What kind of paint to use for a bookcase?

Question

We bought a nice unfinished alder bookcase and are painting it white to match a desk that we just bought.

We've been using an Easy Living Latex paint that was color matched and recommended for us by someone at Osh.

On another question, someone suggested that latex paint is not a good choice for furniture and that we should've went with an oil-based paint.

Can latex do a decent job? Should we switch to an oil-based paint? Assuming, we switch to an oil-based paint, do we have to sand off every bit of the latex paint and primer? Or can we just paint a coat of oil-based paint on top of the existing coat of latex?

Is there a book I can buy that will explain things like this to me?

Answer 1

First off, you CAN use oil-base over latex... you CANNOT use latex over oil-base... it won't stick.

The reason it won't stick, is because of the 'oil-base'....which is the same reason some folks say its better to use an oil base paint on wood. The oil-base paint will bond to wood better than latex.

Different kinds of paint, and their uses:
Water based -- often called water colors.. used in art, for their ability to leave pigment in a 'washed out' style.
Latex based -- latex is a type of vinyl, is easily cleaned up with soap and water, and is most often found in flat to semi-gloss wall paints, for home interiors.
Acrylic based -- Acrylic is a 'harder' kind of plastic.... where latex is more flexible. Acrylic paints are also useful in artwork, and are becoming more popular in outdoor situations, because they will dry hard. Acrylic paints also clean up easily with soap and water.
Oil-based -- Oil Base paints used to be the 'standard' by which all other paints were measured...this is no longer the case. Oil base paints can achieve a very high gloss, and are somewhat tougher once dry, than latex.... they cure more slowly, but leave behind a thicker coating of pigment... making them ideal for painting over darker colors, blotchy surfaces, and exterior home use. You need paint thinners or solvents to clean these up. These are also popular for artwork, and paintings using this type of paint are commonly referred to as 'oils'.
Epoxy-based -- These are perhaps, the hardest setting of all the paints... these you will find most used in exterior applications, that need to last a long long time, or be subjected to extremely harsh conditions.

Now, there are other kinds of paints as well... developed for specific purposes... like automobile paints, that have to withstand weather and sunlight; plastic paints, designed specifically to adhere to plastic (like outdoor plastic furniture, mailboxes, etc), and then the furniture industry itself uses some that are 'acid based'...that is, they need a catalyst to make them 'set' properly.

If you had access to the equipment, I would advise that you use a catalyst (acid) based paint, but this isnt something that is sold 'over the counter'. The advantage to this kind of paint is that you can, by altering the chemical mixture, set the paint to be extremely hard, fast or slow drying, etc.... It is one of the longest lasting, and most durable paints available.

Now, in your particular application.... youve got some book shelves... youve already applied the primer, and some paint, it sounds like. Bookshelves are not typically going to get a lot of "wear" on them, like some other kinds of furniture...for example, your desk, which you are matching the color of, on the bookcases. My suggestion -- go ahead and finish it like you have started. The latex paint should adhere to your primer, and be less likely to 'flake' or 'peel' as has been suggested here. Had you applied the latex paint directly to the wood.... I would say sand it off. But since you've got primer on it... leave it.

Latex paint isnt particularly 'hard' when it dries. I do not know what "gloss" or sheen you were looking for...whether a very high sheen, like lacquer, or flat (no gloss at all). You CAN however... apply a protective 'top coat'...in either a 'satin', 'semi-', or 'high-gloss'. Satin would have the least amount of shine to it... high-gloss has the most shine to it. Anyone who carries paint, should have a sample board of what those glosses look like.

Now, for the top coat -- I recommend a polyurethane based clear topcoat. You can get this in the desired gloss.. .and it will dry to a hard surface, protecting the latex paint. You can get this type of top coat in a 'marine' style too... that is, it's designed to withstand being outside in the sun, and will not 'yellow' with exposure to the sun. 'Marine' urethane is tougher, and is most commonly known for use on boats (thus the nickname 'marine')...it is also quite popular on picnic tables, and outdoor benches! You may decide tho, that a topcoat isnt particularly necessary... this will depend a lot on just how much 'wear and tear' you expect to have on these shelves. If you're not expecting a lot of scuff marks... don't worry about it.

Something else to think about too.... the "antique" look, where paint is deliberately scuffed to reveal other colors underneath, is quite popular in some areas.... you may just want to stick with the latex for now, and scuff them up some more later, and THEN apply a topcoat, hehehe.

Now, if you decide to go ahead and switch to oil-base paint (I don't happen to think that's necessary).. you do NOT have to sand off all of your latex paint and primer. All you would have to do, is scuff it up, with your sander, so that the oil-base paint will adhere to it better. Remember -- oil-base paints take longer to 'dry'... typically, 24 hours minimum..so don't get in a hurry to move it... o.. and make sure you paint it in a well ventilated area.

