Latex, Oil, or Lacquer?

Though there are many brands and sheens of paint, the three main types of residential coatings commonly used in this country are latex (water based), alkyd (oil based), and lacquer (solvent-based). Each of these three different types of paints has very distinct and useful properties that make them widely used. Professional painters certainly know the different applications but for homeowners the choice can sometime be difficult.

Latex house paint is probably the most commonly used type of paint for residential applications. Most interiors & exteriors are finished with latex primers & paints nowadays. The main reasons for this are cost, clean, up, and environmental. All things being equal, latex paint is the cheaper of the three main types of house paint. And, being water-based, it is also the quickest & easiest to clean up after using (i.e. rollers, brushes, drips, spills, etc.) And, compared to alkyd paints & lacquers, it is the most environmentally friendly and has the lowest VOCs (volatile organic compounds). For painting walls, ceilings, and siding, latex paints are hard to beat.

There is one application where alkyd enamel paints are still more commonly used residentially, and that's for painting interior trim & doors. The main reason for this is that alkyd paints tent to "wear" harder than latex paints--meaning they take a bit more abuse before fading or failing. They are more "washable". And they tend to hold their sheens better. So, in new residental construction today, it's typical for painters to prep the house completely, spray the trim & doors (and sometimes cabinets) with an oil-based alkyd semi-gloss paint, then cut & roll the walls and ceilings in using latex (usually flats, egg-shells, and satins).

Lacquer coatings are more commonly used on cabinetry, though even in that application they are fairly unusual unless the cabinets are factory made & finished. The main reason for this is that most residential house painters are not trained to apply lacquers and the application requires special equipment--mainly an air compressor and a conventional-feed spray gun. (Latex & oil paints, when sprayed on, are most commonly sprayed using "airless" spray rigs, which most professional painters have.)

Lacquer's primary characteristics are super fast drying times, very hard and ultra smooth finish (when applied by an experienced pro). Lacquer has some cons as well--mainly cost (100% more expensive than oil-based paints for example) and difficulty of application. It also has a very strong odor and must be properly vented--which makes it unsuitable for some situations--namely when painting in a house or apartment this is occupied.

As a paint contractor I am fortunate to have subs that competently work in all three types of paints. So, depending on the particular application, I might spec out any or all of the three on a job. Recently we worked on a renovation of a 1930s garage apartment where we sprayed the interior trim & doors with alkyd paint, rolled the walls & ceilings in latex paint, and stained and sprayed the kitchen cabinets with clear lacquer. So, we used all three types on the same job.

http://www.medusaproperties.com/details.php?id=30

For most of my paint materials I use ICI. But for lacquer coatings I have to go to Murphy Brothers here in Houston.

Wikipedia has some interesting info on paint as well. You might want to check that out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paint