How in the world can you tell if it's oil based? I have read that you shouldn't use latex over oil. I would like to paint all my baseboards and door trim but I'm hesitant to use latex. Suggestions?

Hill08 said:

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How in the world can you tell if it's oil based? I have read that you shouldn't use latex over oil. I would like to paint all my baseboards and door trim but I'm hesitant to use latex. Suggestions?

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Our home has oil based paint on all of the door trim, doors, baseboards, crown molding, etc. The walls are all latex. I Googled it and AI says "it's common to use oil based paints for doors and trim while using latex paint for interior walls. Oil based paint provides a durable, hard finish often preferred for trim and doors, while latex is a good choice for walls due to its flexibility and ease of cleaning".

This is my experience from when we moved into our current home 20 years ago, the walls were painted with a latex paint that had a flat finish. At the time, our 2 sons were 15 and 9 and the walls got marked up all of the time with the 2 boys and their friends being in and out of the house all of the time (we have since repainted the inside walls with a semigloss latex paint (my wife's choice)). Cleaning the walls appear easier now.

In addition, the 2 bathrooms my boys used growing up, moisture would get in and around the walls that surround the tub/shower combo in both bathrooms and the paint would flake off. Once we switched to the semigloss latex paint, it's more resistant to moisture and we haven't had this issue anymore.

Hill08 said:

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How in the world can you tell if it's oil based? I have read that you shouldn't use latex over oil. I would like to paint all my baseboards and door trim but I'm hesitant to use latex. Suggestions?

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Your local paint store should be able to guide you on oil based paint versus latex paint and how to tell the difference. Also, if you take a flake of the paint on your baseboards/door trim to them, they should be able to tell you if the current paint is oil based or latex. Same for your interior walls.

That's more a matte vs satin/semi gloss thing. Also, matte was likely the builder grade paint which is trash. You likely redid it with some higher end SW stuff.

If you brush some water based latex paint over existing oil based it will bead up and not cover. You will know quickly that it's oil based paint. If you sand the surface layer and sheen of the oil based wood, then semi gloss latex can be used to cover. You can ask your paint store about your situation but I have done it several times .

I had oil based cabinets and went over with latex. Sherwin Williams worker told me to sand lightly, primer and then paint. I only did one coat of primer I wish I would
Have done more. The latex paint seems to chip easier than the old oil paint. I put three coats of latex (dark color) looks good just thought the durability would be a little better. Guessing it's from my one layer of primer only.