There are many different paints, stains, and varnishes that are available today and this can make choosing paint a headache for anybody that has no idea what they are looking for. Paint falls into two main categories, 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 paint cans usually. It is never a good idea to paint over top of wallpaper because it makes it harder to remove from the wall.
Water based paint is much easier to work with this is because the brushes and all painting tools can be cleaned using only 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. This will help because it will prevent the paint from being absorbed. It will also provide a surface for the paint 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 coats of paint that you will need depend on how porous the surface being painted is and the thickness that the paint is applied, like paint cans usually. The quality of paint also has a factor to the amount of paint you will need also.