Paint, Is there a big difference? FAQ

Sep 18, 2006 85 Replies

If your wood is BONE DRY, and you expect dry warm weather for an entire week after painting (NO rain or dew etc), and these are all non-foot-traffic surfaces (like window trim), and there are no exposed areas of the wood that could absorb moisture (like end cuts that are inaccessible to paint but water could get in there), then go with oil, even though it's messier to deal with.

Otherwise, use a high quality 100% acrylic latex; the glossier the better (as far as durability is concerned; if you need to hide imperfections then less glossy is better).

Exterior latex and I think they're all or virtually all Acrylic today.

They rate exterior paints in the June issue.

I'm confused. California is a brand of paint. It's not that it's sold in California (which it is). It's sold in many states but not all.

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-- jim

consumer reports exterior paints rated:

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These are only latex paints tested on wood. Does CR rate alkyd paints separately, or not at all? Also, most are flat or low-luster. Are those still popular choices?

As far as I know they do not rate alkyd exterior house paint.

-- jim

July 06 issue of CR has some alkyd exterior stains tested. Cabot was top-rated.

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