Home Improvement / Repair Tip: Is it Oil-Based or Latex Paint?

Part of your home repair or improvement process is painting the exterior or interior of the home.   Spring is here so it’s about the perfect weather when it comes to painting.  And if you’re the do-it-yourself type of foreclosure investor and not too handyman savvy, this might help you.

I had some unforgettable experiences when it comes to painting.  I remember when I just finished painting the front door of my first home.  And a few minutes later, I noticed the paint that I just applied is starting to run off!  That’s when I found out that the old paint on the door was oil-based and by then I learned the hard way not to use latex paint over an oil-based paint.

So how you can you tell whether if the old paint is oil-based or latex paint?  First, scrub a small section with a solution of your regular household detergent and warm water.  Make sure you rinse it well, dry it with a towel or rag.  Next soak a Q-tip or rag and rub it on the cleaned area.  If the paint comes off, it’s latex.  But if the paint didn’t come off, it’s oil-based.  This means that you must use an oil-based primer.   After you applied an oil-based primer, you could have the option of choosing latex or oil-based paint.