ProClassic Interior Waterbased Acrylic-Alkyd vs Waterborne Interior Acrylic Enamel

[Adam Payne1]

Hi Everyone,

I've searched and searched and haven't been able to find any direct comparisons between the two SW ProClassic waterbased acrylic paints. Does anyone have expeience with both and able to shed some light on their dry time, finish durability, leveling, and HVLP sprayability? I'm going to be starting with repainting kitchen cabinets and trim but eventually will be repainting some wooden furniture (dresser, end tables, etc). Thanks for any insight!

[Hoang N Nguyen]

I'll have to check which one I have once I get home but I'm in the middle of repainting all of my interior doors with ProClassic. I'm spraying it with a Fuji Q5 HVLP sprayer and it works pretty well unthinned, I did however add 6oz of extender to each gallon. I'm getting very minimal orange peel but I believe I just need to play with the settings a little more to get that perfect finish. The one I use dries to the touch within 30-45 minutes and ready to handle within 1.5 hours. Honestly I would leave it a little longer to dry but I only had to handle it for a few minutes while reattaching it to the door hinges so it wasn't an issue.

[Jim Becker]

I honestly didn't know there were two different finishes under the ProClassic moniker if that's what is being indicated in the OP...ProClassic acrylic is my "go to" for interior trim and cabinetry, although I don't spray it. It's a bit thick for my particular HPLV conversion gun setup. But I get a great finish with it by brushing/rolling so that's not been an issue.

[John TenEyck]

I've only used the 100% acrylic version, but I would think the acrylic/alkyd version is like BM's Advance. If so, it will spray or brush great and level to a dead flat surface, but it will take a LOT longer to dry than the 100% acrylic version, and weeks to cure. The white versions will tend to yellow over time, the 100% acrylic will not. Neither will spray well through a gravity feed gun w/o more thinning than you should. You need a pressure assist gun to spray them w/o thinning.

If I were spraying I'd prefer the 100% acrylic just because it dries/cures faster and the whites won't yellow. If I were brushing and could afford the longer dry/cure time, I would choose the acrylic/alkyd version because it's easier to use. If time was important, it would be the 100% acrylic.

John

[Ernie Miller]

I honestly didn't know there were two different finishes under the ProClassic moniker if that's what is being indicated in the OP...ProClassic acrylic is my "go to" for interior trim and cabinetry, although I don't spray it. It's a bit thick for my particular HPLV conversion gun setup. But I get a great finish with it by brushing/rolling so that's not been an issue.J

Jim - After using brushed on oil base for over 30 years, I decided to finally try ProClassic Acrylic this week. On small or narrow pieces it worked great, but I found it useless for long, wide panels (10" x 96"). The stuff dried so fast I found it impossible to avoid stab marks with a brush or roller lines with a roller. Since you're having so much success with ProClassic, I'm sure the problem is user error, better known as ignorance. Any suggestions?

[Hoang N Nguyen]

J

Jim - After using brushed on oil base for over 30 years, I decided to finally try ProClassic Acrylic this week. On small or narrow pieces it worked great, but I found it useless for long, wide panels (10" x 96"). The stuff dried so fast I found it impossible to avoid stab marks with a brush or roller lines with a roller. Since you're having so much success with ProClassic, I'm sure the problem is user error, better known as ignorance. Any suggestions?

My rep suggested I used an extender to help slow down dry time. This was the product he said would work with proclassic and it seems to work well for me. I've sprayed 10 interior doors so far with it ranging in size between 30-36 inch wide and about 8 foot tall.

The Sherwin-Williams Company - M-1 Latex Paint Additive & Extender

[Adam Herman]

when it is warm out, i actually put my brush pot in the fridge for a while before i used it, makes it a touch thicker but it does slow the drying time. The largest panels i did were about 6 feet x 18 inches. I also thin the final coat with water.

[Adam Payne1]

I honestly didn't know there were two different finishes under the ProClassic moniker if that's what is being indicated in the OP...

