Jean wrote:
George E. Cawthon wrote:

Jean wrote:

I'm refinishing all the woodwork in my home because the original
oil-based paint has yellowed and darkened. I'm going to use a satin
latex paint. I've read that adding Floetrol to the paint will help it
level out so as to avoid brush marks. Has anyone actually tried this
and been successful? If so, what mixture ratio did you use?

Thanks,

Jean



Most paints say don't add anything, some say you can dilute upto x
percent. Floetrol tells on their product the maximum you can dilute.
I have use Floetrol on walls at less than 10 percent and it seems to
improve the quality significantly but my walls are a medium knockdown
texture so smoothness of paint is really a factor.

I recently painted my new doors and old woodwork with a gloss latex
and decided not to use Floetrol as the paint said not to add
anything. Used both a roller and a brush. It is impossible for me to
get a finish free of brush marks with latex, but I'm not a
professional painter.


All the latex paint cans I've seen say not to thin the paint unless
using a sprayer, but Floetrol isn't a thinner (according to their
blurb), instead it is a "conditioner" (whatever that means). So I was
guessing that I could ignore the paint manufacturer's statement if I use
Floetrol. Am I wrong?


I suggest that you mix a cup or so of the paint with 10 percent
Floetrol and apply it on a very smooth finished test board to check
the smoothness and to see if there are any color changes.

Anything you add to the paint that isn't paint
is a thinner. Yes, Floetrol is a conditioner but
it thins the paint, so it is also a thinner. You
can't ignore what the paint manufacturer says, but
you don't have to believe or follow it.

By now, you know all you need to know, you just
need to test it.