Oil vs Latex Paint for Exterior Painting - Everything You Need to Know

If you are planning to carry out a painting project on the exterior of your home, workplace, or any building in general and uncertain of what type of paint would be a perfect choice, this article is for you. Or perhaps you only want enough details on the two commonly used types of paints, you are in the right place.

It does not matter whether it is a DIY project or you are giving out the job to a professional. It is good to know the type of paint that would fit your project so that you can make better decisions and get the right value for money. Now, let’s go into detail about the two types of paints and see which would better suit your project.

Getting to Know Oil-based Paint and Latex Paint

As earlier mentioned, oil paints and latex paints are the two most commonly used types of paints for exterior paintings. But some of the questions you may have concerning the two are: what is latex paint used for? Is it better to use oil or latex paint for exterior wood? What are the pros and cons of oil-based paint? What are the advantages of latex paint?

In the past, oil-based paints used to take the upper hand over latex paint because of its advantages which will be discussed later. But as painting trends and technology change, latex paints are now becoming everyone’s favorite. This also is due to the advantages of latex paints which will be discussed later.

Difference between Oil-based Paints and Latex based Paints

To understand why latex-based paints have now taken over oil-based paints and why despite this you may still want to hop for the latter, it is important to understand the difference between the two. Oil paints (also known as alkyd) are based on oil. They typically consist of particles of pigment that are suspended in a drying oil, and the common drying oil is linseed oil.

Latex paint (also known as water paints or acrylic paints) on the other hand typically consists of water with glycols or glycol ethers as a solvent. The “latex” in the name of these types of paints should however not be confused with the rubber plant type of latex. This “latex” refers to the resin of the paint.

Moving on, it is time to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the two, and why you may want to go for one over the order.

Pros and Cons of Oil-based paints

Pros

• High viscosity, which means it requires fewer coats than latex
• You get a hard finish that will last for a long time
• Water-resistant. This will prevent water from penetrating the surface on which it is applied
• It gives the surface a nice finish

Cons

• It’s a lot harder to work with when compared to its counterpart, latex. Unless you are a professional or you’ve used oil paint a few times, you are not going to find it a lot easy like latex. This could be because latex is common these days anyway.
• It requires more effort to clean up. Even after the job is done, you will need paint thinner to get your tools and anything that might have been spotted during the painting cleaned.
• Strong odor, which may make it inconvenient for some to work with
• It is not so good for the environment, most especially when improperly disposed
• The stickiness and thickness make it more energy-demanding compared to latex.

Pros and Cons of Latex

Pros

• Compared to oil, latex paints are easy to work with and apply
• It dries faster
• Due to its composition, it is resistant to the effect of direct sunlight or high heat
• It is not hazardous to the environment and it poses no health risk
• Clean up is a lot easier, as it only requires water. Though, when it stays too long on objects, you may need to do a little scrubbing
• It is a more suitable option for a DIY project
• Coating the exterior of a building with a latex type of paint gives it a smooth and uniform look

Cons

• It is not so good for wooden surfaces
• With latex paints, a double coat is usually required for the perfect look. The first lays the foundation and the second brings out the actual beauty.

Get Experts to Fix it up for You.

There are some subtle disparities between Oil Paint and Latex and It takes a professional to figure it out and apply it effectively. Experts will ensure the right decisions are made for your home as they understand how it rhymes with the interior décor. Due to the many years of expertise, Professionals can also get it done beautifully and as fast as possible. This saves you from having to waste loads of time and you may not also get it right after all the effort.

NOTE: There are exterior latex paints that are recommended for use on the outside of a building. These differ from normal or interior latex paints as they are made for the purposes specified by their respective names.

Conclusion

As a result of the development latex-based paint has undergone over the years, it now possesses some qualities that make it the standard for exterior painting. However, if the exterior portion is made of iron or weathered wood, oil paint will be the best option. From the pros and cons of both, you should be able to decide which would best suit your project. The fact that latex paints are the most commonly used doesn’t always make them the best option. There is no better time to get professional crews to help you fix it all up than now.

Get Spectra Painting Contractors Today!!!