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2ajsmama

Can I mix interior and exteror acrylics, brands?

2ajsmama
14 years ago

I bought some "oops" paint - Ben Moore exterior 100% acrylic Mooreguard, in a gray. I want to repaint some porch furniture, was going for a distressed/antiqued/weathered French blue. I have a sample can of Valspar interior latex that's in the color I pretty much want as the base, though it's too dark/blue to just use by itself. I also have an "oops" sample (8oz) of a lighter gray Valspar interior latex.

I was wondering if I prime first with BM Fresh Start, if I could/should tint that with either the Moorgard or the blue Valspar as my base coat? Or just prime the white and then paint a base coat - again, could I tint the Moorgard with the Valspar? Or would I be better off priming, painting with the Moorgard (gray) then dry-brushing with the 1 or 2 Valspar colors to get the look I want? I just didn't know how the interior paints would hold up as a top coat, thought I could get better durability (and the color I wanted) by mixing them with the exterior paint.

I don't want to buy a quart of exterior paint in the exact color I want b/c 1) I don't want a solid color, I'm going to dry-brush or glaze a lighter color to get a weathered look and 2) I don't want to spend $20 to paint a few thrift-store tables.

Thanks

Comments (9)

  • Faron79
    14 years ago

    Actually....
    Interior paints are a little "harder" than Exteriors!

    * Binders in the exterior resins are made to be a little more flexible, to withstand seasonal movements.
    * Exteriors also typically have more Mildewcide mixed in, and some people are more sensitive to some types of that.
    * It's usually OK though to mix in SOME exterior into an Interior paint.
    * Use the primer first though, all by itself.
    * Then add your topcoat blend. Keep it mostly Interior though...again, because Interior paints are "harder".

    Faron

  • 2ajsmama
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hmm, I already mixed some of the Moorgard into the Fresh Start, put on a thin coat. I can go back over with just the FreshStart for 2nd coat (pine table needs some knots sealed and I didn't have BIN).

    Since the Moorgard is really gray, and I have more (quart) of it, can I mix it mostly Moorgard and a little bit of the interior? Is the "hard" interior paint going to mess up the exterior's flexibility (ability to withstand temp changes, direct sunlight, moisture) if I mix 8 oz (or less) interior into a quart of exterior?

    If it's best not to mix, would you rather paint interior over primer and then dry-brush exterior over it, do it the other way around, or just skip the exterior paint entirely and use interior paints over the interior/exterior primer?

    Thanks

  • Faron79
    14 years ago

    Even though it's Outdoor furniture, some Interior paint mixed into an Exterior is fine...in the big picture!

    At least you used a "primer" of sorts...that'll help too.

    Faron

  • 2ajsmama
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Why the qoutation marks around "primer" - b/c I mixed Fresh Start and Moorgard? Or is Fresh Start not a good exterior primer? Before I did the little table, I primed the jamb on the exterior garage door but it didn't seem to be sticking almost like it was plastic or something. The jambs and brickmold were preprimed, but that was almost 3 yrs ago, I never had them painted, the joints in the brickmold are awful, rusting nails, chips (courtesy of builder) and splits (mostly around/from nails?). So we're going to replace that with PVC like we did on the basement door last year. I did wash the jambs but since they were mostly OK (a little crazing in a couple places) I didn't sand. I'll have to go do that tomorrow. The Fresh Start was left over from (re)painting the ceilings after they fixed the settling cracks 2 yrs ago, I just noticed it said Interior/Exterior.

    Now, the front door jambs were preprimed at the same time (different primer - Thermatru door instead of Masonite), I had no problem going over it with Duration last fall and it still looks good. Of course the front door is sheltered a bit more b/c of the porch, the back (garage) door faces east.

  • paintguy22
    14 years ago

    Yes, you may have compromised the primer some by pouring some topcoat type paint into the primer. If the primer is designed to bond, then some of those bonding properties may be gone now...probably not enough to notice, but primers and finish coats are two different things for sure. This is really why the Behr 'primer in the can' gimmick is really laughable. Some people even think that putting too much colorant into the primer will compromise it.

  • 2ajsmama
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Where were you this AM LOL? OK, I'll sand and *prime* again tomorrow, then use the exterior paint tinted with a little of the interior, unless you think it's best just to use interior paint. I was hoping exterior paint (same satin sheen) would allow me to skip a clear topcoat since I don't want to use Polycrylic outdoors and anything else (Cetol D&W was my 1st choice) would yellow.

    If I have to sand and repaint a tiny $5 Goodwill table again in a couple years it won't be the end of the world. Maybe I'll sell it - just bought it to experiment on. I've still got the legs of 2 other tables to do (thinking of just staining the tops darker and putting Cetol on them). Those were $15 about 3 years ago, I wasn't going to put a whole lot of $ into them. I will be sure to sand and *prime* them first.

    After what Faron said about exterior paint flexing more, I wouldn't want to paint interior paint over exterior for fear of crazing, so what's better, mix a little in for color or glaze/dry brush with the interior paint? I know best would be just to get exterior paint tinted the color I want, but I don't think the paint store will tint a $1 quart of oops (Lowes wouldn't retint the 50 cent sample can of oops interior, that's why I paid $3 for a can tinted a darker color and figured I'd mix them or dry-brush the lighter color over, until I found the Moorgard yesterday).

  • paintguy22
    14 years ago

    I don't know that mixing interior and exterior paints together would cause any problems.

  • PRO
    Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
    13 years ago

    I don't know that mixing interior and exterior paints together would cause any problems.
    Don't know from experience or lack there of?
    I don't either but would suspect that there would be some kind of an issue but I am no chemist, just a lowly painter.One would think that if you could combine the two without any problems then Mr Behr wold come out with the miracle paint ( Behr Wonder Paint) primes and paints ALL surfaces from one can!

  • insanesville_yahoo_com
    12 years ago

    The wonder paint thing made me laugh... what company would want to make their interior paint more expensive and their exterior paint less expensive... they would price themselves right out of the market. and or lose money selling a cheaper exterior.. obviously using all interior for interior and all exterior for exterior are the best choices.... but we all know you can cut a gallon of latex paint with up to 1 cup of water... how bad would it be to cute 1 gallon of exterior with 1 cup of interior -vs- water?