# probably a silly question: porch and floor enamel on trim?



## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

Considering that porch and floor enamel is self priming, durable, thick etc... why is it not used on railings and trim?

IT is only slightly more expensive than mid range trim paint, and way cheaper than Aura.

I asked some sales reps and they did not have a convincing answer.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Products intended for floors have no suspenders in them, so they dont "hang" well vertically. There are plenty of other good options.


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## One Coat Coverage (Oct 4, 2009)

Dunbar Painting said:


> Considering that porch and floor enamel is self priming, durable, thick etc... why is it not used on railings and trim?
> 
> IT is only slightly more expensive than mid range trim paint, and way cheaper than Aura.
> 
> I asked some sales reps and they did not have a convincing answer.


Because it's floor paint.


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## kerk (Oct 14, 2009)

The reps did not have a convincing answer because there isn't one, plus they only know what their company wants them to know...........in order to sell more product. Their basic training usually consists of reading can labels.

For giggles some time, ask one of them what ingredients differentiate trim paint from deck paint, and watch their eyes glaze over. 

Go ahead and use it, there isn't a spits worth of difference in trim paints, and deck paints, that fall within the same price range, have the same finish (angle sheen), and are in the 'consumer' line.........at least if they are from the same manufacturer. 

But hey, if someone is painting their deck, they want the can to say 'Deck Paint', and if they are painting their trim, they want it to say 'Trim Paint'. So the manufacturers oblige, even though they are basically the same thing.

Me, I don't care, as I know better. I use latex S/G on my wood steps, and latex deck paint on my fascia, or whatever. 

And as for the 'self priming'.........either 'everything' is self priming, or 'nothing' is self priming. Another useless 'industry coined' phrase.

Kind of like "...Paint and primer in one..". Oh puleeeeze. 

If 'self priming' means 'it sticks', then I guess chewing gum is self priming.


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## AztecPainting (Jan 28, 2010)

kerk said:


> The reps did not have a convincing answer because there isn't one, plus they only know what their company wants them to know...........in order to sell more product. Their basic training usually consists of reading can labels.
> 
> For giggles some time, ask one of them what ingredients differentiate trim paint from deck paint, and watch their eyes glaze over.
> 
> ...


Cool, I am painting my old truck with marine enamel this weekend then, the can says its good for metal and it's self prime...


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

the porch and floor paint I use says it's good from trim as well. I actually have a lot of painting 'hacks' that involve the use of porch and floor paint in order to turn out acceptable work with 1/2 the effort involved. But I won't divulge - hee hee.


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## kerk (Oct 14, 2009)

AztecPainting said:


> Cool, I am painting my old truck with marine enamel this weekend then, the can says its good for metal and it's self prime...


It'll work fine, plus you'll have a little copper in the finish and not have to worry about barnacles. :thumbsup:


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

kerk said:


> The reps did not have a convincing answer because there isn't one, plus they only know what their company wants them to know...........in order to sell more product. Their basic training usually consists of reading can labels.
> 
> For giggles some time, ask one of them what ingredients differentiate trim paint from deck paint, and watch their eyes glaze over.
> 
> ...


Yup. Paint is paint...

:whistling2:


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## Bill15 (Jan 19, 2011)

Porch and floor paint is fine for trim, doors, hand rails, etc. . The latex products are often 100% acrylic, and they withstand abrasion very well. The alkyds provide the same kind of durability.


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## Metro M & L (Jul 21, 2009)

Idk I had some foundation walls in a basement that I sprayed out with porch and floor and it turned out fantastic. Great coverage, no sags, hard and scuff resistant. Oh yeah, it's right next to a shower and there is lots of humidity and there hasn't been any bubbling or other moisture problems either.


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## Ole34 (Jan 24, 2011)

kerk said:


> But hey, if someone is painting their deck, they want the can to say 'Deck Paint', and if they are painting their trim, they want it to say 'Trim Paint'. So the manufacturers oblige, even though they are basically the same thing.
> 
> .


 

kinda like ''Kitchen an Bath'' paint .... what moron actually buys that stuff???


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## JNLP (Dec 13, 2007)

I did my pourch trim with it and it still looks new many years later compared to the rest of the trim I did with SuperPaint (2 toned it all).


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## Ole34 (Jan 24, 2011)

AztecPainting said:


> Cool, I am painting my old truck with marine enamel this weekend then, the can says its good for metal and it's self prime...


 


whatever you do ............DO NOT USE THE MARINE ENAMEL ABOVE THE WATER LINE OR ELSE IT WILL FALL OFF


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## Ole34 (Jan 24, 2011)

I just bid a job for a porch and I plan on using 5 different paints 


1-''porch'' enamel
2-''railing'' enamel
3-''door an trim'' enamel
4-''porch ceiling enamel'' (I don't want the paint to fall off an land on the table during picnics or something..........im a PRO an only use the correct paints for the job :blink
5- ''railing not covered by porch'' enamel


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## pacificpainters.com (May 5, 2011)

I find the term "enamel" interesting in today's technology. What is an enamel any way now? It does not relate to the binder as Alkyds which were traditionally the enamels in the market are being replaced by acrylic enamels.

I believe the term enamel relates to any paint that provides a hard wearing veneer to surfaces such as doors etc. regardless of the binder base.

Do you still use alkyd paints in the US much? I know we are a bit behind and it has only been recently that Australia has started to phase out alkyds. Not many of us here will completely let go of alkyds for our enamel though.

Is it true that in California you can't use Alkyd any more legally?


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

Dang- Aztec beat me to it. I actually did paint a '64 split screen Chev sportsman van by brush ( in 81) with porch and deck enamel. I figured the paint job would outlast the truck. I was right. 

Before ( with the rest of my "fleet")


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Ole34 said:


> I just bid a job for a porch and I plan on using 5 different paints
> 
> 
> 1-''porch'' enamel
> ...


I don't know what the nature of your job is on this but to me, it seems like you are wasting time and paint by using 4 different systems on one porch area like it sounds. You are afraid of porch and floor paint peeling off a ceiling when its designed for high adhesion on floors? But that's just this pros 2 cents. I'm not saying you're wrong, and maybe there's things I don't know about concerning this job, like the substrates, but I'm imagining mostly all wood substrates on this.


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

TJ was just caught in Ole's trap. I'm betting one can does it all! ( except on the proposal...)


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## Bill15 (Jan 19, 2011)

Alkyd architectural paints cannot be sold in many states now, not just in California. This is due to various regulatory parties, including EPA. Some industrial coatings are exempt from this limitation, as they are classified differently. Alkyds, especially alkyds with a sheen, were referred to as enamels. Some latex products with a semi-gloss or gloss sheen, have been referred to as enamels as well.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

Lead paint is still used. Just need to pay the government money. Rock on.


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