The Differences Between Oil Based Paint And Latex Based Paint

While latex paint is definitely the more popular paint choice among homeowners, oil paint does exist and some of you may be wondering what’s best for my home? There are disadvantages and advantages to both types of paint products so to help you select the best option for your home, here are some useful guidelines:

 

Latex Based Paint (A.K.A. Water Based Paint) Pros:

Latex, also known as water based paint is a much safer alternative when painting the interior of your home. First, it’s less odorous and much better for the environment. Cleaning up latex based paint is much easier and safer as you only need to use soap and water to wash brushes and other paint tools. However it’s important to note that paint should not be washed in a sink that has a garbage disposal. No matter the type of paint, they can all significantly damage your kitchen’s garbage disposal.

 

Latex or Water Based Paint Cons:

The only disadvantages of latex based paint is that surfaces will mostly require two coats of paint. The good news though is that latex dries much faster than its oil counterpart, meaning a whole room can be finished in a day.

 

Oil Based Paint Pros

First, oil based paint products go on to surfaces very smoothly and often only require one coat, which means you could save money on paint. It also holds up very well in high traffic areas because of its thick properties. However, when it comes to oil based paint it seems that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

 

Oil Based Paint Cons

Oil based paint is very potent and the fumes from the paint can be overwhelming and dangerous. Additionally, this type of paint is more likely to crack and chip overtime because if you’re painting a wood surface, let’s say, when that wood naturally expands oil based paints won’t expand with it. Another huge disadvantage is the fact that in order to clean any brushes used with oil based paint you need to purchase chemical solvents that are dangerous. These solvents must be managed carefully to reduce any negative health and environmental effects. Also, oil based paint should never be poured down a drain. There are many hazardous waste collection sites that will accept old paint so you can dispose of it that way.
We always recommend a latex based paint for your interior painting projects. If you still have more questions give us a call! To set up a painting job click here for a free quote