Welcome to Painting Tips & Tools Guide
How To Choose Exterior Paint Article
How To Choose Exterior Paint
from:Exterior paint is much like interior paint, though it is designed to offer more durability and intensity to handle the elements. It is often important to use exterior paint on surfaces such as your home, decking, or any railings and materials you plan to paint that would remain for any length of time outdoors. Exterior paint is not necessarily more expensive or harder to select than interior paint. You will find the same color options, especially if your paint store or home improvement store offers paint mixing. However, there are a few more things to consider before selecting exterior paint.
Paint Type
Both oil based paints and latex paint is available for the exterior of your home. Oil based paints are harder to work with, but they give you a lot of durability and depth of color. You get a richer look and feel to the paint than you would with latex. Latex paints are far easier to work with, which is why they are the most commonly selected product. Latex paints are water based, but if you select those that are specifically designed for exterior use, they also are durable and can withstand the elements well.
Tips For Selection
When choosing exterior paint, the following tips can help you.
Oil based paints do well on wood type surfaces outdoors because the wood is able to absorb the paint well. This allows for great adhesion. You will want to be sure to choose oil based paint for exterior use to see this benefit.
Low quality exterior paints can really cause a lot of trouble. They can easily allow for the paint to become easily weathered. They also can create a chalky feel over time.
Avoid using any type of outdoor paint that is flat for doors, handrails or similar areas where there will be a lot of traffic. Flat paint is very difficult in terms of wear. It will show virtually everything including scuffs.
Trim paints can be a good thing, but it is not always necessary to use these types of paint. Rather, purchase exterior paint to use on trim rather than a specialized product. Trim paints can work well on those hard to paint areas.
Satin and semi gloss paints are often the best solution for most exterior surfaces. If you are unsure of the amount of shine you want in these spaces, ask your paint retailer to allow you to see a sample of the paint to compare the options.
In most situations, exterior paint can be easy to apply and gives you home an instant boost of beauty. Choose the paint wisely and you will have long lasting beauty form it. Invest in quality, though, as this will shine through your project.