Si compró un mueble pintado en una tienda de antigüedades o vive en una casa un poco vieja, probablemente los muebles o algunas de las piezas de carpintería, molduras, gabinetes o puertas de la casa estén pintadas con pintura a base de aceite. Nowadays oil paints are rarely used and most paints you buy to paint your home are water-based latex formulas.
How To Test Oil-Based Paint Surfaces
Before you paint over oil paint or if you suspect it is oil-based and want to find out for sure, just do the following:
- Dip a cotton ball into a small amount of denatured alcohol. Rub it over a small area on the surface. If the paint does not come off, it is oil-based paint and you will need to prime the surface with a bonding primer before applying latex paint. The primer can be latex, but it has to be a product that is made to prepare the surface and help with adhesion and that says "bonding" on the label. When the primer coats are dry, you can then successfully use latex paint.
- If the paint comes off, it is a water or latex-based paint and you can proceed by painting over the surface with any type of paint.
- If you are painting over stained wood, you need to use a stain-blocking primer. If you skip this step, your painted finish will start to get a brown tinge in areas where the tannins in the wood seep through.
Time-Saving Primer Tip: Most primers are white. If you are painting a dark color over a previously light color of paint, buy or have the primer mixed to a grey color. It will help bring out the depth in the dark color and also save you time since the dark base will lessen the need for multiple coats of paint to obtain complete coverage.