Land For Sale Available In South West Florida

Five Reasons to Use Oil-Based Paints for Home Projects


Learning to paint in your home can be an easy project and provide a quick way to beautify your home. When painting, there are two basic types of paints that can be used inside the home. Water based latex paints are good for using on the walls. Oil based paints are the other choice. Oil based paints are the best choice for painting trims, doors and areas of high traffic.

Oil based paints are sometimes a little more difficult to use that water based latex paint. Oil based paints are thicker than latex paint so it will require different kinds of brushes and rollers. Also, when using oil based paints, it is a good idea to paint in a well ventilated area. It does have a stronger odor. The good thing about oil based paint is that it can be bought at any paint store and tinted to almost any color. Oil based paints are also called solvents and made from a mixture of resin and oils.

When looking at oil based paints, it is important to remember that most of the time you will need to prime the area first. Oil based paints have a tendency to peel if the area is not primed properly. This can happen if the base coat is already oil based paint. When priming the area, you must clean the area first. Then you can apply a primer. Primer can be bought at any home improvement or paint store. Primer can be applied like spray paint or brushed on with a brush. If you are painting over a very dark color, or using a dark color with the new paint, you should consider having the primer tinted first.

If you get ready to paint and are not sure whether you are dealing with a wall or area that already has oil paint or latex, there is an easy way to tell. When water is applied to oil based paint, it will usually bead up. It will not soak in as it does with latex paint. When applying oil based paints, it has the tendency to bubble during painting. Make sure that you never shake oil based paints. Stirring is recommended. Also when using oil based paint, try using only one coat of paint, instead of several. After applying the oil based paints to your project, it will take longer to dry than latex paint. Provide plenty of ventilation during the drying process.

It is also important to remember that when using oil based paints, that they are considered toxic and hazardous waste. Caution should be used when disposing of oil based paints.

There are several projects that will benefit from using oil based paint.

Trim: When painting indoor trim, such as bead board, window trim, crown molding, chair rails and trim around doors, oil based paints are generally used. This is because oil based paints can withstand more wear and tear than latex paints. As a general rule, oil based paints are also easier to clean than latex paint.

Doors: Indoor doors are usually painted with oil based paints. It is very simple to clean fingerprints, smudges and dirt off of doors when painted with oil based paint. An outside door is often painted using oil based paints, as well.

Decorating projects: If you are working in small projects, such as painting shelves or raw wood, oil based paints can be a good option. Proper preparation is required. Raw wood will need to be sanded and primed before using oil based paints. Remember that primer should be dried thoroughly before using any oil based paints. This will give you better coverage.

Exterior: Some projects outside can be good for using oil based paints. Oil based paints are perfect for trims, such as around windows, and other trim around the outside of the house.

Metal: Projects that are made out of metal can also benefit from oil based paints. It is important to remember that oil based paints should never be applied directly to fresh masonry or on iron. As with any projects, proper prepping and primer will be required.

Oil based paints can be a good choice for many projects because it is often longer lasting and easy to clean. Proper preparation is always needed when painting with oil paints.

This could affect any sales contracts you have negotiated based on the mortgage quote you received.

On the Level: How to Hang a Picture Properly

Hanging a picture may seem like the simplest of all home improvement projects. While it is quite easy, there are factors like wall type and object weight that you need to consider before hammering away. If youre a beginner or if youve hung pictures before but always done some in a hit or miss kind of manner, these tips will come in useful.
The first thing you need to do is purchase the right fasteners for your picture and your walls. The most common fasteners for hanging things are picture nails and hooks. While these are the most common type of fastener, they are not the most appropriate or effective ones to use in all cases.
If you are going to hang anything on a concrete, stucco or brick wall, then you should not try to use a regular nail. A concrete screw will securely anchor your object and will prevent you from chipping the walls surface. If you use a nail in a concrete or stucco surface, you can end up removing chunks of the wall around the nail when hammering.
If your object is heavy, then you might want to insert a plastic anchor or molly bolt-for fastening into the hole to ensure that there is no damage to your wall. Make sure that you are using the right type of fastener for your wall surface.
Once youve figured out the type of wall surface and the most appropriate fastener to use, you will need to decide on placement.
The first thing you want to decide is how high you want to hang the object. The basic rule of thumb is to hang pictures so that the center of the picture is at eye level. Have someone hold a tape measure against the wall and then stand back and see what number is at your eye level thats where the center of your picture should be.
Once you decide on the height on the wall, you need to measure the picture itself to determine the mounting height. You will then measure from the bottom of the picture to the highest point of the hanging wire. You can then figure out the hanging height by subtracting half of the pictures height and adding the difference of the eye-height level you measured before.
Your measuring isnt done yet though. You want to take that figure and measure that distance on the wall so you can make a mark where the bottom of the hook will hit. After you have that vertical mark, you want to measure horizontally to ensure that your picture is in the center of the space. Next you will mark where the vertical and horizontal lines cross.
Holding the faster in place, you will nail or screw the fastener into the wall. After the nail or screw is in place, you want to carefully hang the object on the wall. Make sure you are careful not to mark or scrape the wall with the frame.
Once the picture is on the hook, you should step back to see whether it is level. You can shift the picture to either the left or the right to adjust the level.
If you find (after hanging) that the picture is either too low or too high, you can adjust the wire on the back of the picture rather than making a new hole.
If you are planning on hanging multiple pictures and/or objects on one wall, then you want to plan out your measurements very carefully. Start by holding up your pictures or laying them on the floor in the pattern you want. Measure the wall space and measure each picture to ensure that you have enough space. You want to make the vertical and horizontal marks for each picture rather than just guessing. It is often easier to offset the pictures when you estimate. If you do want all of the pictures even, then you need to use a level and be really exact in your measurements. A laser level can be useful in these types of situations.
Dont be intimidated with all of these steps if this is your first time hanging a picture. Taking your time and doing all the prep work outlined above will ensure that your picture is centered, level, and really adds character to your space.