Latex
Paint Characteristics & Usage
Oil
Paint Characteristics
Varnish
Characteristics
Enamel
Characteristics
Shellac
Characteristics
Sheen
Characteristics
Latex
Paint Characteristics & Usage
Thins with water: Spills, spatters, brushes, rollers,
etc. cleaned with warm, soapy water.
Dries faster than oil base paints. Most can be re-coated
within four hours.
Low odor. No solvent smell.
Easy to apply.
Use with nylon or polyester brush (not pure bristle),
polyester or synthetic roller covers (not lambs wool)
or flat applicators. (The natural bristles and lambs
wool absorb water in the paint and become soggy.)
Has flat to high gloss range.
For interior or exterior use, depending upon product.
Latex paint can be applied over oil based paints. When
painting over a semi-gloss or gloss surface, dull the
old paint with sandpaper or a dulling solvent first.
Avoid using latex paints when surface is above ninety
degrees or below forty five degrees. High temperatures
may evaporate the paint too quickly and cause poor flow
for an uneven finish. Low temperature may prevent it
from forming a uniform film that will also create an
uneven finish.
Check weather forecast to be sure that rain isn't expected
before the latex paint has had a chance to set-about
two to four hours.
Most latex paints can be stored for at least two years
without the risk of deterioration. However, exposure
to extremes of heat or cold may shorten the paint's
storage life. Severe, prolonged or repeated exposure
to freezing temperatures could cause separation in the
can. Stir to bring back the correct consistency.
Oil
Paint Characteristics
Thins with solvents such as mineral spirits or turpentine.
Brushes, roller covers, and other tools to be cleaned
with solvent, not water.
Dries slower than latex paint. Waiting overnight to
re-coat is necessary.
Higher odor level than latex during application and
drying.
Use pure bristle or polyester brush or lambs wool or
polyester roller.
Has flat to high gloss range.
For interior and exterior use, depending upon product.
Varnish
Characteristics
Solutions of resins in a drying oil. Contains little
or no pigment.
Dries and hardens by evaporation of the volatile solvents,
oxidation of the oil, or both.
Recommended for both outdoor and indoor applications
where a hard, glossy finish is needed for weather protection.
Enamel
Characteristics
Basically a varnish with pigments added. Same basic
durability and toughness of a good varnish.
Produces easy-to-clean surface.
In proper formulation, can be used for interior and
exterior. For the highest quality interior work, an
undercoat is required.
Shellac
Characteristics
Long-standing favorite for finishing wood floors, trim,
and furniture.
Apply in dry, warm air to avoid clouding.
Dries dust free in fifteen to twenty minutes.
Can be used as a pre-staining wash coat to obtain even
stain tone on porous or soft wood such as pine.
Can change tone of an already shellacked surface by
tinting with alcohol-soluble aniline dye.
Instead of re-staining, pigmented shellac (also called
shellac enamel) can be used as a sealant over stained
finishes for a uniform, freshly-painted surface.
Sheen
Characteristics
FLAT.
Lusterless, non-shiny appearance. Most often used on
interior walls, exterior body or walls of homes and
commercial buildings, and associated with interior and
exterior stains.
EGGSHELL.
Slightly higher than "dead" flat. Is usually an enamel
paint. Most often used on interior and exterior walls
and on doors and trim.
LO-LUSTRE.
Low sheen or "satin." Slightly higher than eggshell,
but lower than full semi-gloss. Popular interior enamel
sheen. Most often used in kitchens, baths, and on interior
doors and trim as it's resistant to marking, easy to
clean, and more washable than most flat latex.
SEMI-GLOSS.
Midway between flat and high gloss. Associated with
enamel paint and most often used in kitchens, interior
doors and trim and exterior siding and trim. Very resistant
to marking and easy to clean.
GLOSS/HIGH
GLOSS. Very shiny appearance. Enamel paints. Used
on interior and exterior surfaces. Popular for furniture,
toys, floors, exterior doors and trim. Resists marking
and easy to clean.
