Is Oil Or Latex Better For Painting A Front Door?

If you’re thinking about painting the inside of your home, consider choosing pastel colors. The spring time colors will help you year round.

Is Oil Or Latex Better For Painting A Front Door?

31 March 2015
 Categories: , Blog


Painting your front door can go really far in changing and brightening the exterior of your home. You can bring a strong color to the decor, or simply brighten and clean up the existing color. But if you haven't painted a front door before, there are choices to be made, especially concerning the type of paint. Whether you use oil or latex will depend on what the material around the door is made of, what the original paint on it is, the condition it is in, and the look you want to achieve. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of paint.

Advantages and disadvantages of oil-based paint

Oil-based paint has been around much longer than latex paint, so it would not be uncommon to currently have a front door that is painted with this type of paint. It wears well, but not as well as latex paint. It adheres well to surfaces that are in less than pristine conditions.

Trapped dirt and weathered wood are common problems among the front doors of older homes, so oil-based paint works well here. This type of paint can also give more of a vintaged look, if that's what you would like to achieve. Because it's been around so long, it is the look of older, vintage homes.

Advantages and disadvantages of latex paint

Latex paint has the advantage of being very durable. It holds up under poor weather conditions, and looks good for years to come. It doesn't have the quality of excellent adherence to weathered surfaced that oil-based paint does, but it still does a good job. You can also use latex paint over oil-based paint, and the reverse isn't true.

One drawback of using latex paint is if you have any weatherstripping around the door. The latex can bond with that, and the paint can peel in that area. If you have a raw wood front door, you can always choose to stain the door rather than painting it a solid color. This will give a very rustic, cottage look that may fit into your decor and color scheme quite well.

Otherwise, you can choose between the oil-based paint and latex paint for what best suits your needs. You can also consult with a professional painter. They can not only steer you in the best direction, but also can do the work for you, giving you that real professional finish.  For more information, contact a company like Braendel Painting.

About Me
Paint Your Home the Colors of Spring

When spring arrives, I always enjoy unpacking my spring wardrobe. My closet is filled with pastel colored pieces of clothing. I simply love the bright colors of spring. A couple of years ago, I decided to paint the inside of my home. For my kitchen, I chose a pale yellow color. I painted my guest bathroom a light blue hue. I picked a soothing green shade for my master bathroom. Now, I can enjoy looking at the beautiful colors of spring all year long in the comfort of my home. If you’re thinking about painting the inside of your home, consider choosing pastel colors. On this blog, you will discover how to incorporate spring colors into an upcoming painting project.

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