If you or your handyman are going to do home painting, it would be ideal to know the different Pros and Cons of various paint materials that you might use. Here are some of common house paints along with their pros and cons.
Latex Paint Pros:
• Fairly Odorless
• Dilutes with water
• Wash brushes and tools with soap and water
• Dries quickly, you can prime and paint 2 coats in one day
• Preferable for exterior painting as its elasticity is better so it can accommodate weather changes
• Hundreds of colors to choose from
• Readily available in paint and hardware stores
• Inexpensive
Cons:
• Dries too fast for some decorative finishes unless a glazing liquid is added
• Will not adhere to oil-based paint or shiny surface
Oil Paint (Alkyd) Pros:
• Excellent coverage
• Has the delayed drying time necessary for some decorative finishes
• Can be applied over water-based paint
• Readily available in paint and hardware stores
Cons:
• Strong odor
• Dries slowly, each coat takes 24 hours
• Dilutes with paint thinner, never water
• Cleans up with paint thinner
Artist’s Acrylic Paint
Artist’s acrylics are sold by the tube and have the consistency of toothpaste. For decorative painting they are more often used to tint the glazing liquid. They are best used for projects such as a faux tortoiseshell finish, where pure colors lend an air of authenticity to the effect.
Pros:
• Full range of colors including burnt umber, raw sienna, cobalt blue, thalo green, and metallics
• Dilutes with water
• Dries to a hard, scrubbable surface
Cons:
• Expensive
• Not economical for large areas
• Dries quickly unless added to water-based glazing liquid
Artist’s Oil Paint
Artist’s oils are tubes of thick, creamy, concentrated color. Professional painters use these oils to mix their own colors by adding small amounts to an oil-based paint or glazing liquid. Unless you are familiar with the basics of color blending, this is a difficult way to get the color you want…
Pros:
• You do your own mixing, and the color is pure
• Authentic colors for faux marbles and tortoiseshell
Cons:
• Some colors are extremely toxic
• Can only mix with oil-based paint (alkyd) and oil-based glazing liquid
• Expensive
Ceiling Paint
Ceiling paint is a less expensive, lower-quality paint that comes in latex or alkyd, with a matte or flat finish perfect for ceilings. But marks and finger prints show up easily, so never use ceiling paint on walls. You cannot apply a paint finish over ceiling paint because the paint is extremely porous, and the paint finish will sink into the surface.
Latex Paint Pros:
• Fairly Odorless
• Dilutes with water
• Wash brushes and tools with soap and water
• Dries quickly, you can prime and paint 2 coats in one day
• Preferable for exterior painting as its elasticity is better so it can accommodate weather changes
• Hundreds of colors to choose from
• Readily available in paint and hardware stores
• Inexpensive
Cons:
• Dries too fast for some decorative finishes unless a glazing liquid is added
• Will not adhere to oil-based paint or shiny surface
Oil Paint (Alkyd) Pros:
• Excellent coverage
• Has the delayed drying time necessary for some decorative finishes
• Can be applied over water-based paint
• Readily available in paint and hardware stores
Cons:
• Strong odor
• Dries slowly, each coat takes 24 hours
• Dilutes with paint thinner, never water
• Cleans up with paint thinner
Artist’s Acrylic Paint
Artist’s acrylics are sold by the tube and have the consistency of toothpaste. For decorative painting they are more often used to tint the glazing liquid. They are best used for projects such as a faux tortoiseshell finish, where pure colors lend an air of authenticity to the effect.
Pros:
• Full range of colors including burnt umber, raw sienna, cobalt blue, thalo green, and metallics
• Dilutes with water
• Dries to a hard, scrubbable surface
Cons:
• Expensive
• Not economical for large areas
• Dries quickly unless added to water-based glazing liquid
Artist’s Oil Paint
Artist’s oils are tubes of thick, creamy, concentrated color. Professional painters use these oils to mix their own colors by adding small amounts to an oil-based paint or glazing liquid. Unless you are familiar with the basics of color blending, this is a difficult way to get the color you want…
Pros:
• You do your own mixing, and the color is pure
• Authentic colors for faux marbles and tortoiseshell
Cons:
• Some colors are extremely toxic
• Can only mix with oil-based paint (alkyd) and oil-based glazing liquid
• Expensive
Ceiling Paint
Ceiling paint is a less expensive, lower-quality paint that comes in latex or alkyd, with a matte or flat finish perfect for ceilings. But marks and finger prints show up easily, so never use ceiling paint on walls. You cannot apply a paint finish over ceiling paint because the paint is extremely porous, and the paint finish will sink into the surface.