# Best Paint for Plantation Shutters



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

I think something like Ben Moore advance would probably work best. Others can explain better but it's basically a latex paint with oil in it. Straight oil will work but not worth the hassle and on plantation shutters in the sun will yellow pretty quick.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I've use enamel, really tough paint and wipes clean.
Comes in latex and three different sheens. The more sheen the easer to clean.


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## WallyB (Jul 2, 2006)

Joecaption,
Which enamel are you talking about? The Advance that ToolSeeker mentioned?


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## WallyB (Jul 2, 2006)

Also, regarding where I am: I'm in Virginia at the moment, but this job will be for a new home in the Orlando, FL area.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Welcome to Fl. any good enamel will do. Just stay away from oil. SW pro classic or Porter/ppg (I don't remember the name).


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## WallyB (Jul 2, 2006)

I've used Pro Classic throughout my current house, including some shelf units which were rolled/brushed and not sprayed. I like the coverage but the finish just doesn't seem hard enough for plantation shutters. This Pro Classic characteristic is actually what made me start this thread.

In reading up on the BJ Advance, however, it appears that it takes many weeks to fully cure and have the great hardness it's known for, plus it's an alkyd enamel. These tend to yellow a bit, and since these shutters will be in the sun every day, I'm not sure that's a characteristic that will play well with this application.

Why do you say "stay away from oil"? Is it just more difficult to work with or is it not a good product for this application?


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

WallyB said:


> I've used Pro Classic throughout my current house, including some shelf units which were rolled/brushed and not sprayed. I like the coverage but the finish just doesn't seem hard enough for plantation shutters. This Pro Classic characteristic is actually what made me start this thread.
> 
> In reading up on the BJ Advance, however, it appears that it takes many weeks to fully cure and have the great hardness it's known for, plus it's an alkyd enamel. These tend to yellow a bit, and since these shutters will be in the sun every day, I'm not sure that's a characteristic that will play well with this application.
> 
> Why do you say "stay away from oil"? Is it just more difficult to work with or is it not a good product for this application?



Advance does yellow with age, however not as much as a traditional oil paint. And it is actually the lack of sun light than accelerates yellowing rather than being exposed to sun. 
Advance is a waterborne alkyd, which just means the alkyd resins are delivered in water as opposed to solvents like in traditional oil. This is what makes it easier to work with/clean up. 
And yes, it does take a long time to fully cure, although it dries to touch fairly quickly.

Pro Classic also has a waterborne alkyd version, you might look into that if you like that brand.


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## WallyB (Jul 2, 2006)

Thanks everyone!!

I'm learning as I go - that's a real eye-opener about lack of sunlight being the culprit for yellowing.

Since I have some time until I start this job I can experiment with these paints. I'll give both the Advance and the Alkyd Pro Classic a try on a test unit.

Any suggestions on a good HVLP spray gun for these paints? I want to use my compressor, and since I'm not in the production business, I don't need a big rig for a big job. But I do want a quality gun. There's so much out there I'm not really sure where to start.

Thanks,
Wally


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Wally Pro Classic doesn't shoot well in an HVLP unless you get into a 4 or 5 stage unit and they start around $2000. The reason for this is with the smaller HVLPs you have to thin the paint a lot. When you thin it that much it affects the levelers in the paint and the warm air from the gun dries the paint too fast in places and looks streaked. If you want to spray may want to look into renting an airless. If you go this route let us know and we can help you.


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## WallyB (Jul 2, 2006)

Actually I have an airless. I've used it in painting out my current house which my wife and I built. It was great for big jobs such as walls, ceilings, entire rooms of wainscot, doors hanging on a paint frame, etc. However, with the much finer work of plantation shutter slats, I felt it would be like watering a plant with a fire hose. I was looking for something with much less flow. Also, I feel like I waste at least a quart of paint each time I fill it, prime it, use it, and then clean it. If I'm making blinds in my shop, a 1 quart pot on an HVLP just seems like a much more economical way to go.
I understand the leveling issue with Pro Classic - I've been doing a great deal of reading on this and other forums in preparation for this job. Maybe this is where the BJ Advance steps in, since it is apparently a much thinner paint.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

With an airless the secret for smaller jobs is in the tip. For your shutters you would want a 310 or 410 FF tip and you really should lose only very little when cleaning.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

With an airless the secret for smaller jobs is in the tip. For your shutters you would want a 310 or 410 FF tip and you really should lose only very little when cleaning. I use my airless for baseboards and door trim.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Sorry for the double must have forgot to hit edit.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Jmayspaint said:


> Advance is a waterborne alkyd, which just means the alkyd resins are delivered in water as opposed to solvents like in traditional oil.


Well, technically the traditional solvent would be mineral spirits.

In fact the solvent is probably the reason you can't clean it with soap and water. If it was just oil, then we know from cleaning our dishes that soap will clean it.

Waterborne paint chemistry is complicated and I don't understand it very well (and I have some chemistry background.) Even the word alkyd itself is confusing. It's a hybrid word from "alchohol" and "acid". Fatty acids are combined with an alcohol to form the molecule. Probably what happened was someone formed the word "alc-id", which people mispronounced as "al-cid", so it got changed to "alk-yd".

If unsaturated fatty acids are used, it has the potential to form new bonds, and by adding certain smaller fatty acid groups to the molecule (usually in the presence of ammonia), it will then become water soluble, or somewhat water soluble (soap might be needed with the water.) This is a "waterborne" alkyd.

Water soluble oils and water based are not the same thing.

That explains how alkyd paint can be soap and water cleanup, but it doesn't explain the "latex alkyd" combinations, which I don't understand.

Even soap and water cleanup is complicated. The water molecule is polar (positive and negative ends). Oil is not. That's why oil and water don't mix. That's where soap comes in. It's a larger molecule with both a polar section, to combine with the water, and a non-polar section, to combine with the oil.

http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com/idascorner/images/soapmolecule.gif


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## WallyB (Jul 2, 2006)

ToolSeeker, thanks for the "tip". When I spray my next batch of doors I'll give a 310 or 410 tip a try and see how I think it might work for me when I tackle the shutter slats.

Jeffnc, if I understand what you're saying - standard latex is water-based whereas allegedly "water-based" alkyd paint is really fatty acid / solvent based but can be cleaned up with soap and water. Is that correct or did I miss your point altogether?

In any case, thanks everyone for your input, tips, and suggestions. I've got some experimenting to do with paint and sprayer tips, then it's on to the big project.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Wally not just a 310 or 410 it needs to be 310 or 410 FF (fine finish).


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

WallyB said:


> Jeffnc, if I understand what you're saying - standard latex is water-based whereas allegedly "water-based" alkyd paint is really fatty acid / solvent based but can be cleaned up with soap and water. Is that correct or did I miss your point altogether?


I went on and on and you can ignore most of that  Mostly just saying the solvent for alkyd paint is mineral spirits, not oil.

Acrylic paint can be cleaned with soap and water, or just water. Waterborne alkyds can be cleaned with soap and water.


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