Exterior Paint used Indoors

I think our builder used exterior paint on our indoor railings. It has a sticky feel to it and looks awful. Do you know if I can paint over it with latex? I have sanded it and I am ready to paint but not usre if I should.

Thanks

 

Hi
Welcome to the forums
If it's latex paint on there now, you can paint over it with latex paint or a waterborne enamel
The enamel will be a little tougher

 

I'm pretty sure it's latex. Would there be a smell if it was oil?

 

Not really, not if it's cured
But it would be surprising if it was oil if it's new construction
Not unless you spec'd it

There is a sticky with a test up top this "Painting" forum
http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=230633

But I'd kinda be surprised if it turned out to be oil

 

It may just be a cheap grade of latex enamel - some never do dry correctly [IMO] It should be fine to lightly sand and recoat with a quality latex or waterborne enamel.

Do the test as directed in the sticky to make sure it isn't oil - just to be safe

 

Cheap wouldn't surprise me! Shouldn't have to re do this already.
Thanks for the advice. We are giving it a good sanding right now and then the fun begins. Any tips for painting spindal railings???

Thanks

 

Using a good brush and quality paint helps, no quick way to get experience

If the paint drags a little you can thin it slightly to make it flow better. If you mess up and can't fix while wet - no biggie, sand and redo when dry.

 

I have been using exterior semi gloss white for my baseboards and it looks great. Will there be a problem with this?

 

Interior enamel dries harder than exterior. Exterior paints give off fumes [while drying] not intended to be contained indoors. Other than that it should be ok.

 

No, IT IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA to use Exterior in Interior applications.

Simply drying does not solve to problems.

1. Exterior is LESS durable than interior for scrubbing/cleaning. Exterior paints are not designed to be "cleaned". Honestly, how often are you outside scrubbing the walls. I would bet never.

2. There are mildicides, sometimes insecticides, and other agents (gylcols) and other nasties added to make exterior paint "exterior". The mildicides, and insecticides can make you sick LONG after the paint is dry. Especially if you have children that come into contact with the paint.

3. OP your builder is a fool. I would suggest you have him repaint the home for you. This is a health hazard, and of no benefit for you. If he did it to save a few pennies because he could get it for cheaper, he is a cheat. I wouldn't accept the job as complete until rectified.

Contact any paint mfg, and pose your question. You will be told that exterior paint is for outside only.

 

We would never has knowingly accepted outdoor paint , but never thought much about it until it continued to look and feel bad.
We have been in the house for 3.5 years, so we can't really go back on the builder. We are just assuming that it is outdoor paint. It just feels soft. And it does not clean up well at all when we wash hand prints etc off. I'm not sure how to tell if it is outddor for sure, but we have sanded the railing tops completely and have applied new enamel paint. The builder had some young guys that finished up alot of things and many were not done well, like the door handle on my bathroom locked from the outside??? We fix things as we go, but the railings were put off simply becasue of the size of the job at hand. I did not realize the health hazards of outdoor paint. I certainly hope it was just bad paint. But we are re-doing it as we speak so it should not be a problem any more.

Thanks for all the advice.

 

In this case, it may be a case of cheap s/g wall paint that the builder used in place of a high quality trim paint for your railing.

They generally do not harden to an acceptable level for high use areas.

I thought you knew it was exterior paint.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

I’d suggest finding out what is currently on the rail. Some of these fly-by-night painters are using outside oils inside because they can one-coat bare wood with them. Solid stain oils are soft and usually dull almost flat. I'd be willing to bet on it. Besides you never know what some of these painters do to paint.
It should not be tacky 3.5 years later. I think to be on the safe side, I would buy Zinsser Cover-Stain high hide oil primer tinted to the color you want and do the rail with that. Then apply 100% acrylic semi-gloss for example.
TIP for doing these rails. Tag team them, one of either side, you work on spindle 1 & 2 the other person is on the other side doing 3 & 4. When you sync, you will be doing 3 & 4 while the other does 1 & 2.