When it comes to painting your home, you would first have to work out which one to go in for – water-based paints or oil-based ones, for your home. If you are planning to handle the paint job on your own, then you need to work out the nuances that separate the two. And that’s why it is all the more essential that you review the rest of the article to understand the differences between the two to figure out which suits your needs properly.
Knowing the differences between both can even help save you a bundle in the process.
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Determine what you need to paint your home
When it comes to painting in Auckland, the first thing that you need to determine is the type of paint that’s already on your walls. Knowing this can enable you to zero in on the type of paint you need for applying a brand new coat of paint. Or better yet, even working out the composition of the old paint on your walls can enable you to select a similar composition of paint for your home, along with the preferred shade.
But if you do not have a clue as to what type of paint it is, just soak an old rag with denatured alcohol and rub it on the walls. If it’s water-based paint, you would end up picking up some of the old paint, otherwise, it should become clear that you need an oil-based paint to repaint your home.
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Water-based paints
The other important point that you need to keep in mind is that water-based paints can be used over oil-based ones and not the other way about. And that’s why you may need to use oil-based ones for such areas, such as the foyer, trims, and other similar parts of your home. These are generally called Latex paints, where the pigment and the binder are often used along with water to form the paint.
The advantage of water-based paints is that they happen to be environmentally friendly and are a much better sustainable option rather than oil-based paints. And they happen to dry a lot faster, with better retention and more variety as far as the color options go. They certainly carry fewer odors and offer a better pricing option as well. Just keep in mind that you can use the water-based paints for your exterior walls and some of the interiors as well (depending on the foot traffic) and you can also clean it up easily with just a light detergent and water, that’s it.
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Oil-based paints
Oil-based paints are normally prepared either with linseed oil or an alkyd along with a thinner, to form the paint. They usually tend to be more expensive than water-based paints; apart from this, they tend to be more durable and long-lasting. And this is one of the reasons why most schools and colleges generally opt for oil-based finishes because their institutions tend to see a lot of foot traffic. And that’s why most of them opt for the more durable option.
These are some of the differences between water-based paints and oil-based ones; this information should enable you to choose the right paint for painting your home.