Some painting tips... no matter which method you use:
On Wood -- you want at least a good coat of primer, perhaps two coats, or a coat of 'sanding sealer', and then a coat of primer. The sanding sealer has a specific purpose... it 'locks', the wood fibers in place. When you sand a piece of wood... it 'raises' the remaining wood fibers. By using successively higher grit sandpaper, you can reduce the size of these raised fibers. Sanding sealer helps lock those raised fibers in place.. and then a light sanding over that, will knock off those existing raised fibers, without allowing any more to raise... provided you do not sand thru the sealer. This product is especially handy, when you want to achieve a very smooth finish.
Between each coat of sealer, primer, or paint, you want to 'scuff' the dry coat just a bit. A piece of steel wool is ideal for this. The idea is not to sand thru the layer of primer, or paint... just to 'rough it up' a little... giving the next coat some 'grooves' in the previous coat, that it can 'grip'. This makes each successive coat cling to the previous coat, much more successfully. It also helps to eliminate any runs, or drips, that were left in the previous coat, and helps to achieve an overall, smoother finish, with the last coat of paint, or topcoat.

Youve already got the latex paint, youve already started to work with it... go ahead and finish your project. Youve applied primer...that's good. You are using a product made from Alder... this is a pretty stable wood...it takes paint well... and you will not have much trouble with sap...unlike pine, for example. You might, in a couple of years, see some paint flake off.... no big deal.... at that time, then you can re-paint the bookshelves with an oil-base paint, if you so desire.... who knows, in a couple of years... you might want to change the color anyway. Heheheh.

Enjoy!

Answer 2

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RE:
What kind of paint to use for a bookcase?
We bought a nice unfinished alder bookcase and are painting it white to match a desk that we just bought.

We've been using an Easy Living Latex paint that was color matched and recommended for us by someone at Osh.

On another question, someone suggested that latex paint is not a good...

Answer 3

I would prime first, there are some good latex primers specifically for wood that sand like an oil (not and all purpose primer). So do a coat of that or an oil primer, then lightly sand to get a smooth surface. Wipe with a tack cloth to get dust off. Get an oil or high quality latex paint and do two coats for better durability. Proclassic is great paint but only for light to mid range colors. In general, darker colors are not going to be as durable, and will have a smaller product selection. So, with improvements in paint technology, you can go with an all water-based system, but it will cost a little more upfront.

Answer 4

Acrylic Bookcase

Answer 5

There is no rule which says you must paint woodwork white, or strip it, or color it to merge with the walls. In a room whose walls, window frames and doors are in the same neutral color, you could paint the skirting board a clear contrasting color.

This will define the line between the floor and walls. Trim colors that contrast with walls and ceilings might suit your style in one room, while a more subtle color change might be right somewhere else in the house.

You can liven up plain, flat walls by adding moldings so as to create panels around the room. For best results, make sure you keep your working area within the proper temperature range recommended for the paint.

All interior woodwork that has been stripped, from baseboard to dining room tables, needs to be primed with either a standard acrylic wood primer. After that you can paint on it with oil-based flat eggshell, gloss, or acrylic paints.

Most interior woodwork looks best in an eggshell finish, as high-gloss paint can have a rather bleak, deadening effect. If your plan is to paint walls, ceiling, and trim, then it’s best to get the trim painted first, along with the room’s windows and doors. Paint woodwork in small sections. Keeping a wet edge to avoid lap marks.

A wide range of broken-color effects work well on woodwork, but ideally you should use oil-based paints as latex has little durability on wood. Stains add color to wood while allowing its natural grain pattern to show through.

Varnishes are clear finishes that form a tough coating over stain. They are available in a range of finish sheens from satin to high gloss. At the end of a project, combine all of the leftover paint of the same color into as few cans as possible.

Answer 6

Properly applied, latex will not peal.

Latex over oil is done every day. I used to paint houses for a living. We always used an oil primer on raw wood, because its slower drying quality allowed it to soak deeper into the wood. The rough surface of the primer accepted the latex fine and the paint jobs got the same guarantee re-paints did.

For my kitchen cabinets, I use an oil primer and an oil final coat on all the shelves.
Everywhere else (verticals), I used latex with Flotrol.. This allows me to escape the too common problem of items sticking to the horizontal surfaces.

In a pinch, I use clear waterborne poly over the latex, which I lightly scuff, and that solves the problem of sticking.

Answer 7

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Sanding with a 150 grit sandpaper is fine,...If the wood is redwood, pine, or cedar use an oil based primer prior to the topcoat (A-100 Oil @Sherwin Williams). If you don't use an oil based primer, the wood will bleed through causing the topcoat to peel. If the wood is not one of the 3 listed above, you can use a latex based product and skip the oil. I would recommend All-Surface Enamel or Proclassic. Good Luck:)

Answer 8

Which ever you choose will be fine, but I know this from experience. Once you've painted with oil base if you ever want to re-paint use oil base again. Latex with not stick to oil base. When I tried I ended up with a peeling mess and had to strip and start over. I prefer latex. It goes on easier and is easier to clean up.

Answer 9

Unfinished Bookshelf

Answer 10

1

Answer 11

home depot has lots of informative boooks, i would recommend an oil based primer with a latex finish, preferably, semi-gloss, if the surface is pre-painted, i would sand it first with a fine grit sandpaper, remove dust with a tack rag