How To Draw Wood Grain Easy

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From the cabinets in your kitchen to a slice of furniture to a fun craft, at that place are enough of wood items you can paint. And one of the best things about wood is that it accepts a multifariousness of paints well, whether you opt for something that'due south acrylic or an oil-based formula. Painting wood is an easy way to change its wait and give it some new personality, but it's non always articulate what pigment to use for different projects and applications. Here's what yous demand to know about the right paint to use for wood.

What's Your Project?

First, it's essential to figure out the nature of your projection, meaning you'll demand to determine non merely what y'all're painting but also where information technology's located or going to exist used. Are you painting shingles on the exterior of your home? Or are you painting an outdoor deck that'll see a lot of pes traffic? How well-nigh kitchen cabinets that people will touch often, or a bath shelf that'll exist exposed to loftier humidity from the shower?

Knowing things similar whether or not it'southward going to become wet, how ofttimes someone's going to use it or touch information technology and what overall outcome or look y'all want to achieve are all essential for determining what pigment you should use for the project. Wood accepts a very broad range of paints and stains, but each of those can have differing levels of durability and protection. Some paints are better than others in certain situations, and yous'll need to know your particular situation before y'all make your pick.

Pigment Types and Formulas

The not bad thing about wood is that, equally long equally yous apply primer to it in most cases, whatever type of paint works well on information technology, depending on what function y'all need your project to serve. More often than not speaking, paints to utilize on wood are water-based or oil-based. Acrylic and latex are the 2 most common types of water-based paints, while oil-based paints autumn into ii categories: constructed or natural. Each of these is better than others for specific applications.

Latex paint is quick-drying, piece of cake to clean and better for the surroundings than other types. It'southward too less likely to discolor over time. However, it'south not the well-nigh durable selection, as it tin scratch and chip easily. Information technology'southward best for indoor wood items or surfaces that you won't touch on or use very oft, such equally rarely used furniture, storage chiffonier doors, stair spindles and moving picture frames. Latex paint is often the almost affordable blazon.

Acrylic pigment is ideal for home exteriors, although you tin also use oil-based pigment here. If the outside is made up of unlike materials, such equally rock and forest, you're better off choosing acrylic. Materials like stone and masonry demand breathable paint to allow moisture and h2o vapor to pass through, and oil-based paint prevents this. Acrylic craft paints are as well widely bachelor and easy to use and make clean upwardly if you're doing a elementary DIY craft projection using wood.

Constructed oil paint, which is also called alkyd, is the best option for applications where you lot need a lot more immovability. Think everyday furniture that'll get used and jostled frequently, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, interior trims like baseboards and door frames that'll become kicked and touched oft, and flooring indoors and out. Oil-based paints are more rigid than flexible, h2o-based types and so they're less probable to chip — even when people are walking on them — and they're as well easier to launder make clean because of this.

Natural oil paint, called linseed, is best for craft projects on which you want to create a warm, aged patina. It's typically much more expensive than the constructed variety, which is why it's best for smaller projects.

Prepping for the Project

To help the paint adhere well and to ensure the finish looks its best when everything is dry, it's important to prep your forest to go it gear up. If you're painting an outside surface or item, give everything a thorough wash to make sure at that place isn't whatsoever dirt, dust, moss or algae, all of which tin can keep the pigment from sticking to the surface. If yous're painting wood deck furniture, a table or something else for the outdoors that people volition touch frequently, it'south a wise thought to sand information technology before painting to give the paint something smooth to attach to. Splinters and cracks can also go along the finished product from looking its best, and they're uncomfortable to sit on. Permit the surface or or item dry out fully before applying the pigment, and give it a few days to dry out and showtime curing before you utilise it. It's best to do outdoor wood-painting projects while the weather is nice.

If yous're repainting an interior surface or furniture such as kitchen cabinetry or a dresser, take a look at the existing pigment or cease. If the item'due south electric current paint isn't chipped, cracked or bubbling, you can usually paint correct over it; just sand the wood areas briefly to give the surface more texture for the paint to stick to. If you don't demand to remove cabinet paint, it'southward withal a good idea to clean the doors with a heavy-duty solution like TSP to eliminate all traces of grease and grime. If you do need to remove a little bit of paint, such equally a few chipped areas, you can sand them down. However, you may demand to use paint stripper for items with paint that's very damaged. This is a product that softens the old paint and so you can scrape and wipe it all off.

A word of caution here: If your cabinets or other painted home surfaces were last done in the 1970s or earlier, they may contain lead-based pigment. If you utilize a testing kit and determine in that location's lead in your paint, call the National Lead Data Center or your local wellness department to discover out how to proceed.