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The A-Z Guide to House Paint for Home Improvement
When you are looking to transform the look of your house, the painting should be the first thing to come to your mind. It’ll give your house a new appeal and make you love it more. Besides, it will increase its value if you want to resell.
However, if you don’t go about it correctly, then you could find it very demanding instead of giving you the desired satisfaction. When you want to paint, you should take a well-versed, calculated approach to produce an eye-catching house that’s the star of the block.
You should also know the terms related to painting so that you can obtain the suitable products and tools that will make your work look professional. Additionally, if you have little or no knowledge about painting rules, tools, and material, then you should note that there are factors about the painting you should consider before beginning.
Some of these factors include the location of the room, how you will use the paint, the size of the room(s) you are painting, and the general painting design you wish to attain. These are the major factors you should consider as they ingeniously determine the tools you will use to work and the kind(s) of paint and substances you will need in your work.
Major Considerations
After you have decided on your paint samples, you will have to rethink and establish a concrete reason why you want to paint your home before you head to the home center. There are different reasons for painting a home. You could be painting because you want to sell it soon and this means that the colors you will use should apply not to you alone, but to other people that could find the house interesting to purchase.
Also, you could be painting your house just to give it a new look, but all the same; you should know that it is not easy to reverse a painting work. Hence, you should consider very carefully picking out the most suitable color for the task.
General Tips
In the home shop, you will find paint samples and the general advice to users is, “get as many samples as you can and get some poster board. Play around with those samples—examine how easily they cover and spread an area, and how easily you can clean them once they’re dry.”
Furthermore, you can go into the internet and browse through photographs of homes with various shades paints and read articles about that as well. This will help you get an idea of the final look on finishes so that when you practice it, you will understand it completely.
You were told in the advice above that you should use a “poster board” and not the original wall of your house as you can easily move it around and situate it at various points of your house to resonate with the light in that area or the furniture placed there.
With this, you will have a good feeling about your decision since you have eliminated all guesswork from your doubts and see the clear picture of what you are trying to achieve.
Water-Based Paints (Latex Paints)
In the market today, most of the wall paints you will find are water-based, since they are easy to use and clean off. If you used oil paint before for our house, then you should take the utmost care when switching to water as it might not stick easily as it should when on a plain unpainted wall.
In such a scenario, you should first of all, wash the surface with sufficient water to weaken the effects of the oil, then use a hard material to roughen it and finally smoothen it. This will cause the surface to be clean, dull, and dry so that when you use the water paint on it, it won’t peel off easily.
Also, you might not want a water-based paint alone, but a combo of the oil-and-water. Hence, several companies manufacture “waterborne enamels” or “waterborne alkyd” that resemble and perform much like the oil-based options as they have superior leveling traits for a silky finish.
Qualities of Good water paint
- Incorporates 30% to 45% binders and pigments
- A thicker dry film layer on the finished surface.
- Water paint with a lower quality will, of course, has a lower percentage of the necessary binders and pigments.
Advantages of water-based paints
- Doesn’t need a pre-treatment
- No mold growth
- Low VOCs (low levels of toxic emissions)
- Easy clean up with water
- Quick-drying
- A resilient, lithe finish that is anti-crack
- Can use it on almost every surface
- Stable color over time doesn’t yellow or fade in sunlight
Disadvantages of water-based paints
- Might not be glowing or classy
- Aren’t as durable as oil or urethane-based paints
- Can lose its stickiness from walls when soaked
Oil-based paints
You can use oil-based paint on almost every surface, and due to its high durability and a rich finish, it is known worldwide. However, you should exercise caution as oil paint releases strong fumes that can be overpowering, and when you are using it, you can hardly wash it off your clothes, floors, or materials. However, you can use a solvent like turpentine to wash it off your brush or materials when done with your painting.
