Latex paint doesn't crack??

[Percival P. Cassidy]

Finally found a "real paint store" that sells Benjamin Moore exterior paint in 5-gallon pails.

Store employee asked what I was planning to paint over -- oil or latex. I replied that I didn't know because it was already on the house when we bought it, and (unlike with many of the interior paints) the previous owner hadn't left any of the exterior paint.

Store employee asked if the existing paint was cracking. I said that it was, and she said, "Then it must be oil based, because latex paints don't crack."

Is that true? So if I prep properly and paint with a 25-year warranty latex, the only reason to repaint within that time would be that we get tired of the color?

Perce

[charlie]

find a different person at that store, or another store.

[Joseph Meehan]

Well maybe their latex does not crack, but if the paint under it cracks it is going to come through. :-)

[Blattus Slafaly]

I don't like paint. I don't use paint.

[ransley]

How old is the house, when the original coat fails because it has not been maintained and cracks you could end up painting it every year with lifetime warranty paint that wont be honored because the under coats are failing , not what you just put on. If you are where it freezes what do you think happens when it freezes at night after it rains, it ruins the base layer. water expands when it freezes. Latex cracks too, you need pro advise at your house from a pro, as you are also missing alot more of the job details.

[Norminn]

It might be possible for latex paint to crack, but I have never seen that. The clerk was probably right. Latex, in my experience, peels with a flexible, filmy character. Latex flexes a little bit on expanding/contracting; oil less. That is why it appears it might be oil.

Is this an old home? Wood siding? Moisture damage? I would expect - and I am not a house painter - that if you scrape all loose paint, clean it properly, prime, it would be ok to use latex. Make sure it is dry when you paint, not in hot sun, and follow all the label instructions.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

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What would you suggest for stripping a whole 100 linear feet or so of

8-ft high plywood siding? I had thought of using a power washer then (after a week's drying time) priming any resulting bare spots, but it sounds as though you would recommend something more drastic than that. Hardipanel (pre-primed) over the plywood? Instead of the plywood? Or just attack the existing plywood with one of those 3M paint-stripper wheels (like a super-aggressive version of ScotchBrite)?

Perce

[ransley]

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I was a pro painter, I just painted my garage door last fall after alot of great scraping over old cracked paint and its cracked again today. I used sherwin williams best paint. My original coats are shot, I should have stripped the doors.

[AZ Nomad]

and don't put latex over enamel without serious prep or it will come off in sheets.

[Norminn]

clipped

Plywood? Warped? Painted inside and out? If it has panels, the wood probably sucks up moisture and expands more.

[<h>]

Bullshit. Latex exterior paint is shit, and all it does is crack. Either find oil base paint or strip it all down to the raw wood and stain it. Since they banned oil base paint (I&#39;m in NY) I&#39;ve been slowly replacing all the siding on my house and staining it. I&#39;m MUCH happier.

[Joseph Meehan]

Good modern latex paint is good, when properly applied. It does not do as well without some care when applying it over existing oil paints. Most people I know who have been disappointed with it have either failed in the prep and application or they used cheap or improper paint for their use.

I don&#39;t mean to indicate that it is better than oil, but it is a second choice and today it is often the only choice.

[ransley]

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Stripping is major work and money, it depends on house age and how many coats especialy of Lead paint. This year why not paint it, wash, scrape , prime and paint and see how well it holds up. slow drying oil primer is best, paint in shade and when wood is not warm from the sun. I have no idea without seeing it if the cracks go to bare wood or how bad it is, hit the cracks with one coat then paint the whole wall.