This is part 2 of a 2 part series of articles on paints and stains.
Take The Headache Out of Finding Interior Paints Coatings for Each Job
Did you ever wonder about the difference between interior and exterior paints? I once used exterior paint on an indoor ceiling, reasoning that it could last longer. It may last longer, but as I found out when I was required to touch up the ceiling only 2 years later, exterior paints will discolor on an inside surface. Exterior paints contain special additives made to withstand the outside. Interior paints have additives that help the paint dry to a durable, uniform surface finish.
Most of the advances in painting technology have been with latex. Actually, latex has overtaken oil-based paint in several areas: toughness and elasticity, as well as ease of use, clean-up, and disposal. Latexes have fewer VOCs than oil-based paints. Some, such as the Pristine line made by Benjamin Moore, are created without VOCs in any way. Today's latexes are created with top quality pigments and binders that provide them more body, so they go on thicker.
Latexes enjoy quite a bit of reputation for interior applications, specifically for walls and ceilings. Alkyds continue to be the professionals' choice for trimming work because oil based paints are much easier to paint on detailed areas like molding and hardwood trim. However, that traditional approach is gradually changing as better latexes, including Pratt & Lambert's Accolade Interior Acrylic Semi Gloss, are introduced to the market.
High Demand Exterior Paint Coatings
Moisture can be an important consideration for exterior paint selection. Every day a family of four will generate several gallons of vaporized water in the house.
Combined with naturally occurring humidity, this may mean a lot of moisture moving through the walls and siding. Dampness is highest in the baths and kitchen. If these rooms aren't sufficiently ventilated, water will migrate through the wall surfaces. Vapor barriers help contain wetness, but vapor always seeks to escape. The structure of a house, the type of vapor barrier they have, ventilation, and dampness all make selecting the right paint critical.
In wetter climates you need a paint that will let moisture pass through the wood, so water doesn't get trapped under the paint and cause blistering and peeling. Latexes are porous and let dampness pass through, unlike alkyd paints, which form a waterproof seal. Alkyds also don't flex with surfaces that expand and contract, as wood does, especially in colder climates. Latex paints have more elasticity, allowing better adhesion.
I favor using latex on most exterior surface areas, including wood siding, stucco, and concrete. Latexes avoid fading much better than most oil-based paints, and they will cover either oil-based or latex primer (most oils have to go over an alkyd primer).
Latexes perform a great job of covering concrete. Despite its hardness, cement is very porous, and oil-based paints don't always stay well. For very best durability, I would recommend latex enamel.
In general, if I know of a latex product that provides superior performance, I will choose it over an oil-based product that should be cleaned with a thinner.
Latex only needs water. Thinners add one more cost, are hard to get rid of, and usually finish up spattered on my skin or clothes, no matter how careful I am.
Improve Your Interior Staining
You could spend a life time studying stains and sealers, but there is nothing mysterious about them. The bottom line in determining which stain to utilize is to become acquainted with the products available. Scan the label, along with any product information you can get, and talk to the staff at a professional paint shop.
Exterior stains come in oil based, varnish, polyurethane, and water-borne solvents. Stains have less colorant than paint and much more solvents, giving them better wood penetration. Waterproofing is important with exterior stains. Most include built-in sealants to increase sturdiness and help maintain the wood. The coloring in stains can be pigments, dyes, or both. A semi-transparent stain has more dye for grain penetration. A solid stain has more pigment for surface coating. Pigment is a finely ground coloring that doesn't penetrate the grain as deeply as a dye. That's why a pigmented stain is usually accompanied by a sealer such as urethane or varnish.
Some high quality interior stains have dyes to penetrate and pigments to draw out the richness of the grain. Others contain only pigments, which are better to apply, combine, and touch up. Pigmented stains are lighter in color and draw out more of the wood grain. If you're looking for darker results, a dyed stain will provide what you want in one overcoat (be sure to use a conditioner on porous wood, such as pine and birch wood, to avoid splotching). Dyed stains are almost impossible to touch up. Every coating eventually will require touching up, so make sure to consider ease of maintenance in your selection of stains. You'll get the best results by using better stains such as Minwax, Pratt & Lambert's Tonetic, Pittsburgh's Rez, or Wood-Kote.
