Limewashes represent the best of both form and function. They're beautiful and breathable, making them the perfect choice for both historic and new buildings. Unlike typical modern paints, they don't trap water and they age beautifully--instead of getting shabby, they develop a lovely mellow patina over time.

Latex paint is a great choice for most instances, but there are still situations where a solvent-based paint may be preferable. To help decide which is best in your case, consider the following:

TOil based paints have been al but phased out. The exception being for industrial uses as well as some exterior rust inhibitors. Unless you can provide us with a sufficient amount of fresh oil base paint we will be using all latex paints as of the beginning of this year. The paint manufacturers have done a great job of solving the problems attributed with early latex paints.

Latex paint cannot tolerate a freeze without some negative consequence. In many cases, it may not be noticeable in the can or during application; however, long-term durability will suffer relative to how hard the paint freezes. Oil paint, in most cases, can take almost any temperature. There are some formulations that can 'shock' if exposed to extreme cold. A paint that has been 'shocked' will have the different ingredients (oil, resin, pigment, solvent and additives) separate.

This depends on the siding and the look you are trying to achieve. For most homes, using a 100% acrylic (latex) paint will provide the longest lasting finish. 100% acrylics tolerate more movement in the wood and retain their color much longer than an oil based paint.

Yes. You have two choices to do this. First would be to wash the surface then sand and then clean the sanding dust off. You then apply your latex paint over the oil based paint. That process works for both interior and exterior applications. Your other option is to wash the surface and then apply a coat of a bonding primer and then topcoat. No. The particles of acrylic latex paint fuse together to form a film that remains flexible over the life of the paint.

Currently, there is no recycling outlet for oil-based paint. Residents can dry it out with kitty litter or sawdust and throw it away with their regular garbage.

You can, but it may not be the best choice. Many professionals avoid working with oil-based paints because they are harder to clean up and take longer to dry. With water-based paints, smudges and spills can be wiped away easily with a damp cloth. Water-based paint can be applied over oil-or water-based urethane finishes. For best results with opaque paints, consider first applying a white primer.

Limewash protects underlying lime coating and maosnry as it acts as sacrificially. It also remains vapour permeable thus allowing moisture to evaporate from the building fabric. Most modern masonry paints have very low vapour permeability (if at all) and will trap moisture within a wall or building, leading to greater problems of internal dampness and timber rot. Modern masonry paints also tend to peel and crack, and are affected adversely by UV light, unlike limewashes.

Keep in mind, many painting projects are unique and each may require a specialty finish or surface preparation. With today's advancement in latex technology, there should be a latex paint formulation for almost any application. There are many situations that require an oil base or specialty product. FOR EXAMPLE: A weathered barn or outbuilding may have very little paint left and more appropriate in this application.

Latex paint is not considered hazardous waste and, after hardening, should be put in your trash. Paint hardener, good for about 3 gallons of paint, is available at minimal cost from Lynch Paint near the Main Westford Post Office on Littleton Road (Route 110). Kitty litter also works as an absorber hardener but is not quite as effective.

Get access to an installation of EMBOSS and/or Staden and get someone to lead you through the tools available. RasMol is a simple, but powerful and elegant molecular imaging program which can teach you a great deal about biological macromolecules; try a tutorial. Get out on the Web and do some productive surfing for a change :-) . The best starting point is the Human Genome Mapping Project Resource Centre's "GenomeWeb". There's so much stuff out there -- and most of it is free to academics.

Alkyd, or oil-based paint penetrates wood better than latex (water-based) paint and won't stick when you keep your doors and windows shut for the winter. For the bulk of most jobs, latex (water-based) paint is the better choice. It dries faster, doesn't yellow and can be cleaned up with soap and water when you break for the day.

Limewash works best on backgrounds with a moderate to high level of suction, i.e. other lime mortars or coatings, sandstones and softer fired bricks. However limewashes with additives are available from specialist suppliers which will provide an improved bond with more difficult or low suction backgrounds. Specialist advice should always be sought with regards to their correct specification.

There are a variety of different surfaces that oil paint can be applied to. Stretched cotton canvas is one of the most popular supports used by oil painters today. Linen canvas is also used but tends to be fairly expensive. Other supports that can be used with oil paints are masonite and even certain types of wood panel.

In the satin and gloss finishes which are commonly used on woodwork, oil enamels traditionally exhibited a richness, touch and leveling ability which was unmatched by waterborne paints. However, with the introduction of Eco, many professional painters and designers believe they have discovered an odorless, waterborne alkyd, which can be used interchangeably with traditional Hollandlac oil enamels.

The first step is to heat the paint and remove as much paint as you can with your sharp scraper on a test area. If you find it very difficult to remove most of the paint in the first step, you can apply a solution of 80% boiled linseed oil and 20% mineral spirits to the paint. The solution can be applied using either a paintbrush or garden pump sprayer. Let the solution soak into the paint and the wood at least overnight. The next day or later you can heat the area and scrape the paint off.

Yes it will, however you may find you need to prepare the surface using a solution of 80% boiled linseed oil and 20% mineral turpentine. This solution can be applied either with a paintbrush or a spray bottle. Once the solution has soaked into the paint and the wood for at least 24hrs use the Speedheater method again to remove the paint.

Answer: Yes, ASM sprayers, hoses, guns, etc, are designed to be compatible with all of these types of fluids. There are a few other considerations that you should be aware of. Be sure that all equipment is of sufficient size and of a high enough pressure rating to work with the material that is being sprayed. Another issue to be aware of is that no matter how well a sprayer is cleaned out, some residue will remain behind.