Advantages of oil-based paints
- Striking gloss
- Excellent for high-moisture rooms (ex. bathroom or kitchen)
- Longer dry time (suitable for making fixes)
- Good “leveling” (brush strokes fill themselves in to create a smooth finish)
- Durable, resilient finish
Disadvantages of oil-based paints
- VOCs can be dangerous to breathe in
- Untidy procedure
- Hard to wash
Paint Finishes/sheen
There are various sheen options in the market as there are various manufacturers too, though they may have some similar characteristics. With every coming new paint and with improvement in their durability, various people have begun to discover more ingenious ways you can mix them properly to get a matching mixture.
Customers as well are becoming more tentative in their use of paint finish, to achieve a genuine impact and feel within a design. You can experiment one by painting a stripe of full gloss on a matte wall in the same color and observing the outstanding, textured look you made.
Matte paint
- Features the least reflective sheen
- Has a silky feel
- helps conceal flaws in walls and ceilings
- Offers an immense depth of color
- Is commonly seen as the standard sheen for walls
- Can sometimes be hard to clean
Eggshell and satin paint (satin is slightly glossier than eggshell):
- have some reflectivity
- offer superior resilience
- are often used in challenging areas of the homes, like the kitchens and bathrooms, where uncomplicated cleaning without an extremely glossy finish is preferred
Semi-gloss and gloss paint:
- great for kitchens, doors, window trim, accent walls, and bathrooms
- are the most reflective sheens
- are highly long-lasting and stand up to numerous cleanings
- are traditionally used on baseboards, moldings, and doors
- can make a statement, but also draw attention to flaws
Guide to choosing the right Paint Finishes
When selecting a paint finish, you should be cautious to not choose the wrong one if not, you will have to redo the whole process and this means double expenditure. There’s a crucial rule of thumb to pursue when selecting paint sheens: The higher the sheen, the higher the shine — and the higher the shine, the more hard-wearing it will be.
Flat paint has no shine but high-gloss is all shine and in between, you will find eggshell, satin, and semi-gloss, with each one having its own realistic and attractive job to do.
Hence, to choose the most suitable paint sheen, then you should look at these;
High Gloss
It is the most hard-wearing and easiest to clean of all paint sheens. It is hard, ultra-shiny, and light-reflecting.
If you wish to paint areas that a sticky finger could touch easily like cabinets, trim, and doors then high-gloss is the best for you to use there. However, it is not suitable for interior walls in the house as it has too much shine and like a Spandex dress, it shows every “bump and roll”, so don’t skimp on prep work.
Practical application: kitchens, door, and window trim
Durability: very high
Semi-Gloss
This kind is perfect for rooms where humidity, drips, and grease tinges disturb the walls. You can as well use it for trim work that takes a lot of abuse.
Practical application: kitchens, bathrooms, trim, chair rails
Durability: high
Satin
Satin sheens have a satiny silky finish to them and regardless of its name; it is often seen as velvety as it has a luscious sheen. You can easily clean off the dirt from it and that is why it is perfect for areas with high-traffic. Its major imperfection is the fact that it exposes application errors like roller or brush strokes.
Practical application: Kitchens, family rooms, foyers, hallways, kids’ bedrooms
Durability: high
Eggshell
You will find eggshell on the sheen scale between satin and flat on the sheen (and durability) scale and its name comes from the fact that it’s a flat (no-shine) finish with little luster, like a chicken’s egg. Eggshell covers wall’s faults properly and is a great finish for gathering spaces that don’t get a lot of bumps and scuffs.
Practical application: dining rooms, living rooms
Durability: medium
Flat or Matte
The matte is a friend to walls that have something to hide, as it soaks up, rather than reflects, light. It has the most coloring and will supply the most cover, which makes it very affordable and time-efficient. On the other hand, it’s not easy to clean without taking paint off with the grime.
Practical application: adults’ bedrooms, and other interior rooms that won’t be roughed up by kids
Durability: medium-low
Tips For Choosing the Right Sheen
If you like dark and rich paint colors, but you don’t want it to shine much, then you should look for a sheen that is a bit below the normal ones. This is because of the sheen content in dark colors. With darkness and richness of the paint color is there increased colorant; a booster of sheen and with a higher sheen, you would be able to spot defects easily on the painting work.