If you want to steer clear of the watery nature of stains, try a gel stain, which has had most of the water solvent removed. Gels are simple to use. They spread on, dry fast, and cover evenly. Because they're colored with pigment, gel stains don't penetrate that well. They're a great choice for porous woods that are troublesome to cover evenly with out a toner. Gel stains do a excellent job of showing off the grain on embossed metal or composite surfaces. I don't recommend using them for hardwoods, which require a good dye stain to emphasize the depth and beauty of the grain.
No-Fuss Painting Using Sanding Sealers
Sanding sealers are interior primers that both penetrate and seal wood. You can use them under clear coats or on top of stains as sealers. Sanding sealers are different from a sealer like polyurethane, which is not made to prime. They're similar to varnish, but diluted with solvents to allow better penetration for priming. The hardness of varnishes and lacquers stops them from soaking into the wood pores. Sanding sealer can provide a better adherence for clear coats.
Shellacs tend to be added to sanding sealers to strengthen the resin and provide an instant drying agent. They also add an amber tone, so if you're utilizing a sanding sealer with shellac, make sure it will not affect the stain. Shellacs tend to yellow aver time and contain toluene, which has a high VOC content. Shellacs are gradually providing ways to new sanding sealer formulas with lower VOCs and better performance.
Alkyd resin sanding sealers also have high VOCs, although less than their shellac based cousins. Pittsburgh Paints makes a slow drying out alkyd resin sanding sealer without shellac known as Rez 77-1. This specific primer/sealer is wonderful for both interiors and exteriors. Pratt & Lambert's Latex Sanding Sealer has very low VOCs, but is only for interior wood and shouldn't be used under a water based polyurethane.
Oil-based sanding sealers also can be utilized to seal outdoor wood, especially decking, which is constantly subjected to sun and water. For color regularity in areas like decks, it's best to completely coat, or back prime, the lumber before it is in place, using the same sealer or stain. Olympic Water Guard, Messmer's UV Plus, Behr's, & most top quality deck stains are great water repellent sealers that also can be utilized for priming outdoor wood.
Amazing Wood and Stain Sealers for Interior Wood
Sealers, including varnishes, lacquers, urethanes, and shellacs, are added to the stain itself, applied as a top coat on top of a stain, or used as a clear coating on unstained wood trim. They could be used for just about any type of trim, including windows, entry doors, and the casing around them. Although you can buy stain/sealer combinations, they have a tendency to yellow, are difficult to keep up, and don't last as long as separately applied stain and sealers.
Varnishes contain oils such as Tung oil, an extremely hard, durable sealant that can be brushed on and dries slowly. Varnishes are easy to completely clean and keep maintaining with soap and water accompanied by a wiped on varnish, which usually keeps a wood surface looking great for years. Make sure there's no wax in your cleaner, because wax clogs wood pores. I prefer utilizing Hope's Tung Oil varnish for a wipe-on maintenance overcoat. Lacquer is a quick drying sealer that almost always needs to be sprayed, since it becomes tacky almost immediately.
Polyurethanes do almost everything shellac does, but they're easier to maintain. While shellacs act like paint, polyurethanes act more like a clear coat that permeates the wood instead of sitting on it. Polyurethanes brush on and dry quickly, with little odour and VOCs. They have more or less replaced shellacs as a clear sealer. Another reason urethanes have become such popular sealers is the fact they don't require sanding sealers.
The smells associated with many paints and stains can become more than simply offensive, they can be toxic. Solvent based varnishes, lacquers, and shellacs give a very hard coating but contain high VOC levels. Water borne sealers, like the stains, match the performance of many solvent based sealers, with fewer VOCs. The VOC content of water borne sealers such as Sherwin Williams Kern Aqua Lacquer average about 250 grams per liter, or 2 pounds per gallon, half the usual VOCs of oil-based lacquers. The ethers in water based sealers aren't combustible, another advantage, but they still have enough VOCs to warrant a respirator.
