Paint type for furniture

I have been researching the site and still not sure what's the best way to paint a 1920's bedroom suite. We did finally just removed all the original factory paint (lacquer) because it was in bad shape and trying to paint over it looked worse. I don't want to have to do any of this again in my life time. It was suggested that Kilz or Bin primer be used over the bare wood. And, also an exterior latex or oil paint be used. Also, it was suggested perhaps to use semigloss latex enamel. I'm now confused.
Questions:
Should I use latex enamel, latex acrylic, or oil (interior or exterior)? What's the difference between latex enamel and latex acrylic (I read to make sure it has acrylic resins?)? Would oil be best for long term and durability instead? I want to elimate brush strokes as best as possible. Would the sponge brushes work on any of the paints or just use the better quality brushes on the market?
Thanks so much!!

 

Denise, for best results in sealing off the grain and pores of the now-bare and stripped wood, an oil-based primer is recommended. BIN is shellac and can dry too quickly (about 15 minutes) for some jobs and is rather aromatic (smells bad). I would use the oil-based KILZ or Moore's 200-00 sealer. Wait 24 hours and lightly sand any drip marks if necessary. Remove the dust with a damp cloth or tack rag. Use a product like Moore's alkyd (oil) Melamine as your topcoat. It is a urethane-reinforced paint, very durable, self-levelling (reduces brush and roller marks because of that property) and can be easily applied with a high-density foam roller/brush (such as the 'Whizz' brand). Use interior-grade paint for your project. It dries harder (and in much less time) than exterior products. You can certainly use a water-based product after priming if you wish. No problem there, but they don't flow as smooth as oils unless you use additives such as Floetrol http://www.floodco.com/Products/floetrol.cfm that smooths-out latex paints so you can achieve a glassier finish. Oil will be much more durable than latex over the course of years, more 'bullet-proof'. These days, 'enamel' simply means a surface that is very durable and scrubbable. It doesn't necessarily mean oil-based, or 'shiny', like it used to. Acrylic is a chemical additive that is blended into the paint to make it more scrub-resistant. It can also be a 'gray-area' marketing term unfortunately. In many cases, a company would like you to know that it's product is 100% acrylic. All that means is that the resin that they add to their recipe, is 100% PURE acrylic. Nothing more. Some coatings are 100%, others 80, etc... It's splitting hairs. The higher the sheen of a paint, the more durable. Other products (such as CIL 'Select', Para 'Ultrasuede) have the Dupont Teflon added to them which gives an additional scrubbability factor to them. Not sure who really 'scrubs' walls anymore, but if you want to, the Teflons and 100% acrylics, or higher-gloss paints will take the most abuse. Hope this answers your question, if not, lemme know.

Keith

 

Thanks Keith,
So, you recommend oil primer like Kilz, then top coat with an alkyd (oil)? Is the top coat different than the final paint color? Will the paint can say "alkyd" or am I looking for just "oil" for top coat? If top coat is different than final paint color, will latex be o.k on the alkyd? I think I'm going to go for the oil paint instead of latex for leveling purposes. I want this bedroom furniture to last a long time for my little girl - this has been quite a bit of work for us. Oh, my husband today just bought Kilz latex primer. Should we exchange it for the oil primer? We do live in Phoenix, AZ and I'm concerned over the wood condition over time.
Thanks!

 

Use an oil-based primer. Use an oil-based melamine paint. Maximum durability, very smooth finish with the foam roller. Request this from your paint dealer (preferably not a box store). The primer can may say alkyd, or oil, but either will do. Same as the melamine, alkyd again. Be sure to sand primer smooth, remove dust, put two coats melamine, sand between and remove dust. Wait 24 hours before each coat of primer and paint. Best of luck.

 

Keith,
I've been surfing the web comparing paints and I see Alkyd and oil (which I assume are the same thing), but don't see anything about melamine. What is melamine and how does that compare among oil/alkyd paints? Do oil/alkyd paints contain melamine? If not, why should one search for oil/alkyd with melamine for painting my old bedroom suite? Also, I read oil can yellow over time and I don't want to have to redo this suite again if possible.
Thanks so much!

 

Denise....my apologies for the confusion. Melamine is a generic term for certain specialty paint coatings. "Oil", when used to describe coatings, usually meant a linseed oil-based product. These days, most companies use a synthetic resin product, called an alkyd (and I, as some people do, use the terms interchangeably/synomymously, and sometimes cause unecessary confusion in the process...sorry). Same like same essentially, however, linseed products penetrate really really well. Few are still made, but an example is Benjamin Moore 110-00 House Paint or their 100-00 Exterior Primer. their exterior deck stains, Para Paints 'Raincoat' and several others. I see you're an internet girl, so if you're still interested, search google for 'Melamine Paints'...even include paint manufacturers for more detail. Melamine is a urethane-reinforced (think hardwood floor coating here) paint. It is usually recommended for furniture, kitchen cabinets, and bathroom vanity-type applications. It takes more abuse, as it dries very very hard and has a low sheen. Most are alkyd, some are latex (I don't recommend them for most jobs as they're not as durable). It is a very silky-smooth, self-levelling product and you can achieve a superior finish by using a high density foam roller. You bring up a good point about the yellowing-factor. Oil (think vegetable oil a second) has a slight amber cast to it and therefore, all alkyd/oil products have this inherent yellow tone to them unless tinted. Some companies, such as Moores, factory-tone their alkyds so they don't yellow (so quickly that is). With Moores, it's 'Ultra White'. If you use that white, the yellowing will be much less noticeable over time. But, if you tint the paint any color at all, you'll never see it. It's a trade off really. The oil is yellow and more bullet-proof than any latex product. You can use a latex if you wish though, and only you can determine the durability this piece of furniture needs over time. Hope this answers some of your concerns. If not, please ask-away again.


Here's a link to a melamine-related question and one of it's common uses.


http://www.hgtv.ca/home/expert/painting6.asp


Keith