Latex Paints and Oil-Based Paints

There are three main categories of paint, latex paints, oil-based paints and stains.  Latex paints are water-based and can be cleaned with soap and water.  Oil-based paints and stains are as the name implies, oil-based.  Oil-based paints and stains require special solvents for cleaning, when using oil-based paint or stain it is especially important to make sure you have the correct cleaning solvents brushes and rollers.  Oil-based paints and stains also require special disposal and should not be washed down the drain or dumped down a sewer.

The main advantage to latex paints is how easy they are to clean up and dispose.  Some people might tell you that latex paints are not as good as oil-based paints the finish will not last as long and you will need to repaint more often.  When painting an interior room this is generally not the case.  Most interior paint jobs are refinished because the walls get dirty or the owner chooses to change a color.  Not because the paint has failed.  When it comes to exterior painting oil-based paints may have a longer life, depending on the application.  Many painters today will shy away from oil-based paints because of the difficulty of cleanup and disposal.  A latex paint, properly applied on an exterior job, will last just as long as oil-based paint.  When we say properly applied, this means special attention must be given to surface preparation, which you can read about in the surface preparation section of this website.  If you have a wood siding or shake siding, or a large would deck which requires oil-based paint or stain than that, of course, is the best kind of product to use.

Almost all paint and paint products (brushes and rollers etc) which you buy today will be latex oriented.  If you are choosing to paint with an oil-based paint please make sure to ask for help when selecting brushes, sprayers and rollers so that you get the right tools for the job.