There are three main components that make up paint. The binder is the main component and it can be synthetic or natural. Synthetic binders are latex or acrylic and an example of a natural binder is linseed oil. The binder is what determines the durability and flexibility of the paint. The solvent gives the paint its liquid form; whether that is water or oil based. And pigment simply adds color.
Choosing the right type of paint for New Jersey exterior painting is the key to a successful final product. There are many different types of paints to choose from and the right one for the job will depend on what is being painted, how it is applied and how long you want it to last.
Latex paint is durable and dries quickly. This is a great type of exterior paint for novices to start out with. It is very easy to apply to a surface and easy to clean up as well. It does not need to be thinned and can be easily applied using either a brush or a roller. However, you must guard against spreading it out too much or you’ll end up with very thin spots. One advantage to using latex paints for exterior painting projects is that it is naturally resistant to mildew.
Acrylic paint is really another type of latex paint. It is thinned out with water and will dry much faster than other types of paints. It can be used on many different types of building materials. Acrylic paints can also be used on masonry and metal if it is primed properly.
Alkyd paints are synthetic resin paints. It is a little thicker than latex paints which makes it a little more difficult to apply. It has most of the same properties that oil based paints have but it dries much quicker. It covers an area very well and can be used over old alkyd or oil based coats.
Oil paints can take up to 48 hours to dry. Many people do not like using oil based paints for residential house painting. Partly because of the length of time it takes to dry. But it also has very strong odorous fumes and is difficult to cleanup. However, exterior painting professionals still stand by it as far as durability is concerned.
There are also some special types of paints used for specific outdoor surfaces. For porches and decks the choices are varied. Epoxy, latex, polyurethane, alkyd and rubber based paints are all viable options. Most of these types of exterior paints will work on concrete or wood equally well. Metal surfaces can be painted using paints that are resistant to rust as long as they are properly primed. Some paints are formulated specifically for boats and marine vehicles. These are designed to cover wood and metal so that they have a lasting finish. Rubber, epoxy, latex and alkyd paints can be used on masonry. Latex is the easiest one to apply but some of these paints can act as their own primer which cuts down on expense and time consumption.