Paint – its not just the color that counts
Living room showing several types of paint finishes
The blog “Home Remodeling” has a great article on how to choose paint. No, not the colors. The type of paint – i.e., interior, exterior, etc.
The two basic types of paint are, of course, interior and exterior. Exterior paints are made to be able to handle heat and cold, rain and snow. They will be either alkyd or latex. The alkyd paints are not as good quality as latex, and are used only if you are painting over existing alkyd paint. Latex handles the weather extremes better and lasts longer so is the best choice.
Interior paints come in several different finish types:
- Gloss is made for wood furniture, trim or cabinets.
- Semi-gloss is most commonly used in areas that get lots of traffic and fingerprints; it is easily cleaned.
- Satin is also easily cleaned and works well in bathrooms and kitchens.
- Eggshell finishes have a little more shine than flat finishes and hold up a little better than flat paints.
- Flat paints are the most frequently used finish. It doesn’t reflect light and is most frequently used on ceilings and walls.
So, check the finish on your paint selections and make sure they are the best for the application.