Although they resist yellowing, water borne sealers such as acrylic latex polyurethanes do tend to raise the grain. They'll also harden or "flash off" quickly at temperatures higher than 60°F. The best working temperature for nearly all water based acrylic latex polyurethanes is between 50°F and 60°F, which lets them flash a bit more slowly. In this case, flashing-off simply means that the solvent evaporates and leaves the resins to finish the drying out process. A contractor I knew once used water based latex polyurethane sealer that flashed off so fast he could only apply it between 5 A.M. and 9 A.M. Anything later than that was too warm.
Minwax makes very good water borne polyurethane, as do Pittsburgh, Pratt & Lambert, Benjamin Moore, as well as others.
No-Fuss Stains and Sealers for Exteriors
Due to their better penetration and sealing ability, most exterior stains sold today are oil-based. However, oil-based solid stains peel off as they get older, making them more difficult to maintain. A solid stain is like paint: It coats more than it penetrates. A latex solid stain peels less which is much easier to maintain as it ages. However, I favor oil-based products for semi-transparent stains. Added oil solvents let them penetrate deeper. Some of the better stains on the marketplace include Pittsburgh Solid Color Latex Stain, Messmer's U.V Plus, Moorwood Solid Color Exterior Stain, Sherwin Williams Woodscape stains, Pittsburgh Semi-transparent Exterior Stain, Rez Deck Stain by Pittsburgh, and the Sikkens Cetol system.
Deck stains will often have more solids when compared to a typical exterior stain, which will make them stronger. I recommend buying a high-end stain that is semi-transparent or what is called a trans-oxide. Until lately, the significant problem with outdoor stains was their low UV resistance, but newer trans-oxides have finely ground metal mixed in for better protection. A higher end deck stain won't require a different sealer overcoat, although you can include one (such as Olympic Water Guard) if you think extra protection is required to fight dampness and sun exposure. Better deck stains retail for about $35 a gallon and cover 300 to 400 sq. ft.
Stay away from deck stains that contain silicone. Despite their attractive price, they aren't a good deal. Advertisements for silicone stains and deck sealers often show beaded up water over a deck, and many people are fooled into thinking that this is actually the indication of a successful coating. However, silicone breaks down quickly, usually in just a matter of months, leaving a discolored, waxy coat that is a pain to eliminate. The deteriorated silicone also ceases repelling water.
"High build" coatings such as Sikkens and Messmers work remarkably well on exterior siding, nonetheless they are too soft to be used on your deck. Eliminating these coatings requires gallons of wood cleaner and way too much work.
Water borne outside stains, such as Sherwin Williams Woodscapes, incorporate the benefits of oil-based and latex coatings. They run and drip significantly less than oil based stain, and dry out faster, allowing for two coatings the same day. Water borne stains possess the resilience and versatility of any latex stain, giving them stamina. They're a good choice for some applications. But bear in mind that clearing up water borne stains takes work. There are a couple of oil components in the solvent that have to be cleaned. First use soap and water, then alcohol. Ask your supplier for specific cleaning guidelines for water based stains, and read the label.
When In Doubt, Ask Your Painting Professional
If you still have questions about which paint or stain to make use of, don't hesitate to ask people in the know. An experienced, proficient salesperson can answer any questions it's likely you have. Choose a paint store with staff having at least 10 years of experience in the business. Ask them what has worked best for your unique application and ask to read a spec sheet on the merchandise in question.
The answers you get will rely upon whom you ask. A paint store will try to sell you one their own products, after all, that is why they're in business. Painting contractors might not be impartial, either. They have to sell their skills. I get lots of phone calls from people looking for help with their painting problems. Most painters, including myself, don't mind giving one hour of time, but if you need in depth answers, consider hiring a contractor for a professional evaluation. Rates vary, but I charge about $60 for a written and oral analysis, with respect to the driving time included. A paid evaluation will tell you whether you should paint, stain, or re-side, as well as which coating might be best for your project. Each painting job has unique conditions that require specific answers.
Sound Quality Painting
824 90th Dr SE suite B
Lake Stevens WA 98258
(425) 512-7400
