What is Acrylic Latex Paint?

There are basically two types of paint: acrylic latex paint, often simply called latex paint and oil-based, or alkyd, paint. Acrylic latex paint is essentially a paint made with water and an acrylic resin binder. Oil-based paint most often uses a hydrocarbon-based solvent as the “vehicle” and an alkyd resin. All paints are composed of a solid, or binder, and a vehicle. Acrylic latex paint uses the acrylic resin as the binder and water as the vehicle. The binder in acrylic latex paints will bind the various pigments and the water to form the film which covers the painting surface. Binders are the major components that provide the paint with its application properties. Acrylic latex paint, often advertised as 100% acrylic latex, is one of a number of water based paints and is generally considered the highest-quality latex paint. Other resins used in latex paint include styrene, epoxy, and polyvinyl acetate. Of the acrylic latex paints available, vinyl acrylic latex paints are the most ...  more