Painting - How Can I Tell Oil Base From Latex?
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arniearni
04-01-04, 05:29 PM
Is there a way I can tell if my exterior paint is oil base or latex, or do I need to bring a chip to a paint store.Thanks!
arniearni
arniearni
prowallguy
04-01-04, 05:31 PM
Rub it with denatured alcohol. If it comes off on the rag, its latex. If it stays solid and doesn't come off, its oil. A paint chip to the paint store won't hurt either though.:D
Amatuer
05-17-04, 08:30 PM
Just like to know what is another name for "denatured alcohol"?
Also is there another method to test the paint if is latex or oil based?
Also is there another method to test the paint if is latex or oil based?
prowallguy
05-17-04, 10:53 PM
Just like to know what is another name for "denatured alcohol"?
Also known as ethanol or ethyl alcohol in its pure form, before its 'denatured'.
Also is there another method to test the paint if is latex or oil based?
Oil is a hard, slick surface rarely showing brush strokes, whereas latex is a soft spongy surface that shows brush strokes and you can usually indent it with a fingernail. But the denatured alcohol way is the sure-fire way.
Also known as ethanol or ethyl alcohol in its pure form, before its 'denatured'.
Also is there another method to test the paint if is latex or oil based?
Oil is a hard, slick surface rarely showing brush strokes, whereas latex is a soft spongy surface that shows brush strokes and you can usually indent it with a fingernail. But the denatured alcohol way is the sure-fire way.
Amatuer
05-18-04, 07:49 AM
Is ethanol known as "rubbing alcohol"?
PBTroy
05-18-04, 04:21 PM
no thats isopropyl
prowallguy
05-18-04, 05:32 PM
yep, what PB said
phillyguy
05-20-04, 12:02 PM
Denatured alcohol is simply ethanol (ethyl alcohol), the stuff you drink. It's denatured by adding small amounts of methanol to it. It's done, believe it or not to avoid paying consumable alcohol tax, and so that industrial use of ethanol doesn't have to be regulated by the government like the liquor industry is. Denatured ethanol and regular ethanol have for all intents and purposes the same properties with the notable exception that drinking denatured will make you go blind, get really sick and/or die ! Isopropyl "rubbing" alcohol would probably work as well, since most alcohols have similar solvent properties.
If the paint in question is peeling its easy to tell. Oil sort of flakes off in crunchy scales, latex peels off in strips.
If the paint in question is peeling its easy to tell. Oil sort of flakes off in crunchy scales, latex peels off in strips.
noleguy33
05-22-04, 12:58 PM
phillyguy is absolutely right. you can also use m1 remover to test it as well. i wouldn't trust how a paint looks to tell whether or not it is an oil or latex. there are some epoxy latexes out there that have a nice hard finish.
prowallguy
05-22-04, 02:58 PM
Very true noleguy, when I'm in doubt, prime/treat it as oil, and my butt is covered.