When doing house painting in Pleasanton there comes a time when you will need to decide which type of paint are you going to use. There’s the latex or water-based paints, and oil-based paints. Deciding is not as easy as it seems, at first. The following factors will help you in making up your mind if you’ll choose for latex or oil-based.
First, let’s go to the oil-based paint. Before the advent of water-based paints, oil-based paints had already been around for a long time. They were the only paint choice. Oil-based paints easily bond to any kinds of surface. One coat of an oil-based paint is usually enough to provide sufficient coverage. Since an oil-based paint takes time to dry, it allows smoothness to the finished product. Oil-based paint is not easily affected by water or any other moisture; it can be used even when there’s a chance of rain. An oil-based paint usually provides a smooth and glossy finish, so it is ideal for painting rooms that have high traffic such as bathrooms, kitchens and children’s playrooms.
Despite all the pros, there are also negative aspects to using oil-based paints. Since the paint’s base is oil, chemicals are needed to clean it up. It must also be disposed of properly as a hazardous material. Oil-based paints also emit a very strong odor, and could be flammable if the area is not ventilated properly. Plus, it dries rather slowly, taking an average of 12 to 24 hours, or even more, before the paint is completely dry. After a year of applying oil-based paint on a surface, the paint may discolor. Discoloration or yellowing of a surface will surely affect any paint color you’ve chosen. Surfaces coated with an oil-based paint will become brittle over time, resulting in chips and cracks, as well as flakes and peeling.
Latex-based paints, on the other hand, are a relatively recent innovation but it has become a front-runner. Since latex is water-based, it is definitely much easier to be cleaned up, since only soap and water are the preferred cleaning methods. Latex paints don’t smell as strongly and aren’t as flammable as oil-based paints, although good ventilation is still a must when painting a room. Water-based paints don’t yellow, and can be painted over a variety of surfaces. Usually latex paints are much cheaper than oil-based paints, and are more environmentally safe to use.
However, there are also a number of cons with using latex paint. Since it dries quickly, it can be a problem when trying to get a smooth finish or cleaning up errors. It also doesn’t adhere to surfaces as well as an oil-based paint does, although there are latex paints with acrylic binders available that will solve the problem. Latex paint also doesn’t have much a shiny finish like an oil-based paint does. It is quite easily washed with water, that’s why latex paint isn’t recommended for painting outdoors especially when there’s a chance of rain. Some feel latex paint doesn’t provide as much as coverage as an oil-based paint does. To solve this problem a primer is needed to help the surfaces bind to the paint much better.
Choosing between a latex paint and an oil-based paint is a difficult decision to make when you start house painting. However, if you exactly know what your house needs judging from the factors above, you’ll get the product that is best for your house. Whether you choose an oil-based paint or latex, the most important thing is that the paint you purchase is of premium quality that will last for years when house painting in Pleasanton.