Monday, November 21, 2011

Oil Based Paint Tips

For those of you looking for the depth and sheen only achieved with oil-based paints, but are a little hesitant to try, Rustoleum makes a great pre-mixed product sold at most hardware stores.  It's a great place to start and comes in several basic colors.  


My first "oil" project was the sideboard in my dining room.  It took less than a quart of paint and a half a dozen foam brushes.  Cleaning paint brushes when using oil paint is such a pain, I try to use foam brushes whenever I can.  Keep in mind that oil paint takes much longer to dry than latex so it drags out painting projects quite a bit, but in the end it's worth it.



The added benefit of this product is that it doesn't require primer or a clear top coat.  

If you're feeling a little more adventurous and want to have your own oil mixed, Benjamin Moore makes a great product:  Impervo Alkyd High-Gloss Enamel.



Also, as solvent paint products become more "green" they tend to not self-level as well or go on as smoothly, this creates more noticeable brush or roller marks.  To reduce this a little paint thinner or Penetrol can be added and mixed with the product.




12 comments:

  1. No priming is great! Did you have to sand or strip it first, then 1 or 2 coats of paint? Your sideboard turned out beautiful!

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  2. Anon - I did sand it first, then applied two coats of paint.

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  3. Love oil paint! We actually painted our kitchen wall is a BM apple green and I like how well it holds up.

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  4. Thank you for the tips! You're right, cleaning oil paint out of brushes is such a pain!! I'll have to try foam next time I have a painting project.

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  5. you are inspiring me to paint!

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  6. Natalie, thank you so much! Perfect. You're full of such good and useful information. When you're starting you need to know the basics. With so many options available, one can easily become overwhelmed while standing there in the paint aisle. When you show us what you've used and explain the why and how -- and then we see your beautiful finished results, the lights go on all over the place!

    Thank you, again, for sharing!

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  7. I love the side table...but where did you get the white elephant on top? I have a minor obsession with elephants! :)

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  9. I have a furniture painting business and I don't like those sponge brushes for painting with oil. They get "floppy" and heavy after a while. What I do is use a good quality paint brush and when I am taking a painting break or done for the day, I wrap it in plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer. When you are ready to paint again simply take out and thaw...it thaws very fast..like in 5 mins. Works great with latex paint too.
    I have some brushes in the freezer from 2 years ago!

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  10. I am working on this with an old dresser, but I bought "satin", I like the way that it is turning out so far....you inspired me.

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  11. AnonymousJuly 11, 2012

    Hi Natalie,
    I love looking at all of your happy furniture! Is the Impervo Alkyd High-Gloss Enamel the paint that you use when you use your spray gun?
    thanks,
    Whitney

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