Painting your home during home renovation is important to increase its aesthetic appeal. Homeowners love choosing various colour combinations for their homes when planning their painting tasks. Although choosing the right colour is important, you have to pay attention to the type of paint as well. If you are planning to get your home painted or repainted, you have to choose the right paint type. There are two types of paints available in the market: oil-based paint and water-based paint. Before you make the decision, you must know the difference between both paint types.
01 of 06 Type of solvent
The type of solvent used in home painting has a huge impact on its characteristics. Oil-based and water-based paints contain different types of solvents. The solvent is a liquid component that evaporates when the paint dries. While oil-based paints contain organic solvents, the solvents present in water-based paints are almost water.
02 of 06 Volatile organic compounds
When an organic solvent turns to vapour, it is a volatile organic compound (or VOC). As the paint dries after your home renovation, the organic solvents present in the paint evaporate. These gases and vapours are called VOCs. Petrochemicals and plants are used for making organic solvents and hence, the vapours released from them have a very strong odour. It is the same paint smell most of you are familiar with. Not only is the vapour flammable but also has a very harmful effect on the environment and your health. If you stay exposed to this vapour for a prolonged period of time, you may start experiencing headaches, skin irritation, and even nausea. This is why you must always ensure that the room is well-ventilated while applying oil-based paints. On the other hand, water-based paints have mostly water solvents. Hence, the amount of VOCs released in the atmosphere is very low. This is why it is considered a better option for your health as well as the environment.
03 of 06 Sheen levels
If you want to opt for an option that has a higher sheen level, opt for oil-based paints. This is owing to their manufacturing technique. However, you must keep in mind that the sheen will start getting dull over time.
Contrary to oil-based paints, water-based paints do not have such a high sheen level. However, their sheen lasts longer than oil-based paints.
04 of 06 Durability
In most cases, if you want an option that is highly resistant to wear and tear, you should choose oil-based home paints. This happens because oil-based paints dry harder. Although this is a strength, it also becomes a weak point because there is very little flexibility in the paint since it dries faster. As a result, there is a high chance that the paint might become dry, brittle, and chalky over time. Oil-based paints can turn yellow over time as well.
Although water-based paints initially could not dry very hard, it was not considered a great option. However, owing to huge developments in paint manufacturing techniques, water-based paints can now dry quite hard, which makes them resistant to wear and tear as well. Since there is more flexibility in water-based paints, the paint can expand and contract depending on the weather conditions. This prevents water-based paints from cracking.
05 of 06 Exterior use
You must choose the paint type depending on where you are planning to use it. If you want paint for your exterior applications, it is better to opt for water-based paints. The constant exposure to the harmful UV rays of the sun can damage the paint if it is not resistant to them. The high resistant properties of water-based paints allow them to retain their sheen levels for a prolonged period of time. Hence, water-based paints are the perfect option for exterior uses.
As mentioned earlier, oil-based paints dry very hard. This is why they lack flexibility and do not perform well in exterior conditions. The paint does not expand or contract depending on the weather conditions, which is why there is a higher chance of cracking. Also, when exposed to UV rays for a prolonged period of time, it will become chalky.
06 of 06 Weather condition while painting
Before you consider painting, it is always advised to check the weather conditions. The weather conditions while painting have a huge impact on the final result. In adverse weather conditions, you should avoid applying water-based paints. If the temperature is too low or the humidity is too high, the time required to dry by the water-based paint will be much higher. Similarly, if the temperature is very high, the time required to dry will be much lower.
Contrary to water-based paints, oil-based paints are not much affected by weather conditions. The drying time and long-term performance of the paint will not differ much even in extreme temperature and humidity.
