What are the Characteristics of Oil Based Paint?

There are basically two types of paint that your Addison, IL painting contractors will choose for your painting project. Those two types are latex based paint and oil based paint. Each type of paint has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Pros of Oil Based Paint

Perhaps one of the best benefits of oil based paint is that the painting contractor can apply it in cold weather. If you have a winter job that simply must be done, oil based paints can be applied in temperatures under 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Oil based paint is a non-breathable sealer. This means it must be applied over a perfectly dry surface. If there is moisture on the surface, it will try to exit through the oil based paint surface, causing cracking in the paint surface. This is why prep work is so important. The oil based paint will take 6 to 8 hours to be dry to the touch. However, it will require 24 hours to dry before a second coat is applied. While this is necessary for optimum paint adhesion, it does mean that insects and dirt may stick to the wet surface.

Painting contractors in Addison will tell you that oil based paints are the most useful for irregular surfaces, such as shiny or weathered surfaces, or dirty surfaces that cannot be cleaned any further. Oil based paints are sticky and elastic. The painters will have to stretch the paint onto the surface, and work it in. It does, however, adhere to questionable surfaces better than latex does, and can stand up to abrasion better.

Cons of Oil Based Paints

In general, your Addison painting contractors will tell you that oil based paints, while having certain benefits, have some very definite negatives. A downside of oil based paint is the fact that leftover paint is considered toxic waste, according to regulations at both state and federal levels. It, therefore, costs much more to recycle and recover oil based paints.

Oil based paints technically never dry. When they do finally completely dry out, the surfaces becomes chalky, losing its color intensity and becoming cracked.

Since oil based paints are so sticky, they are harder to apply. Yes, they can be applied over less prepared surfaces, but the amount of work required to apply oil based paints may drive up the cost of your paint job, even if the prep work is not as extensive.

For quality painting contractors in Addison, IL, contact Pristine Painting. Pristine Painting serves Addison and the surrounding area, including:

• Dupage County

• Addison

• Bloomingdale

• Downers Grove

• Lisle

• Milton

• Naperville

• Wayne

• Wheaton

• Winfield

• York

• McHenry

• Schamburg

• Kane County

• Montgomery