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

"Jean" wrote in message
...
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

I use it and love it. Follow directions, and tweak from there. You just
have to fiddle with it until you get it right. I find that I use a little
more than suggested. It works great, for me, anyway, and reduces brush
marks and roller stipple. Be careful, because you will tend to put too much
paint on with the flatter appearance.

Don't thin the whole gallon. Just what you want to use. That way, if you
get it too thin, you can add some of the thick undiluted paint to bring it
back up. If you thin the whole gallon, and overthin, you won't be able to
do that.

Steve

Along with using the Floetrol, be sure to use the highest quality brush you
can. Sometimes all the Floetrol in the world can't overcome a cheap brush.
And use a light touch...
Perry
"Steve B" wrote in message
news:vERwf.7671$JT.3572@fed1read06...

"Jean" wrote in message
...
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

I use it and love it. Follow directions, and tweak from there. You just
have to fiddle with it until you get it right. I find that I use a little
more than suggested. It works great, for me, anyway, and reduces brush
marks and roller stipple. Be careful, because you will tend to put too
much paint on with the flatter appearance.

Don't thin the whole gallon. Just what you want to use. That way, if you
get it too thin, you can add some of the thick undiluted paint to bring it
back up. If you thin the whole gallon, and overthin, you won't be able to
do that.

Steve

By the way a great way to paint doors is to take them off, put 2 nails in
the top and bottom and lay it across 2 saw horses using the nails for
support. You can do all your painting without dry time.


"Jean" wrote in message
...
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

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.

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.

Art wrote:
By the way a great way to paint doors is to take them off, put 2 nails in
the top and bottom and lay it across 2 saw horses using the nails for
support. You can do all your painting without dry time.


"Jean" wrote in message
...

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



You still have dry time if you have 7 doors and
only two saw horses.

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.

Some oils yellowed but a warning unless you clean the trim and sand it
real well, it is likely never to bond right, many times ive seen latex
over a hard oil trim that came off with your fingernail. If it is a
quality old smooth finish then only oil can get that again, Penetrol in
oil or Floetrol in latex help, both made by Flood. The smoothest
finishing paint is Benjamin Moore satin Impervo, expensive but the new
formulations dont yellow as much . Latex may be easier now but dries to
quick to level and get real smooth, and bonding issues can make
stripping it off in a few years necessary, unless you spend alot to
prep.

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.

m Ransley wrote:
Some oils yellowed but a warning unless you clean the trim and sand it
real well, it is likely never to bond right, many times ive seen latex
over a hard oil trim that came off with your fingernail. If it is a
quality old smooth finish then only oil can get that again, Penetrol in
oil or Floetrol in latex help, both made by Flood. The smoothest
finishing paint is Benjamin Moore satin Impervo, expensive but the new
formulations dont yellow as much . Latex may be easier now but dries to
quick to level and get real smooth, and bonding issues can make
stripping it off in a few years necessary, unless you spend alot to
prep.

Prep doesn't take a lot of time, depending on
whether the door is flat or a panel door. One
just needs to do it right. Wash with Trisodium
phosphate (or maybe a substitute), wet sand with
220-400 grit wet or dry paper and rinse off.
Don't need to sand a lot, just keep washing the
paper so that paint doesn't accumulate on the
paper. Maybe a lot of time if one is impatient
and thinks that 15 minutes per door is a lot of time.

George E. Cawthon wrote:
m Ransley wrote:

Some oils yellowed but a warning unless you clean the trim and sand it
real well, it is likely never to bond right, many times ive seen latex
over a hard oil trim that came off with your fingernail. If it is a
quality old smooth finish then only oil can get that again, Penetrol in
oil or Floetrol in latex help, both made by Flood. The smoothest
finishing paint is Benjamin Moore satin Impervo, expensive but the new
formulations dont yellow as much . Latex may be easier now but dries to
quick to level and get real smooth, and bonding issues can make
stripping it off in a few years necessary, unless you spend alot to
prep.

Prep doesn't take a lot of time, depending on whether the door is flat
or a panel door. One just needs to do it right. Wash with Trisodium
phosphate (or maybe a substitute), wet sand with 220-400 grit wet or dry
paper and rinse off.
Don't need to sand a lot, just keep washing the paper so that paint
doesn't accumulate on the paper. Maybe a lot of time if one is
impatient and thinks that 15 minutes per door is a lot of time.

In my project to repaint all the house's woodwork, I've just completed
refinishing the baseboards (lotsa little ledges and curves). And like
you say, I spent more time doing prep work than in the actual painting.
If I had only known about all this before I started the project ....sigh

Jean

Bad part of an error is repeating it the third time.

On Wed, 11 Jan 2006 10:15:42 -0500, Jean wrote:

If I had only known about all this before I started the project ....sigh

Floetrol is a *retarder*, meaning that it makes the
paint dry more slowly. The primary benefit is that
you can keep a wet edge longer. To a first order,
Floetrol doesn't *thin* the paint.

Thinning the paint (with water) will make it level better.
If you do this, do it only slightly (5% water), as thinned
latex will not have as hard a surface (wear resistance)
as unthinned latex.

I use Floetrol only when brushing, and Floetrol plus 5% water
when spraying latex.

Go buy more saw horses. :-)