# Exterior Oil Paint for Trim - Help



## courtsmall (Nov 29, 2011)

Thank you for any advice you can give me. I am an Interior Designer and my contractor had given me a bid to paint the exterior of a project. We had agreed to use Benjamin Moore Oil Base Primer and Paint for the Woodwork on a 1930's house in Los Angeles. He called me today and said he was doing research and found a new Glidden exterior oil paint that would work just as well. It is only sold at Home Depot or Walmart. Does anyone have any experience with this paint. I have a terror of a client and don't want to do anything that isn't top notch for him.

Best, 
Courtney


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## Andyman (Feb 21, 2009)

A few questions for you first.
How did you select your painting contractor? What were your decision factors?


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## courtsmall (Nov 29, 2011)

Well, I am in a bit of a bind. I have a painter inside that I have used for years, and am working with a GC on the project that I have worked with for years. The GC insisted on doing the exterior work as his bid already included the paint on new decks and balconies. My trusted painter uses Benjamin Moore oil for the wood and would use that on the exterior. The GC wants to use the Glidden.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

At about 25-30 bucks cheaper per gallon I am sure he does want to use Glidden. The GC ultimately responsible for what is applied so let him worry about it and you just pick the colors.


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## Andyman (Feb 21, 2009)

Use your trusted source. 

The GC will charge you the same but make more with cheaper product.

I also assume when you say oil paint for exterior trim, you mean oil primer with an acrylic topcoat?


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## Softy (Jul 19, 2009)

I don't know anything about BM oil paint. Glidden oil, however, is suck. If you like painting the house with canola oil mix with color then go at it. 

Honestly, I don't think there's any good oil base "residential" paint due to no VOC and low VOC regulation. You would be better off using high VOC waterbase paint. IMO


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## smithoman (Apr 18, 2007)

*oil based primer*

The Ben Moore primers are the most expensive and are way over priced. Also, since oil based primers get about 450 sq feet per gallon, how much is this guy expecting to save? I am a big Zinnser oil fan and it only costs $20/gallon. 

It is important to use an oil based primer if you are going over raw wood and there is a bleed through situation, the acrylics will bleed and bleed.

I have never heard of Glidden oil based primer and I cannot believe that California allows its sale. Something seems wrong there. Tell the guy to cough up for what he bid. 5 Gallons of oil primer will paint around 2,000 sq feet and if he cheaps out he may save a hundred bux? Sounds lame at best. If it was me, I would use the zinnser oil. It's rock solid as a primer.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

You should not be using oil top coat on an exterior:no:


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## Scotiadawg (Dec 5, 2011)

courtsmall said:


> Thank you for any advice you can give me. I am an Interior Designer and my contractor had given me a bid to paint the exterior of a project. We had agreed to use Benjamin Moore Oil Base Primer and Paint for the Woodwork on a 1930's house in Los Angeles. He called me today and said he was doing research and found a new Glidden exterior oil paint that would work just as well. It is only sold at Home Depot or Walmart. Does anyone have any experience with this paint. I have a terror of a client and don't want to do anything that isn't top notch for him.
> 
> Best,
> Courtney


What's the reason for the oil top coat ?  Does your GC actually know anything about paint ?


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## Dunbar Painting (Mar 19, 2010)

The only failure I have had so far to go back and fix since I started my business was trim done in Oil. It is brittle, and conditions have to be quite favorable to apply it.

There are so many latex 100% acrylic high quality paint options in all price ranges that are suitable for properly prepared trim.


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## Scotiadawg (Dec 5, 2011)

Dunbar Painting said:


> The only failure I have had so far to go back and fix since I started my business was trim done in Oil. It is brittle, and conditions have to be quite favorable to apply it.
> 
> There are so many latex 100% acrylic high quality paint options in all price ranges that are suitable for properly prepared trim.


Exactly my thoughts.:notworthy:. I'm sooooooo glad the ext oil part of my business is history.


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

courtsmall said:


> Well, I am in a bit of a bind. I have a painter inside that I have used for years, and am working with a GC on the project that I have worked with for years. The GC insisted on doing the exterior work as his bid already included the paint on new decks and balconies. My trusted painter uses Benjamin Moore oil for the wood and would use that on the exterior. The GC wants to use the Glidden.


The Glidden product you are talking about is Oil base with GEL-FLOW technology. It is an interior/exterior paint and it is high gloss only. It only comes in 8 colors. It is not tintable. The product sells for $18 ish per quart and only comes in quarts. The product is too new to have any history behind it at this time. I have the stuff here, been using it but I am not in a position to give you my opinion.


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

That gladden gel stuff is met for front doors and that type of stuff only. 

For oil on exterior, it would work better in Cal. than areas that have greater temperature swings (cold is hard on brittle coatings). Still would stick with acrylic for color retention.


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## Scotiadawg (Dec 5, 2011)

DeanV said:


> That gladden gel stuff is met for front doors and that type of stuff only.
> 
> For oil on exterior, it would work better in Cal. than areas that have greater temperature swings (cold is hard on brittle coatings). Still would stick with acrylic for color retention.


I don't know what the new GelCoat is like but years ago we did a house ext with it. My gawd what horrible stuff to use.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

If the job was speced for a particular product and it was agreed on with signed contracts the only reason for changes should be due to availability. 

If the contractor agreed to the product and then tried to save a small amount of money by changing products then it may be reason for concern.


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## prototype66 (Mar 13, 2008)

Any GC that insists on using Walmart or Home Depot paint is not a GC I want to do business with.


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

prototype66 said:


> Any GC that insists on using Walmart or Home Depot paint is not a GC I want to do business with.


Unless you're in Colorado :whistling2:


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## mpminter (Mar 21, 2011)

It should be noted that mildew LOVES oil paint. I had a customer a few years ago that let me use Superpaint on the siding but insisted on SW SWP on the trim. All that trim is now covered in mildew and has noticeably faded whereas the siding still looks great. You might use this information when speaking to the GC


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

jack pauhl said:


> The Glidden product you are talking about is Oil base with GEL-FLOW technology. It is an interior/exterior paint and it is high gloss only. It only comes in 8 colors. It is not tintable. The product sells for $18 ish per quart and only comes in quarts. The product is too new to have any history behind it at this time. I have the stuff here, been using it but I am not in a position to give you my opinion.[/QUOTE]
> 
> really?


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