Latex Paint Over Oil Paint

Latex paint is a water based paint that has become popular for both indoor as well as outdoor painting since the time of its introduction. There are several reasons for the increasing popularity of latex paints. One major reason is that latex paints do not cause cracking and peeling which is common with oil based paints, especially when moisture tries to escape from the walls. Latex paint is user-friendly as it does not have a strong odor as compared to oil paint, and also surfaces painted with latex paint can be cleaned easily with soap and water. Due to these factors, people are opting for latex paints over oil ones. However, many of the old houses are painted with oil paint and due to this, repainting the walls with latex paint seems to be an impossible task, without scraping the paint completely. If you do not want to spend too much time scraping the oil paint, this article can guide you about using latex paints over oil paints.

How to Apply Latex Paints Over Oil Paints
Many people who have got disastrous results when using latex paints over oil paints, and hence, they advise others to avoid doing it. However, according to experts, it is possible to get great results with the help of simple tips and techniques. Most people who have had bad experiences of using latex paint over oil based paint had done it directly without taking and performing some necessary preparations. So, if you want to repaint your oil painted walls with latex paints, here are some important steps that you have to follow while doing this.

Step #1
The first step is to determine whether the walls are really painted with oil paint. If you have applied the oil paint yourself, you can definitely miss this step. However, if you have brought the house from some other person and do not know what kind of paint that person had used, conducting a test on the paint can solve your problem. First, you should dip a q-tip in either denatured alcohol, nail polish remover containing acetone, or lacquer thinner. Apply any of these solutions in a small area of the wall. If it is an oil based paint, the paint will remain on the walls, but if it is a latex paint, you will find some color on the q-tip.

Step #2
Here, one of the most important step is to apply primer on the walls. However, before we move into this step, it is extremely crucial to clean the walls to get rid of dirt and dust. This can be done by sanding the walls with high grit sandpaper. However, make sure that you do the sanding very lightly as you do not have to scrape the paint from the wall. Once this is done, you have to clean the wall with a vacuum cleaner. You can also clean the walls with soap water and sponge. Once you have done this, wash away the soap suds with clean water and then, dry the walls with old towels.

Step #3
When the walls are completely clean and dry, you can start using the primer to make the base for applying the latex paint. Choose a latex primer of your choice as this will help the paint to stick on the wall. Before using the primer, shake it well and then apply a thin coat on the wall with a good paintbrush. When it dries, apply another coat on the wall. Also, make sure that both the coats are applied evenly on the walls.

Step #4
Once the primer has completely set, the walls are ready to be coated with the latex paint. Before opening the paint can, shake it well. Take a paint stirring stick and stir the paint once after opening. Take a good paint brush (not the one you have used for the primer) and apply the paint on the primer coated walls. After you apply the first coat, wait for the wall to dry completely and then, reapply. You may have to repeat this process till you achieve the desired results.

Though the entire process of repainting the oil painted walls with latex paint is a time-consuming and tiring one, if done properly, the effort you have taken will be truly rewarding.