• Oil-based paints adhere well to surfaces.paint image by CraterValley Photo from Fotolia.com
  
  Oil-based paints, or alkyd paints, have a linseed oil or alkyd-solvent base. According to home-improvement expert Bob Villa, oil-based paints are made of petroleum distillates and organic solvents. Oil-based paints are also often considered enamels because of their hard gloss finish and durability, according to Painters Forum. Often compared to water-based paints, oil-based paints work best for several things, such as coating previously oil-painted surfaces. Water-based paints are unable to stick to the oil-painted surface.
  
  

Easy to Clean

• Oil-based paints work best in high-traffic areas such as bathrooms and kitchens because they can be cleaned easily. Martin J. Donovan of Home Addition Plus says the paints' high-gloss finish makes wiping down walls easy. Oil-based paints are also stain-resistant. After painting with oil-based paint, you can easily clean brushes and other equipment with a solvent or paint thinner.
  
  

Better Adhesion

• Oil-based paints adhere well to most surfaces, Donovan says. They grip the wall and stick better than latex-based paints, making them a durable choice. Adhesion is important when painting exterior surfaces because it covers heavy chalking areas, or areas of residue left from past paint, smoothly. Oil-based paints are known for their ability to adhere to metal surfaces, though not galvanized metal, as well dirty surfaces, making sealing stains simple. Oil-based paints also go on heavy during the application process, providing better coverage, Villa says. Because of this, oil-based paints are more likely than other paints to require only one coat.
  
  

Variety of Uses

• Because of their superior adhesion, oil-based paints can be used on a variety of surfaces. Oil-based paints can cover surfaces as varied as stucco, brick and wood with minimal imperfections. However, a sealer or another form of pretreatment must first be applied on mortar-based surfaces. According to Painters Forum, oil-based paints are also great for interior trim and exterior window shutters.