The paint is a matte white water based paint. Why did the finish turn yellow in those few places? A DIY enthusiast claims to have uncovered the reason why ‘brilliant’ white paint often seems to turn ‘yellow’ over time. Understanding the basics of paint and color oxidation will help ensure that your white paint stays bright for years to come. I totally understand the interaction of color as an optical illusion but this is not the case. I am at a loss as to why this is happening especially b/c the yellowing is random. If you want white paint then acrylic "waterbased" is your answer as it does not turn yellow but on the down side does not have same finish as oil based paint. POSSIBLE CAUSE Alkyd/oil based paints, because of their curing mechanism, tend to yellow, particularly in areas that are not exposed to sunlight. What can I do? All bright white paint will yellow slightly with time, even without topcoat. White painted cabinets give your kitchen a clean, airy look, but they can turn yellow with time. I actually just had a similar conversation with my dad on this topic. Any waterbased polyurethane will go on clear and will not yellow over time. Hi This is due to use of vegetable oils to reduce the VOC content in the paint,in an attempt to make it less toxic. Poly Turning White Paint Yellow. Print. Two weeks or so later, I cant see any of the staining, so hopefully that will continue to work. Finding yourself in the unfortunate situation of your white paint turning yellow may make you think that all of your hard work was for nothing. We painted w/ Behr semi-gloss interior enamel. by Reader Submitted • Dec 17, 2007. It is pretty clear that the color is off. What you might be experiencing is tannin staining from the wood underneath the paint. I want to make sure that when I go to paint over the primer with our white semi-gloss latex interior paint that it doesn't yellow, too. You have probably tried to touch up white woodwork in your home after several years and noticed that the new paint is brighter. All wood has some level of tannin. Development of a yellow cast in aging paint, most noticeable in the dried films of white paints or clear varnishes. It looks like the Minwax Satin Finish Polyurethane might be oil based, true? I wish I had taken a photo before I primed over my first coat of paint… My husband and I began painting all of the surfaces in May...We have recently noticed that in sporadic places throughout the house the newly painted wood basebords and door frames are yellowing!!!! Looked like pine. John Brock: Choose a waterbased polyurethane instead. Anyway, I'm finding the paneling is staying white, but areas close to windows and the window sashes are yellowing when they dry, even when I put a couple layers of primer on. Print. 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