<div class="article-entry"><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_393992" style="width: 910px"><img alt="interior painting project ladders" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-393992" class="wp-image-393992" height="506" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/04/J-Js-Final-Coat-Painting-Inc-LPH-During13-1024x576.jpg" width="900"/><p class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-393992">Due to compatibility issues with oil- and water-based paints, it’s good to take precautions when repainting your home interior. Photo: J &amp; J’s Final Coat Painting, Inc.</p></div><p>Interior painting may have once been a simple task, but during the last couple of decades, it has become a lot more complex. This is primarily due to the widespread transition from oil-based to water-based paint products. Because of this fundamental shift, you need to be careful when repainting—otherwise, you may find yourself in a real “oil and water” situation.<span id="more-393991"></span></p><p> </p><h3><strong>A little background</strong></h3><p>Up until the mid-20th century, all house paint was oil-based. Even after water-based paint was introduced in the 1940s, its comparatively weak performance did little to compete with its predecessor. More recently, painting manufacturers began to develop better water-based products in response to the Green construction movement and growing concerns about the toxic properties of oil-based paint (such as VOCs). Today, modern water-based paint products offer comparable performance to oil-based products and have effectively supplanted them as the standard for house painting.</p><p> </p><h3><strong>The problem</strong></h3><p>While the transition to water-based paint has brought many positive upshots, it has also given rise to a dilemma for millions of homeowners. Due to their conflicting consistencies, oil- and water-based paints are unable to form a lasting bond, which can result in new paint peeling off the wall soon after application. Since the majority of United States homes still have oil-based paint on their walls, the odds that you’ll encounter problems when repainting are higher than you might expect. That’s why it’s important to take proactive steps.</p><p> </p><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_393993" style="width: 310px"><img alt="peeling paint" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-393993" class="wp-image-393993 size-medium" height="221" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/04/The-Painting-Pros-Peeling-Paint-5-e1522791895917-300x221.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/04/The-Painting-Pros-Peeling-Paint-5-e1522791895917-300x221.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/04/The-Painting-Pros-Peeling-Paint-5-e1522791895917.jpg 428w" width="300"/><p class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-393993">Due to their conflicting consistencies, oil- and water-based paints are unable to form a lasting bond, which can lead to peeling paint. Photo: The Painting Pros ©2018</p></div><h3><strong>Preliminary testing </strong></h3><p>First, you need to determine what type of paint is on your walls. This is easy to do: Simply immerse a cotton swab, cotton ball or clean rag in rubbing alcohol and rub it on a small area of the wall. If paint comes off of the wall, you know it’s water-based and don’t have to worry about compatibility issues. If paint doesn’t come off, you know you’re dealing with oil-based paint and need to prepare the surface accordingly.</p><p>If the surface is oil-based, you’ll want to check one more thing before proceeding. If your home was built before 1978, it’s possible that your wall paint contains lead, which represents a major health concern. There are a few ways to test a paint surface for lead. One of the easiest is to use a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWgxU9BSBng">3M LeadCheck™ Swab</a>. If your wall paint tests positive for lead, you should call a professional to handle the situation. Using special techniques and tools (such as sanders equipped with HEPA vacuums to arrest dislodged dust), a professional painter will mitigate the threat of lead contamination during paint removal.</p><p> </p><h3><strong>The solution</strong></h3><p>If your oil-based paint surface doesn’t contain lead, you can proceed with the following procedure:</p><ol><li>Sand the painted surface. You don’t need to sand it down very far; you just need to rough it up a bit to help the new paint bond with it. Any sandpaper between 130- and 180-grit should work fine.</li><li>After sanding, use a degreaser or trisodium phosphate to thoroughly wash the surface.</li><li>Apply an oil-based or water-oil hybrid primer, which will create an adhesive surface for your paint to bond with.</li><li>Once the primer is dry, apply your water-based paint.</li></ol><p>You might be wondering, “If water-based paint can’t be applied to an oil-based surface, how can it be applied to an oil-based primer? And how are water-oil hybrids possible?” To gain a professional’s insight, we asked Lee Dido of <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/report/wine-country-painters/">Wine Country Painters</a> to answer these questions. “Primers are specifically designed for adhesion and act as the ‘glue’ between a surface and paint,” he explains. “Because of this, oil-based primers have properties that allow water-based paint to bond with them. Regarding hybrid primers, today’s products utilize soy-based oil that’s suspended in water with the help of emulsifiers. As the paint dries, the water evaporates and you’re left with an oil finish. Since they’re soy-based, hybrid primers are very environmentally-friendly, and they’re also easy to work with.”</p><h6>To find a Diamond Certified painter to help you with your painting needs, visit www.diamondcertified.org.</h6></div>

Due to compatibility issues with oil- and water-based paints, it’s good to take precautions when repainting your home interior. Photo: J & J's Final Coat Painting, Inc.

Due to the shift from oil-based to water-based paint, you need to be careful when repainting. Learn proactive steps to avoid an “oil and water” situation.

