Q: What paints should I use and where?
A: There are three types of paint: oil, acrylic, and water-based (latex). All paints are formulated with water or oil-based binders combined with pigments to create the desired color.
Oil paint offers good adhesion, excellent durability, and stain resistance. Don Brees, project manager with Rosie Right — Design. Build. Remodel. notes that not many oil-based products are still being manufactured. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been phasing those out over the years.
Acrylic paint is made of pigment suspended in an acrylic polymer solution and acrylic resin. It is chemical-based and becomes water-resistant when dry. Acrylic paint dries quickly and is ideal for exteriors and some interior areas.
Latex is a water-based paint. It is also made from acrylic resin. However, it is ideal to use latex for large interior surface areas. It provides a long-lasting finish with good performance values. Latex paints are easy to work with, dry quickly and are extremely durable.
Note: Arizona Painting Company, a Rosie-Certified Partner tells us that there are hybrid paints which can be used both indoors and outdoors. However, these are not as effective as traditional interior and exterior paints and lack the necessary ingredients and additives. There is no mildew, moisture or crack protection, and is less likely to withstand the elements outdoors. Overall, hybrid paints are best for smaller projects, and do better inside than outside.
“All major paint manufacturers in the United States produce three classes of paint,” says Brees. “There are low side production-grade paints, midline good quality paints, and premium grade paints. Most use special names for the level of quality.”
For example, Sherwin-Williams’ highest-grade brand is Emerald.
Q: Do I need to use a high-gloss paint in the bathrooms and kitchen?
A: There was a time when the only paint you could scrub free of fingerprints, food spatters and crayon art was high gloss. But new flat paints are formulated for scrubbing, too, so you have a choice.
A matte finish looks a lot nicer on a wall than a shimmery, reflective surface. More homeowners are switching to a flat matte paint in every room of the house, even bathrooms and kitchens. It seems to be the trend.
Flat paint also covers nail hole cover-ups and other flaws better than gloss, and it touches up nicer.
If you still feel “safer” rolling a durable gloss on the walls of your wet rooms, kitchen, bathrooms, mud room and laundry room, consider toning it down a little with a satin or semi-gloss finish instead of high gloss. Then stick with flat or eggshell for living areas, bedrooms, and hallways for a cleaner, up-to-date look.
Q: How much paint will I need for an interior room?
A: A rule of thumb: Plan to use one gallon for every 400 square feet you’ll paint. If you prime your walls first, you’ll use less paint.
If the ceiling height is the same in all of the rooms you want to paint:
1. Measure the width of each wall.
2. Add all the widths together.
3. Measure the height of one wall only.
4. Multiply the width total by the height.
5. Measure the area of your windows and doors (multiply length times width).
6. Subtract that number from the answer to No. 4.
Q: Do I have to prime before painting?
A: To ensure you get the most out of your efforts and paint, I highly recommend priming the surface before painting.
Primer is an undercoat that you paint onto the wall before painting it with color. It seals the surface, so the paint adheres to the surface instead of soaking into the wall.
Arizona Painting Company, recommends applying a colored primer. If the walls already have paint, spray the primer over the holes and scratches you repair. If you’re painting never-painted walls, though, you’ll need to prime them. Most paint primer is white, so ask your paint store to add a little bit of umber (a clay pigment) until the primer takes on a slightly gray color.
Once the gray-tinged primer is on the wall, it will accentuate any imperfections. This will give you another chance to make it perfectly smooth before applying the paint. And once you paint over the primer, you’ll be able to clearly see any areas where the paint has rolled on too thin.
That said, Sherwin-Williams’ premium line of Emerald Interior Paint is a paint and primer in one. Its coverage hides dark colors, resists water streaking and helps prevent stains from penetrating.
