Whether you’re looking to sell your property or simply want to give your home a much-needed makeover, painting is often the way to go. Particularly if you’re putting your home on the market, a fresh coat of paint, along with services such as furniture rental and property styling, will really go a long way towards boosting its market appeal (and subsequent sale price).
Choosing the right type of paint for the job at hand means that the finished product will last, protecting and enhancing both the interior and exterior of the property you are decorating. Choose the wrong paint for a particular surface however, and it will blister, flake and, in some cases, not dry properly, ruining the overall appearance and surface of your home. Read on to learn more.
Understanding the component parts of paint
Paint is made up of pigment, solvents, additives and binders, and for each type of finish there will be a special blending of these parts to enhance their different properties. The pigments give paint its colour, while the binder holds the pigments together and “glues” the paint to a surface. A variety of additives allow the paint to be UV resistant, for example, or splatter or mildew resistant, as well as determine the hardness of the paint once it is dry.
The two main types of paint are latex and alkyd, and whilst both are excellent performers in their own right, they are incompatible with each other due to their respective water based and oil based properties. An alkyd house paint, which is oil based, can be applied over a water based acrylic or latex paint, but not the other way around. Remembering the saying “oil over water, never water over oil” will help when using these paints on your property.
Abrasion resistant
In hallways, children’s rooms and areas in the home that get the most footfall and activity, there will be, inevitably, an increase in scuff marks and dirt. In this case, a 100% acrylic paint should be used because of its resistance to scrubbing, cleaning and washing.
Kitchens, bathrooms and spa areas
Where there are areas of high humidity and moisture, such as in and around the shower and sink, near to the stove, and in wet rooms and spas, mildew and damp are highly likely. For these areas, choose a paint that is mildew resistant and an acrylic paint with a high sheen.
Wood trims, doors and cabinets
High quality alkyd paint will produce a superior finish with less brush marks showing once it is dry. This type of paint is also stain resistant and very durable, although it takes longer to dry than water based paint.
Specialist house paints
If your external masonry is showing signs of cracking, and you need a protective covering to keep materials such as stucco in a stable condition and prevent continual weather damage, then use a specialty house paint. Elastomeric paint is a very thick paint that has been developed especially to bridge small cracks, and it will also stretch with any further movement of the exterior surface. This is also ideal if you are painting exterior wood finishes, which will move and split throughout the different seasons.
Garage floors and basements
For surfaces that get a great deal of wear and tear, and that will come into contact with oil stains or chemicals, then epoxy paint is about the toughest paint you can get. It is extremely durable, and will resist stains, abrasions and hot tyre marks, as well as withstand heavy objects being dropped onto its surface. It is a two-component paint that can be used for interior flooring only, which makes it ideal for painting garage floors and for basements as well.
Whatever the job at hand, there will be a paint available for you to use. Just remember to check with your paint store specialist before you start and ensure that you have made the right choice for your needs.