Thimble Hall Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I know some of you use latex house paint as opposed to acrylic craft paint on your houses. I wonder if you could share some reasons, preferences and any snags you have found please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 This is solely my opinion. To me, acrylic is like a skin, latex is like a raincoat. Latex is plastic. It just sits on top of a surface unless a primer is applied first to give the surface some teeth to stick to. If you put latex on a piece of plastic, once dry, you can peel it off and it will have the texture of a balloon. Acrylic will bind more easily to the wood. Just my opinion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I use artist quality acrylic, like Liquitex brand. It has more pigment than the watered down craft acrylics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I find them to be almost interchangeable. I use leftover latex house paints when the color works. I generally prime with gesso. Any kind of paint will stick to gesso. (And gesso will stick to fingers, too. It even resists scrubbing with Lava soap. ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NellBell Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I like the Liquitex brand too . I've also used the small craft bottles and have found that Delta Ceramcoat is the brand I like best .I use a lot of chalk paint only problem is you might want to seal the chalk paint. When I seal it I antique/white wash it at the same time . I have used house paint but only on the outside of the house when I need a lot of paint. Looking forward to seeing your wagon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Oh yes, I wanted to add it’s never a good idea to use exterior house paints on a dollhouse only interior paints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I prime with flat interior latex house paint and I paint with interior latex house paint and I have never had any of it peel off (or I wouldn't use it). For fiddly bits I like to use acrylics. I use my acrylic paints from the tubes and mix my own colors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormwoodz Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 They are both 'water' based paints, but usually latex mixes will have more vynil polymers in their composition making the surface more 'flexible'. Acrylic paints are usually a bit more 'transparent' so you'll need more than 1 layer of paint for a solid color finish. If you are painting over wood acrylic paint usually won't cover up the grain texture on the surface completly when dry. I like that kind of effect so I don't sand the surface smooth, but if you want a smooth surface you'll probably need to prime/sand more with acrylic paint. The best advantage, aside from the layering possibilities, is that acrylic paint is generally more durable than latex over a long period of time. Both of them are less durable than oil based paints however, and highly susceptible to solvents, even if you apply a protective coat of varnish on top. The disadvantage of this I found is when cleaning I will usually remove more pigment from underneath the varnish coating from an acrylic layer, even with a very mild solvent. To be frank all materials have their pros and cons, so in the end it's a matter of personal preference more than anything else. I have been using acrylic paint for several years now so I feel more confortable working with those, but I also like the acrylic paints with a bit of vynil in their composition for wood surfaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mineejv Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I have gesso and never thought to use it on my window frames (and stair case)to get a smooth look. I’ve already painted them so can I use the gesso and paint them again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 4 hours ago, Mineejv said: I have gesso and never thought to use it on my window frames (and stair case)to get a smooth look. I’ve already painted them so can I use the gesso and paint them again? You can use gesso as a primer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 30 minutes ago, havanaholly said: You can use gesso as a primer. I have also used slightly thickened gesso as a rough (but not textured) unpainted plaster finish, a sort of rustic look. (Marie Laveau's cottage) The water based gesso can be thinned for undercoating. If left in an uncovered container for a period of time so some of the water can evaporate, the gesso will thicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 The reason I asked is that I bought good quality latex paints for my caravan and I am finding it troublesome on some parts, Everything was primed but it still raised the grain, It worked well when doing large pieces like the main parts but when I was painting lots of small arils it was drying so fast;ike the spokes in wheels I could bot get it smooth. It didn't seem to flow like an art paint either so I seemed to be dabbing at it all the time. I feel I want to strip it off many of the small pieces as they don't look smooth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 That’s why I don’t care for it. Sanding plastic/latex paint is not so easily done, it doesn’t like multiple brush strokes while it’s wet. Craft paints are so much more forgiving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 Thank you all. I think I will go back to my craft acrylics and remove some paint off my caravan first so I can repaint it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annagr Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 (edited) I use a water-based acrylic paint (interior house paint, not craft paint) because I can get it in 60 mil (about 2 1/2 ounces) test pots and in any color I want. One pot will do the walls of a smaller room with 2 coats if applied with a small foam roller. I can't get the colors I want in any other paint option. Sanding is no problem as long as it properly dry. Since I use MDF for my houses, raised grain is not a problem. It could be on plywood though. But one undercoat (same paint) and bit of a sand seems to take care of it. Edited March 26, 2018 by Annagr correction to text Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 Well I tried covering the latex house paint with an acrylic but it was no good one one on top on the other and I think the whole lot was a terrible mess so I have spent the last three days stripping my caravan down to the bare wood again and I am going to Michaels to buy new paint shortly PS Thank you all so much for your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestPaces Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 I got an ad for 60% off one regular priced article for Michaels today. Check the website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted March 29, 2018 Author Share Posted March 29, 2018 Oh missed that one but I managed to get 40 off. I bought a packed box of 20 paints so I made it work. My whole house is now full of dust and tiny flakes of paint. I had to scalpel most of it off, then sand the remaining layer, so back to square one but actually I am glad I did it. The bead and board I planned to put on it hadn't arrived after alost a month so I went ahead and decided to do it without. I regretted that and just as I was half way through getting it back to bare wood the timber arrived..so it was meant to be. I didn't strip the wheels etc but I di lightly sand them and with a new coat of new stuff on top I think they will be fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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