Avoiding Problems with Oil- and Water-Based Paints | Diamond Certified

James Florence

<div id="attachment_393992" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-393992" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-393992" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/J-Js-Final-Coat-Painting-Inc-LPH-During13-1024x576.jpg" alt="interior painting project ladders" width="900" height="506" /><p id="caption-attachment-393992" class="wp-caption-text">Due to compatibility issues with oil- and water-based paints, it’s good to take precautions when repainting your home interior. Photo: J &amp; J&#8217;s Final Coat Painting, Inc.</p></div>
<p>Interior painting may have once been a simple task, but during the last couple of decades, it has become a lot more complex. This is primarily due to the widespread transition from oil-based to water-based paint products. Because of this fundamental shift, you need to be careful when repainting—otherwise, you may find yourself in a real “oil and water” situation.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>A little background</strong></h3>
<p>Up until the mid-20th century, all house paint was oil-based. Even after water-based paint was introduced in the 1940s, its comparatively weak performance did little to compete with its predecessor. More recently, painting manufacturers began to develop better water-based products in response to the Green construction movement and growing concerns about the toxic properties of oil-based paint (such as VOCs). Today, modern water-based paint products offer comparable performance to oil-based products and have effectively supplanted them as the standard for house painting.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>The problem</strong></h3>
<p>While the transition to water-based paint has brought many positive upshots, it has also given rise to a dilemma for millions of homeowners. Due to their conflicting consistencies, oil- and water-based paints are unable to form a lasting bond, which can result in new paint peeling off the wall soon after application. Since the majority of United States homes still have oil-based paint on their walls, the odds that you’ll encounter problems when repainting are higher than you might expect. That’s why it’s important to take proactive steps.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div id="attachment_393993" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-393993" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-393993 size-medium" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/The-Painting-Pros-Peeling-Paint-5-e1522791895917-300x221.jpg" alt="peeling paint" width="300" height="221" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/The-Painting-Pros-Peeling-Paint-5-e1522791895917-300x221.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/The-Painting-Pros-Peeling-Paint-5-e1522791895917.jpg 428w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-393993" class="wp-caption-text">Due to their conflicting consistencies, oil- and water-based paints are unable to form a lasting bond, which can lead to peeling paint. Photo: The Painting Pros ©2018</p></div>
<h3><strong>Preliminary testing </strong></h3>
<p>First, you need to determine what type of paint is on your walls. This is easy to do: Simply immerse a cotton swab, cotton ball or clean rag in rubbing alcohol and rub it on a small area of the wall. If paint comes off of the wall, you know it’s water-based and don’t have to worry about compatibility issues. If paint doesn’t come off, you know you’re dealing with oil-based paint and need to prepare the surface accordingly.</p>
<p>If the surface is oil-based, you’ll want to check one more thing before proceeding. If your home was built before 1978, it’s possible that your wall paint contains lead, which represents a major health concern. There are a few ways to test a paint surface for lead. One of the easiest is to use a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWgxU9BSBng">3M LeadCheck™ Swab</a>. If your wall paint tests positive for lead, you should call a professional to handle the situation. Using special techniques and tools (such as sanders equipped with HEPA vacuums to arrest dislodged dust), a professional painter will mitigate the threat of lead contamination during paint removal.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>The solution</strong></h3>
<p>If your oil-based paint surface doesn’t contain lead, you can proceed with the following procedure:</p>
<ol>
<li>Sand the painted surface. You don’t need to sand it down very far; you just need to rough it up a bit to help the new paint bond with it. Any sandpaper between 130- and 180-grit should work fine.</li>
<li>After sanding, use a degreaser or trisodium phosphate to thoroughly wash the surface.</li>
<li>Apply an oil-based or water-oil hybrid primer, which will create an adhesive surface for your paint to bond with.</li>
<li>Once the primer is dry, apply your water-based paint.</li>
</ol>
<p>You might be wondering, “If water-based paint can’t be applied to an oil-based surface, how can it be applied to an oil-based primer? And how are water-oil hybrids possible?” To gain a professional’s insight, we asked Lee Dido of <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/report/wine-country-painters/">Wine Country Painters</a> to answer these questions. “Primers are specifically designed for adhesion and act as the ‘glue’ between a surface and paint,” he explains. “Because of this, oil-based primers have properties that allow water-based paint to bond with them. Regarding hybrid primers, today’s products utilize soy-based oil that’s suspended in water with the help of emulsifiers. As the paint dries, the water evaporates and you’re left with an oil finish. Since they’re soy-based, hybrid primers are very environmentally-friendly, and they’re also easy to work with.”</p>
<h6>To find a Diamond Certified painter to help you with your painting needs, visit www.diamondcertified.org.</h6>

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Due to compatibility issues with oil- and water-based paints, it’s good to take precautions when repainting your home interior. Photo: J & J’s Final Coat Painting, Inc.Interior painting may have once been a simple task, but during the last couple of decades, it has become a lot more complex. This is primarily due to the widespread transition from oil-based to water-based paint products. Because of this fundamental shift, you need to be careful when repainting—otherwise, you may find yourself in 

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