Oil based paint phased out?

[Hughman]

I was at the local lumberyard today, and was told that oil based paint will be phased out by 2006 in favor of acrylic based paints. This is a regulation change to effect new VOC guidelines.

What's the story? Boats exempt?

[maa. melee]

even though oil based paint is being phased out I strongly doubt that it'll totally disappear. I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN!

[Wild Wassa]

Oil based materials are nearly non-existant in the house painting industry here in Oz (nowdays) and when I say 'real varnish' to my friends they mumble something about 'that Sikkens stuff or other for windows?' ... to which I reply, "yeh similar."

If you talk to painters (I'm a painter and my friends are painters) you will see that most of them are too young to know what real oil paint is ... "and you mix it yourself?" I doubt whether they would miss oil, not having known oil to the fullest. The older painters swear that they don't have joint problems or arthritis thanks to long term sniffing of mineral or gum turps ... so in twenty years from now you will all be cripples thanks to the authorities involved and what solvents will you be avoiding then?

But ask the new age painter, "what is a two pack or detailed info about acrylics?" ... and they will ask you which paint specifically do you want to know about, by brand (one brand only mind you) or colour ... 'Cosmic Carribean Bluish Midnight Mist' ... for roof gutters is hot around here, (CCBMM is a fancy name for a traditional Payne's Grey) ... when did it all start to go wrong young Grasshoppers?

The artist oil painters will not be that unhappy. Many changed their materials, just over a decade ago, to the alkyds. They mix and match oil and alkyd bases now over acrylic bases on polyester ... just to speed up the layer-by-layer curing nightmare thingy that was the bane of using oil over a cracking gesso.

I don't miss using heavy weight oil based materials. I did when I first started using poly because I only knew oils and acrylics. I like 2 pack water based marine polyurethane rocket skins and I do like 'real varnish' still (which is very difficult to find) over the oil/poly blend varnish rubbish which is found everywhere. I find the oil/poly medium too thin. I like to thin my paint I don't like to have to thicken it to use it.

If it is time for a change, in six years (for US painters) ... well the oils were good but go and start practicing with the poly now ... it takes that long to get to know it.

If the oil base paints go the way of the pigments like Lead, Chromium and Cadmium amongst others (that were in common use) because of increased awareness about health and safety and environmental issues, well that's real progress in painting ... go with the flow (control medium for poly) ... it will ease the pain(ting).

One 'sadish' thing, it has been painters that have determined the direction of painting and the choice of materials used by painters for eons ... more power to the office staff in OH&S sections and the Department of the Environment's counter jumpers.

Warren.

[ 11-07-2004, 02:56 PM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[Meerkat]

:eek: Whatever is Mr. Kirby going to do! :eek:

[Wild Wassa]

Change to alkyd? ... Alkyd (resin) is a very fine flexible base/binder that shows-off the pigments equally as well as an oil based medium.

Warren.

[ 11-07-2004, 05:26 AM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[John Meachen]

In June,I went to the Beale Park boat show and while at the International Paints display I asked one of the representatives why I was finding it harder to buy metallic pink primer.He told me that the base phenolic varnish is becoming much harder to get hold of.The replacement grey primer should probably work but its a sign of the times.I suppose the changes in paint manufacture also explain why my front door goes chalky and faded in a year or so in spite of using one of the top brands of paint.

[RonW]

Sorry - but I don't buy it, think the rumor from the local lumberyard is wrong, or at least hope so. Can't see any reason for phasing out oil based paints. Probably more likely,is that store is phasing out oil, or one of their main manufacturer is, but have not heard of gov. regs. phasing it out. Hey you can still buy lead paint. Think george kirby's business might be in for a boom.

[Wild Wassa]

Originally posted by RonW:
"Can't see any reason for phasing out oil based paints."

It is already happening over here. I went into Bristol and asked for a traditional varnish and 5lts of clear oil base (to add pigment to, to make a coloured transparent glaze) just recently. There are 50 paint suppliers in Canberra and only one sells both products. Traditional varnish can't be found either except in one other store.

I grew up with oil, oil is being phased out big time and already has for general use.

I'm about to paint my house exterior and had a few painters come to give me quotes (last week) for power stripping (hydro blasting the paint off). When I asked them about the oils and varnish that they use, only one painter out of 5 (a past President of the Master Painter's Association of the ACT) who is in his 70's, 'Peter the Painter' had any idea.

Warren.

[ 11-08-2004, 03:41 PM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[Brian Palmer]

I work as a contractor for US EPA developing air emission standards under the Clean Air Act for surface coating operations.

There are no current air emission standards that would affect oil-based or other solventborne aint available at lumber yards that would require a phase out by 2006. The closest is a rule for architectural and industrial maintenance (AIM) coatings that has already affected the volatile organic compound (VOC) content of coatings. VOC is a component of smog. However, since the AIM limits came into effect in 1999 they should be fully implemented by now.

Maine has no separate limits affecting the VOC content of coatings, except for some shop applied coatings among manufacturers of cans, fabric,
vinyl, metal furniture, flatwood paneling, and miscellaneous metal parts and products. These limits would not affect the retailers who sell house paint or boat paint.

States like Rhode Island, Massachuestts, and Pennsylvania have some of the strictest air quality regulations on the East Coast and there seems to be no problem getting solventborne alkyd enamel and oil-based coatings from places like Sherwin-Williams, Jamestown Distributors, and Kirby's.

Hope this lays to rest any fears.

Now the lead pigments are another story......

-- Brian

[Fitz]

Here is a good article:

http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/8242/8242solvents.html

[Bruce Hooke]

Brian,

Thanks for the clarification. I suspected that the real story was simply that oil based paints are being used less and less because people prefer other options and not that there was some regulatory change kicking in, but it is reassuring to know that my suspicions were correct and that I will still be able to get oil based paints when they are called for.

- Bruce

[wndsnd]

I hope it isn't so. I have painted the interior of my family room with Oil, and the dogs scratch at the door a dozen times a day for years and it shows not the worse for it. However, The outside is painted with acrylic latex and the paint is all scratched off. Just the scientific test of longevity that Basset Hounds are capable of! ;)

[Hughman]

Thanks for the clarification. Good to know that it is just a rumour.