the surface. Using multiple coats of oil-based paint can help protect the surface, but be sure to test a small area first. This should help make your Washington DC remodeling job less of a hassle.
If you are planning to do a Washington DC painting job over an exterior surface that has not yet been painted, then you can go ahead and use a water-based paint. This way, the surface will be able to "breathe", and the exterior paint can better adapt to severe climate changes.