The paint for the exterior and interior of your house is not just used to decorate and add color to the spaces, but it also protects the surfaces from the elements.

Most paints are categorized into two different types, water-based and oil-based, but you can’t just paint on the surface right away, because you need base coats first before the application of the finish coats.

Here are the things you need to know before choosing the paint and painting materials.

Categories of Paint

There are different products used for the interior and the exterior of the house, but if you want the paint to last long, designers recommend the oil-based paint for the exterior and water-based paint for the interior walls.

• Oil-Based Paint: This type of paint dries slowly, but it gives a shiny finish and it’s more durable than water-based paints.
• Water-Based Paint: This type of paint evaporates and dries quickly, but will not produce a shiny finish and is not as durable as oil-based paint.
• Latex: This is just another name for water-based paint, but the product does not contain latex at all.
• Enamel: This is another name for oil-based paint and comes in either semi-gloss and gloss finishes. Enamel is recommended for exterior surfaces because of its durability and hardness.
• Acrylic: This is also a name for water-based paints, but unlike latex, it has an acrylic binding agent. It comes in enamel, latex, and latex enamel forms.
• Specialty Paints: These are paints that include additives such as fire retardants, anti-mold, and anti-mildew, anti-condensation, and other properties.

Base Coats

• Primer acts as a protection for surfaces that have not been painted on yet. The primer for masonry and plaster uses latex diluted with water, while tiles use special primers.
• First Coat is applied in one or two coats before the finish coats are painted to build up the latter’s opacity.

Finish Coats

• Flat is a porous type of paint that will not reflect any light. It can be used to hide flaws on the walls and other surfaces, but it should not be painted on doors, floors, and windows because it isn’t durable.
• Eggshell creates a shiny surface, but it’s not as smooth as satin. It can be applied with a single coat and is easy to use if you want to paint the walls yourself.
• Matte doesn’t produce any shine, but it takes several coatings to create a solid color. Matte enamel is a more durable variety that is easier to clean and retouch than the matte paint.
• Gloss paint is the most durable type and creates a shiny look on the surface because it reflects a lot of light. Use this only on surfaces that need details, because you don’t want your home to look like a plastic doll house.
• Satin isn’t glossy or flat and is more durable than the latter. It can be used on doors, floors, and windows.