Jackie Purucker, age 9, of Boardman, Ohio, for her question:

WHAT IS LATEX PAINT?

If you decide to paint the walls of your bedroom or the outside of your house, it may be that you'll select latex paint to do the job. Latex paint is water thinned and is considered by many to be easier to use than the oil base paints. Brushes and rollers can easily be cleaned with soap and water after your painting job is finished.

Wall paints of latex contain prime and inert pigments and are made from polyvinyl latex vehicles. Latex masonry paints are made with polyvinyl acetate or acrylic emulsions and form a film that resists the alkali in masonry surfaces.

In addition to latex, paint is available in an oil base type, lacquers, metallic paints, enamels and cement water paints.