Oil-Based Painting 101 – What You Should Know Beforehand
Painting with Oil-based paint is simple but not easy. There are some tips and ideas you need to know beforehand for you to get the desired results.
- Slow Drying.
Engaging in the slow drying of oil-based paints is notorious, majorly because one constantly has to sit back and wait for paint to dry. 8 hours is the least amount of time for which the oil based paints can take to dry, unlike the latex paint that takes about 2 hours before the recoating process begins. The whole idea of this slowing down the process may sound problematic. The advantage here is that the slow drying process creates a smoother finish by allowing the oil-based paint to flow, allowing brush marks to level out on the surfaces hence the smooth finish.
- Excellent ventilation.
The kind if ventilation needed for oil-based paint is much better than that required when working with the latex paints. An open window and a fan in the doorway to allow fresh air into the room is a requisite. The high VOC content in the oil-based paint is much greater than in the latest paint and thus, the need for excellent ventilation.
- Yellowing in the darker areas.
The use of oil-based paints in the more shaded regions of the house such as the closets leads to yellowing of the paints. The light colored ones are also notorious for turning yellow as they age and when used in the dark areas. The remedy to this is just exposing the paint to sunlight, and the yellow color tends to fade away. Today’s oil based paint colors have improved color retention abilities, but they still turn yellow.
- Prone to mildew.
An outside use of the oil-based paints leads to the attraction of the mildew. The paints containing high amounts of linseed oil are the most popular when it comes to mildew attractions.
- The particular type of brush is a requirement.
The oil based paints require a unique kind of brush and many at times it needs a different brush from the latex based paints. In as much as some types work well with both the latex and oil based paints, the natural bristled brush works very efficiently for the oil-based paint. Be sure to order the particular type of brush.
- Hard finish.
The hard and durable finish of the oil-based paint on enamel paint is an aspect paint that manufacturers always try to achieve with latex paint. The oil based enamel paint is best suited for the moldings, trims, and doors with no other paint suitable enough to substitute it.
The sticking aspect of the latex paint is also not a problem with it based on the hard finish also making it suitable for the windows as well. The flexibility of the oil based paint is tiny compared to that of the latex paint and hence the chipping and cracking as it ages. The irregular surface expansion, as well as the temperature fluctuations, usually leads to the eventual cracking.
- Difficulty to clean up.
The cleanup activity of the oil-based paint is more involving compared to the latex paint. It is impervious nature to water calls for the use of mineral spirits or a paint thinner to clean the brushes.
To use mineral spirits;
- Excellent ventilation is a necessity.
- The used ones are disposed into a metal container that is sealable.
- Repeat the process until the eventual mineral spirit is bright and the brush is clean.
- Due to the hazardous nature if the cleaners, they are to be disposed at drop offs of the hazardous waste.
Another thing about the water and oil based paints is that they can and will never mix. This not about mixing the water and oil based paints into a can but if applying an oil based paint on a latex one then priming is a must on the latex paint.
The contraction and expansion rates of the two paint differ significantly and as such addition of the oil based on the latex paint without prior priming leads to an eventual and very fast falling off of the top paint due to the underneath flexing of the latex paint affecting the lately added oil based paint.
It is possible to have a latex paint on the oil-based paint without priming and still achieve great results, but it is a gamble. Priming is necessary to be safe and whenever one is switching from one particular type of paint to another.
