What is Water-Based Paint?

water-based yellow paint in the living room.

Water-based paint is similar to oil-based paint in that it uses water instead of oil. This signifies that in this form of paint, the water is evaporating.

Water-based paints contain a pigment and a binder, as well as water as a carrier. They are the most popular and budget choice paint. They have better colour retention over time, dry faster, and have fewer scents than alternatives. Finally, water-based paints may often be applied over existing oil-based paints, but not the other way around.

Learn more: Benefits of Lime Paint Texture for Your Interiors

What are Oil-Based Paints?

oil based paint in living room wall

Oil-based paint, as the name implies, contains oil, either synthetic or natural. While the paint dries, the oil is the real element that evaporates.

Oil-based paints are exceptionally long-lasting and can survive repeated contact, making them perfect for mouldings and trimmings. This approach also resists stains and rust over time since the resin in an oil-based paint develops a hard, non-breathable layer. Keep in mind that oil-based paints have a stronger odour and take longer to dry than water-based paints. They’re also more difficult to clean.

Advantages of Water-Based and Oil-Based Paints

Looks 

Water-based paint does not have a lustrous finish. A level finish may need numerous coats of paint. The matte surface, on the other hand, effectively conceals flaws. Oil paint has a high sheen. Oil-based paint, sometimes known as “high gloss,” does not disguise flaws very well.

Strength 

Oil-based paints often dry faster, providing greater resilience to wear and strain. However, when the paint dries harder, it loses flexibility, making oil-based paints more prone to cracking, drying out, brittleness, and chalkiness over time. Oil-based paints have a reputation for yellowing with time. There have been several advancements in recent years that allow water-based paints to dry fairly hard and resist damage and wear and tear. Water-based paints’ elasticity allows them to expand and contract in response to changing weather conditions, making them less prone to cracking.

Time to dry 

For water-based paints, 4-6 hours of drying time is generally sufficient. Water-based paint dries significantly more quickly than oil-based paint. It may take 6-8 hours for the paint to dry to the touch, and you may need to wait up to 24 hours before applying a second layer.

Red oil painted wall

External Wall Solutions

Exterior applications benefit greatly from water-based paints. This is due to the fact that water-based paints are far more resistant to UV radiation, allowing them to keep their shine and colour for longer lengths of time. Because of the paint’s flexibility, it can move with the substrate as it expands and contracts under varied weather conditions, making it ideal for external applications. Oil-based paint does not work well outdoors since it degrades in the sun and forms a powdery surface. Because the paint has little to no flexibility, it cannot expand and contract with the substrate under different weather conditions, increasing the likelihood of breaking.

Cleaning up 

Water-based paint is simple to clean up with soap and water. Cleaning off oil-based paint will necessitate the use of harsh chemicals such as Mineral Spirits.

Environmental friendliness 

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are substantially lower in water-based paint. People with sensitive sinuses should avoid it. Oil-based paint contains far more volatile organic compounds (VOCs), resulting in harsh chemical-like scents that need much more ventilation.

Also read: Which is Better, Texture Wallpaper or Texture Painting? Pros & Cons

Conclusion 

Finally, water-based paints release far fewer fumes and are better suited for interior application. Although Oil Based Paint is still often used as an accent where a glossy finish is desired, most people prefer the matte texture of flat paint since it hides flaws better.

When you’ve made the decision to have your walls painted, call us since we have the most competitive painting quote on the market. Our crew not only paints but also takes the time to learn about the customer’s needs and provide a custom estimate that fits perfectly within everyone’s budget.

We hope you found this knowledge useful and that you enjoyed reading it. Keep an eye on the new and exciting stuff! I wish you and your families a wonderful day & Healthy life.

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