# Latex vs Oil



## dubinpainting (Feb 16, 2010)

Ok I hate using oil primers, they ruin brushes, it's hard to scrub off my hands, it smells really bad, and there is too much spray from the roller. I also hate using mineral oil to clean my hands and brushes. I just dont use oil primers unless I have to or on an exterior job. I much rather prefer to use latex primer.


This weekend I did a job and for some reason the latex primer I used would not adhere to the wall it kept bubling up. I asked the homeowner what she had previously painted the walls with and she said latex. I have no idea why it would not adhere so I bought oil primer and it covered. Any thoughts on why it wouldnt work?


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

You didn't test the wall to see if it was in fact latex? Looks really glossy what ever it was.


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## dubinpainting (Feb 16, 2010)

How do you test the wall?


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

before any answers are given, it might be best to know which "latex" primer you used. 

but in general, it's kind of like cooking oil on a Teflon pan. The surface of a glossy oil surface such as your picture indicates, offers no surface tension for the mechanical bond of the paint, so the paint beads up like cooking oil does on a Teflon pan.

A suface with more "tooth" (flat paint or sanded) will offer some "nooks and crannies" which the primer can grab hold of. 


That's it in real simple terms. Now, why does an oil paint grab better? Why do other primers grab? That's for one of the chemists to say.

I'm strongly assuming your primer was not one of the top of the line 100% acrylics.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

BTW, why did you NOT sand that glossy surface?


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

dubinpainting said:


> How do you test the wall?


A little bit of nail polish remover (should have some in your bucket) and in a 'out of sight' area, put some on a kleenex...latex will ball or feel slightly tacky....oil based will not.


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## dubinpainting (Feb 16, 2010)

daArch said:


> BTW, why did you NOT sand that glossy surface?


 
It was actually Killz I used. I did sand the surface after the fact.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

Paint and Hammer said:


> A little bit of nail polish remover (should have some in your bucket) and in a 'out of sight' area, put some on a kleenex...latex will ball or feel slightly tacky....oil based will not.


You can also use denatured alcohol as well. Usually you can just tell by feeling it.

Pat


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## Paint and Hammer (Feb 26, 2008)

PatsPainting said:


> You can also use denatured alcohol as well. Usually you can just tell by feeling it.
> 
> Pat


Yes, there's various ways. I would suggest that some 'old timers' would have 97% success rate just by looking at it. 

We're just coming across it less and less.


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

I use methyl hydrate to test walls :thumbsup:


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## Rcon (Nov 19, 2009)

dubinpainting said:


> Ok I hate using oil primers, they ruin brushes, it's hard to scrub off my hands, it smells really bad, and there is too much spray from the roller. I also hate using mineral oil to clean my hands and brushes. I just dont use oil primers unless I have to or on an exterior job. I much rather prefer to use latex primer.
> 
> 
> This weekend I did a job and for some reason the latex primer I used would not adhere to the wall it kept bubling up. I asked the homeowner what she had previously painted the walls with and she said latex. I have no idea why it would not adhere so I bought oil primer and it covered. Any thoughts on why it wouldnt work?


the only time i've seen latex primers 'fisheye' is when there's silicone contamination.


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

How much of the wall was doing this? was it all over the place, or just the one area?


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## summertime14 (May 4, 2009)

try hand cleaner to clean up after a job. I like permatex myself.


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

summertime14 said:


> try hand cleaner to clean up after a job. I like permatex myself.


What does this have to dowith oil vs latex on a wall? :jester:


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

dubinpainting said:


> It was actually Killz I used. I did sand the surface after the fact.


 THERE is probably most of the problem:whistling2: Kilz latex sucks:yes:


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## dubinpainting (Feb 16, 2010)

BC_Painter said:


> How much of the wall was doing this? was it all over the place, or just the one area?


 
It was the whole wall! I think the home owner used some BS arts and craft paint on the walls.


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## painterdude (Jun 18, 2008)

problem 2 could be that they used some type of cleaner to wash the walls..major fisheye problem. Yea, old timers have some easy tests...gloss?? finger nail test...latex will dent. Oil..No.


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## summertime14 (May 4, 2009)

he complained about getting the oil off his hands, thats why I said to try handcleaner.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

summertime14 said:


> he complained about getting the oil off his hands, thats why I said to try handcleaner.


I say keep the paint off your hands in the first place.. I used to know a guy that always hogs up the handle of his brushes with paint, I never understood it.


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