Additionally, sheen increases the normal cost of purchasing the paint as you would have to spend an extra dollar or two per gallon with an increase in sheen quantity.
Important points to remember
When the paint has more gloss in it, it doesn’t easily wash off. Hence, when painting rooms like that of little children or one that usually has a high inflow of people like a playroom, or can easily get a stain like a kitchen, then you should get paint with high gloss. This will give you an edge so that when wiping off stains with a damp sponge, the paint doesn’t go off.
Generally, we advise that you use an accent wall with a glossy sheen while painting the remainder of a room, matte. This is as a matte sheen gives you a calm and tranquil sensation, because of that textural element. Finally, it all depends on how you want your home to look like and the air of feeling you want to give it.
On the other hand, gloss which is opposite to matte brings life, excitement, and vigor to a room. You should recall that darker and richer colors have a higher sheen (since they have a higher quantity of colorant), so you may desire to choose a lower sheen when using a darker paint color.
As for eggshell and satin, we prefer using them in tinier spaces that normally have not much natural light. A satin finish is superb in a powder room as it reflects the light to reveal the color.
Choosing a Color
The most exciting part of painting your house is selecting a paint color for your home is. If the house is up for resale, then it should be one that will draw the attention of buyers and a good percentage at that. The best kinds of paints for this would be neutral colors and colors that match the other colors of homes in the neighborhood.
If it is for personal use, then you must know the kind of color you love and the ones that you think visitors will like before painting. Before you do this, there are lots of images online or magazines that show home decorations. You can easily get one and look for a color that people use in their homes. Additionally, you can visit a few people and take a cue from their home painting designs.
Another way to do this is to buy paint samples of about 1-quart sizes and paint two different sides of your house to see how it will look in various lights. You should as well check the light reflective value (LRV) of the paint. The LRV is a scientific measurement of the darkness or brightness of the paint on your wall after application. It is a general rule for interior paints to have an LRV of 50 percent or more while external walls should be lesser since there is enough light outside than inside.
Color Recommendations
It is recommendable to choose a white or off-white color for your walls if you want t sell the house. This will let the buyer change the house color easily if they wish to do so in the future. It also lets the home look brighter and tidier.
Secondly, do not forget the color wheel you were taught at school. The primary colors – red, yellow, and blue are on the color wheel at 12:00, 4:00, and 8:00 in that order and when you combine them in a particular manner, they produce secondary colors like orange, purple, etc.
Colors close to each other on the color wheel like blue and purple are similar to each other and will let one color to be more visible.
Colors opposite each other on the color wheel like green and red are opposite to one another and can stand side by side and still flourish. Remaining within the same shade of color (i.e. greens) will make your work look delicate and soothing.
Painting with cool colors like blue, green, and purple makes tiny rooms seem larger and airier while colors like orange, red, and yellow will make a room look more vibrant.
Paint Primer Basics
Paint primer is a thicker paint that gives you a more resilient paint coating for your work. Given that it is tinted just like conventional paint, you don’t have to cover up the primary layer of white primer.
It is a difficult decision to choose to apply the apply paint primer before the color coat as lots of people have different views on that.
Paint manufacturers almost advise constantly that you brush, roll, or spray one or two coats of paint primer since you wish to have a better color coat. Paint contractors that charge their rate hourly might advise you to use a primer, but those who charge per job might not advise that especially when they add the cost of materials in their charge.
Do you need a Primer?
Priming a surface before painting could seem tough for several homeowners as you do not see the benefits immediately. Primer is not color, nor is it yet a protective coat. Painting the color coat is near-instant fulfillment, while priming is drudge-work that finally gets covered up.
Yet, it is most important to prime when working on surfaces that are tough to paint. Some of these surfaces include:
- All bare surfaces that are very porous
- Raw, unfinished wood
- Uncoated metal
- Drywall that is skim-coated
- Masonry
- Porous surface
- When the previous coat is glossy
- Changing from dark to light color
- Stained surface
You should as well prime when you are bothered about wood-bleeding, gloss, grease, or other regions that make paint-adhesion harden.
