Interior Paint Buying Guide

Interior paints are designed to be stain-resistant, cleanable and able to standup to the rigors of everyday living. Unlike exterior paints, interior paints are created with ingredients that take interior air quality into consideration.

Exterior paints are designed to handle outside weather, mildew, chipping and fading. Because of this, exterior paints can often contain chemicals and fungicides that are best kept outside.

Paint is a mixture of binder, pigment and liquid. Liquids are carriers for pigment and binders that evaporate as paint dries. Mineral spirits are used in oil paint, while water is used in latex paint and acrylic paint. Water-based paints are safer to handle, easier to use and more versatile than oil-based paints.

• Oil paints offer better adhesion, so they’re ideal for chalky surfaces.
• Enamel paint also has ingredients that produce a harder surface when dry.

Latex or acrylic paints can be applied over oil-based paint, but oil-based paint should not be applied over a water-based paint.

Following are several tips to consider when working with latex paint:

• Latex paint is the most common and environmentally responsible paint option.
• Latex paint dries faster and has fewer odors from VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
• Expect better color retention, especially in direct sunlight, from latex paint.
• Latex paint stays flexible and durable through weather and temperature changes.
• Use with a water-based primer
  only when painting with latex paint.
• Both latex and acylic paint clean up with just soap and water.

Oil Paint is made up of oil (usually vegetable) as a binder, a pigment and resin in a solvent thinner.

Among the reasons to choose oil paint:

• It has better surface penetration, durability and adhesion.
• Oil paint dries to a smoother finish with fewer brush or roller marks.
• It prevents stains, rust or wood saps from seeping through.
• Oil-based primers can be used with any paint.
• It resists water, so you'll need paint thinner or solvent to clean up.

If you’re painting a surface that may have adhesion problems, or where the paint may bleed through, use an oil-based primer under a water-based paint for best results.

Deciding how to choose the best paint for your project starts with understanding how interior paint is made. Interior paints consist of water or oils, binders, pigments and solids.

• Binders
  are plastic-like polymers that bind the pigment together to form a tough, continuous film. In oil paints, look for “drying oils” like linseed (soya) or modified oil (alkyd). In latex paints, look for 100 percent acrylic binders.
• Pigments
  are finely ground particles and powders that provide paint color, coverage and hiding ability. Prime pigments provide whiteness or color and opacity; the most common prime pigment is titanium dioxide. Extender pigments provide bulk to the paint and add scrub resistance, stain resistance and chalk resistance.
• Solids
  are the pigments and binders. They create the film left behind after the paint dries and the liquids have evaporated. Higher-quality paints usually have a higher percentage of solids. Quality latex paints contain 30 to 45 percent solids by volume.

Look on the paint can label for information on binders, liquids, pigments and solids.

When using paint to transform your home, always choose the right sheen for the job. Paint sheen refers to how shiny the dried paint surface becomes. Both water-based and oil-based interior paints come in different sheens.
Below are the most common types of interior paints.

• Flat paints have the least amount of sheen. As a result, flat paints are the best at hiding drywall imperfections. Adding texture to the mix hides even more flaws. Flat paint is commonly used on a wall or ceiling, except in a kitchen or bathroom.
  Flat and eggshell finishes soak up light and will darken a space.
• Eggshell paint has the same forgiving qualities of flat paint, with a slight sheen akin to an actual eggshell.
• Semi-gloss
  paint is most commonly used in rooms that require frequent cleaning, such as a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room or child’s room.
  If you plan to paint over semi-gloss with flat or eggshell paint, be sure to clean the wall thoroughly then lightly sand to remove the glossiness of the paint. Wipe clean and let dry before painting.
• A satin finish will provide more stain resistance and easier cleanup than a flat or eggshell finish. Satin also has the advantage of not bringing out surface imperfections as much as a semi-gloss or gloss sheen.
• High gloss
  paint provides better stain resistance and makes the surface easier to clean. Glossier paints protect and highlight trim work, cabinetry, doors and moulding. They can also highlight surface imperfections, so they’re not recommended for walls. Semi-gloss and gloss paints reflect light so they are good to use in dark rooms such as basements and closets.

Prep work is essential if you want your interior paint job to be successful. Begin by cleaning the surface. Sand if necessary and scrape off any existing peeling paint. When purhasing paint, remember that 1 gallon covers about 400 square feet.

• Before applying a top coat, fill any holes and prime bare spots.
• Wear safety goggles to protect eyes from flying particles and paint droplets.
• Wear appropriate gloves when using solvents, sanding or scraping.
• Wear old, loose-fitting clothing, a painter’s cap or an old scarf to keep paint spatter off skin and out of hair.
• Paints are slippery, so wear shoes with slip-resistant soles.
• Make sure your room is adequately ventilated.
• Wear a respirator or mask when working with a paint sprayer and above all, practice lead paint safety. If the house or surface you're painting was built before 1978, see EPA's renovation, repair and painting program for guidelines.