Painting - Selecting Paint: Acrylic or Oil, Cheap or Expensive?

Author: Service Central

Whilst most people agonise about which colour paint to use when painting the home, there are many other important choices to make when choosing the right paint for your home.

In this guide to selecting paint we look at whether acrylic paint or oil paint is best, whether you should pick one of the new one-coat paints, and the benefits of expensive paints verus cheap paint.

Acrylic Paint versus Oil Paint

Its commonly known that acrylic paints are easier to use, easier to clean out of your paint brush, and easier to wash out of your hair after a hard days painting. However, there is a common perception that oil-based paints do last longer between coats of paint.

If waiting for paint to dry is a long tedious process, waiting to see whether oil-based paints lasts longer than acrylic paints takes years and years longer. You can always sit around waiting for years to determine the truth. Most of us would choose the acrylic paint option that's easier to paint and easier to clean out of your paint brushes and hair.

One Coat of Paint versus Two Coats of Paint

Many paints sold in Australia claim that you only need to apply one coat of paint. However, you need to beware of the fine print. Many single-coat paints will only work with just one coat when used to paint over the same colour.

The key difference between most one-paint paints and multi-paint paints is the thickness of the paint. However, it is often difficult to ascertain the paints thickness without opening up the tin of paint, and you will not be very popular if you open up a tin of paint in store. There is also a theory that thicker paints are weigh more. You might want to ask the clerk at the paint shop whether this is true.

For a good paint job its best not to take any shortcuts. A single coat of paint may not always produce the painting results that you want for your home. With this in mind even if you choose a one-coat paint be open minded about applying a second coat of paint if required.

Cheap Paint versus Expensive Paint

The decision is easy. Cheap paint is always better, and paint that is on sale is even better. Given that paint can last for years and that you have lots to do in any renovation project before house painting starts, you have lots of time to find good paint on sale. We're often asked what is the best place to buy paint, and the truth is that there is no best place to buy paint. As you travel from hardware store to hardware store, drop past a few decorator centres, and visit local auction houses we recommend that you continually review what paints are on sale where. When you see the type of paint you like on sale, snap it up.

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