Paint Selection Basics – Difference between Oil-based and Latex
Commercial and industrial painting are two different industries, but one truth can be said about both. Small elements go a long way in changing the appearance of a place, and paint is surely one of those elements. If you are looking for some less expensive way to transform the appearance of your home or office, simply get the structure painted. But choosing any paint at random and getting it applied won’t have the impact you are looking for. Instead, there are higher chances that the appearance degrades further rather than improving. Quality, color, finish and personal taste are important elements that dominate paint selection. Whether you are looking for commercial painting or personal, there is no ‘best’ paint or ‘perfect’ paint available. The choice of paint that best suits your requirement may not be the same for someone else. The decision of paint chosen depends on requirement of the user, functional use of that space and budget of the owner.
Choosing paint is no just about choosing the color, there are several other choices involved like textures, finishes, bases and others. Whether you are doing paint shopping in Philadelphia or any other city, you will find two basic types of paints – oil-based or latex paint. Before making this choice you need to know basics of these varieties as well as their pros and cons. Until you understand what oil-based and latex paints are, you won’t be able to compare them and analyze what is best suited for your need. Oil based paints are now made with synthetic or natural oils but was first made with linseed oil. They were the only option for paint available until latex paints were introduced. Latex paint, also known as water-based paint, was invented using rubber tree resin as binder. They are now made with man-made resins and synthetic binders.
Here is a basic comparison between oil-based and latex paints –
- Oil-based paints give smooth and glossy finish while latex paints give matte and glossy finish.
- Durability of oil-based paints is higher as it does not get stained easily. Latex paint gets stained easily.
- Cost of oil-based paint varies with the type but it is overall higher than latex paints.
- Latex paints are thin, hence easy to apply and spread. Oil-based paints require more time and care for coating.
- Latex paints are fast dry paints while oil-base paints take longer duration to dry and have strong odor.
- Oil-based paints do not fade away even under direct sunlight. Latex paints start to fade away if exposed continuously to sunlight.
- Oil-based paints are more preferable than latex paints in harsh environments that witness extreme temperature swing.
- In high humidity areas like bathroom, oil-based paints hold up better than latex paints.
- Latex paints are easy to maintain and can be simply wiped clean. Oil-based paints are heavy duty paints and hard to clean up.
- As oil-based paints can be scrubbed, they are often used in areas like kitchen where food splattered on walls can be cleaned off easily.
- Oil-based paint has a strong odor while latex paints are odor free. Hence, latex paints are smart choice for people with respiratory issues or odor allergies.
- Oil-based paints are best option for exterior use while latex paints are preferred for interior use.
With so many choices related to paints available in structure or industrial painting, you may get confused on exactly where to start. Research well, see already painted areas for reference and patiently make a decision. Don’t rush as the choice you make is really important!