In this day and age there are so many different paints to choose from that anybody that only slightly know what to choose can walk away with a headache. There are two major categories in which paint falls in and that is oil based and water based. Stains and also varnishes also fall in these same categories.
Oil based paints have a gloss, semi gloss, or matte finish. It wears well and it provides an easy clean surface. It is good to use oil based paint on doors, windows, or jsut about anywhere that needs to have a finish that provides a protection. You can use oil based paint on wall and ceiling if you require a tough washable surface, like painted surfaces usually. Always remember that if you paint over wall paper it will make it a lot harder to remove in the long run.
When painting with a water based paint it is so much easier to work with and the tools used can be washed with water, which is similar to oil paints to most people. When painting your ceilings or walls water based paint is a good choice and also good for textured surfaced outside.
On any new surface it is a good idea to use an undercoat or a primer. By doing this you will prevent any paint from being absorbed. Also by doing this it gives the paint something to stick to. The primer or the under coat that you use should be from the same manufacture. For a hint you can use water based primer for oil paint but you can’t use an oil based primer for water based paint. The number of coats the you will need depends on how porous the surface is, and the thickness of the paint you are applying, like paint cans usually. The quality of paint also has a factor to the amount of paint you will need also.
