How to tell if you have oil paint or latex

Latex or oil-based? -- Ready to do some painting over old paint? Wondering whether you need a latex or oil-based paint? Here's how to tell.
First, scrub a small area with a solution of household detergent and warm water. Rinse well and towel dry. Then soak a cotton ball, Q-tip or soft rag in alcohol and rub it back and forth over the cleaned area.
If paint comes off, it's latex and another coat of the same is in order. If the paint doesn't come off, it's oil-based, and an oil-based primer is a must.
Then you have options for the finish coat, and different types of latex or oil-based paint can be used.
At this point, after testing and priming (if needed), you might want to discuss both your options and paint performance characteristics with the paint experts at your local hardware store.
Painting over rusted metal -- While we always recommend removing rust before painting metal, there are times when you just can't get at it to sand, scrape or chemically dissolve it. In that case, you can resort to a final alternative -- conversion.
Rust converters are applied directly over rust in the same way you would apply a coat of paint. The converter liquid combines with the rust chemically, changing it into a byproduct. Once the converter has cured, paint can be applied right over it.
There is one downside, however. Unlike painting over a smooth, sanded surface, a converter-treated surface can be rough and uneven, which will show through the finish coat.

Montes Painting 2013
FREE PAINTING ESTIMATES AT: www.montespainting.com