I feel like that must be true for most people. Every blog, forum, and review simply refers to the SW options as ProClassic. Sometimes you can figure out which one they are using but the two products are used very interchangeably. Perhaps thats why some people swear by SW ProClassic and others don't, they are actually referencing different products.


I've only used the 100% acrylic version, but I would think the acrylic/alkyd version is like BM's Advance. If so, it will spray or brush great and level to a dead flat surface, but it will take a LOT longer to dry than the 100% acrylic version, and weeks to cure. The white versions will tend to yellow over time, the 100% acrylic will not. Neither will spray well through a gravity feed gun w/o more thinning than you should. You need a pressure assist gun to spray them w/o thinning. If I were spraying I'd prefer the 100% acrylic just because it dries/cures faster and the whites won't yellow. If I were brushing and could afford the longer dry/cure time, I would choose the acrylic/alkyd version because it's easier to use. If time was important, it would be the 100% acrylic. John

I don't mind the long dry/cure time. The yellowing is more of an issue for me since a lot of this will be in the kitchen so heat and UV will be on the paint very frequently. I will probably try the fully acrylic ProClassic


My rep suggested I used an extender to help slow down dry time. This was the product he said would work with proclassic and it seems to work well for me. I've sprayed 10 interior doors so far with it ranging in size between 30-36 inch wide and about 8 foot tall. The Sherwin-Williams Company - M-1 Latex Paint Additive & Extender

I was planning to use an extender already. anyone have thoughts on M-1 vs XIM vs Floetrol (I know floetrol is not really an extender in the same way as XIM)

[Jason Roehl]

S-W has messed with their ProClassic line over the last few years. Half a dozen years ago or so, there were two ProClassics: Alkyd and Waterborne. The Alkyd was a true oil-based enamel--cleanup with mineral spirits, 24 hours to dry, etc. The Waterborne was water clean-up, but had an oil emulsion and modifiers in it so that it was a hybrid. It dried to a sandable hard in a few hours--and edges could be feathered, though if you got it too warm from friction, it would ball up like a latex paint does.

As far as I know, S-W dropped the ProClassic Alkyd, and released a new, 100% Acrylic version, renaming the Waterborne to Alkyd-Acrylic. I used the new 100% Acrylic to paint cabinets for my next-door neighbors a couple years ago, and I thought it was junk. I had told them to get the Alkyd-Acrylic, but the store sales associate convinced them otherwise. Argh. After less than a year, I started seeing wear on their cabinets that I'm positive would not have happened with the Alkyd-Acrylic.

[Adam Payne1]

S-W has messed with their ProClassic line over the last few years. Half a dozen years ago or so, there were two ProClassics: Alkyd and Waterborne. The Alkyd was a true oil-based enamel--cleanup with mineral spirits, 24 hours to dry, etc. The Waterborne was water clean-up, but had an oil emulsion and modifiers in it so that it was a hybrid. It dried to a sandable hard in a few hours--and edges could be feathered, though if you got it too warm from friction, it would ball up like a latex paint does. As far as I know, S-W dropped the ProClassic Alkyd, and released a new, 100% Acrylic version, renaming the Waterborne to Alkyd-Acrylic. I used the new 100% Acrylic to paint cabinets for my next-door neighbors a couple years ago, and I thought it was junk. I had told them to get the Alkyd-Acrylic, but the store sales associate convinced them otherwise. Argh. After less than a year, I started seeing wear on their cabinets that I'm positive would not have happened with the Alkyd-Acrylic.

Well according to the Sherwin-Williams there are 3 ProClassic Paints:

Alkyd Interior Enamel <-- oil based
Interior Waterbased Acrylic-Alkyd
Waterborn Interior Acrylic Enamel

[Robert Engel]

No experience with PC water base, but I've been using the ProClassic oil based and REALLY like it. It dries well to a very smooth surface. Almost too smooth, really can't tell if they are thermoplastic doors or actual wood other than the occasional imperfection.

I'm using an HVLP sprayer 1.4 tip maybe 10% thinning. Longer drying time can be an advantage on larger panels.

If your state allows oil based paint I would give it a try.