While you always do want to clean the surface as much as possible and roughen up glossy areas, this still does not automatically make the surface perfect and ready for a top coat. Primer helps bring the surface closer to perfection.
When Primer Is Not Needed
You might not need a primer when handling some tasks like surfaces that are clean, dry, and have low-porosity. Examples are the walls in a typical interior living room, bedroom, dining room, or hallway.
When to Use Self-Priming Paint
You may use a paint primer when:
- Re-painting a wall in a very similar color as self-primer
- Unfinished or new drywall
- Interiors are not exposed to snow and sun
Ten Best House Paint Brands: List of Top U.S. Paint Companies
Based on customer reviews and deep researches, we have been able to draw up a list of companies and that rank top in their paint brands and quality. A good number of these brands present both interior and exterior paints, in addition to transparent and semi-transparent stains. These include;
1. Benjamin Moore: “A” Ranking
Benjamin Moore is one of the Berkshire Hathaway portfolios of companies that are owned by Warren Buffett. Benjamin Moore is an inspirational paint brand and has made a name for itself since the launch of Aura which is among the top paints worldwide. This made them widely known as they grossed a network of 4,000 independent dealers that carry the brand.
History & Location
It is owned by Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffet’s corporation), was founded in 1883, and sited in Montvale, New Jersey.
Where Sold: You can find their products at all specialty paint stores and some hardware stores but not at home improvement centers or mass merchant retailers.
Important Notes:
- Perennial top performer.
- Award-winning products with a stellar reputation.
- Somewhat expensive, but worth it for many consumers.
- More famous for interior paints than the exterior.
2. Sherwin-Williams: “A” Ranking
Sherwin-Williams is the biggest paint producer in the U.S. and comprises Pratt & Lambert and Thompson Minwax among its brands. Sherwin-Williams produces interior paints and trades them through more than 3,000 company-owned retail stores. Aside from paints, Sherwin-Williams as well sells primers, faux finishes, interior wood stains, and wallpaper. Its retail stores supply professionals and consumers with varieties of paint supplies and tools.
History & Location
It was founded in 1866 and is sited in Cleveland, Ohio.
Where Sold: You can find their products at Sherwin-Williams franchise painting and decorating outlets, though the lesser brands could be found at other outlets.
Important Notes:
- Recurrent top performer.
- Also famous for interior paints and exterior products.
- Also makes premium infinity brand sold at Lowe’s stores.
- Is the manufacturer of Dutch Boy, which is seen as its low-end brand.
- Also makes Easy Living and Weather beater brands, sold at K-mart and Sears stores.
3. Valspar: “A” Ranking
Valspar is a top brand of interior paint, and you can find its most widely sold line, Signature Colors at Lowe’s.
History & Location
It was founded in 1932 and is currently sited in Minneapolis. It was in 2017 that Sherwin-Williams obtained Valspar.
Where Sold: You can find their products at Lowe’s home improvement centers and franchise hardware stores like Ace, Do It Best, True Value.
Important Notes:
- Also makes Cabot brand of stains.
- Acquired by Sherwin-Williams Corporation in 2017.
- Now makes Ace hardware-branded paints.
See how Sherwin Williams and Valspar Compare to each other.
4. Behr: “B-plus” Ranking
Behr is a top brand of interior and exterior paints and its products are found at Home Depot. Aside from providing water- and oil-based interior paints, Behr also retails masonry waterproofers; specialty finishes, like Venetian plaster; primers; wood-flooring coatings; and cleaners. Behr is a part of Masterchem, a company that produces the Kilz brand of paints primers.
History & Location
Behr was founded in 1947 and cited in Santa Ana, California though it was bought in 1999 by Basco Corporation.
Where Sold: You can find their products at Home Depot.
Important Notes:
- Seen as a very excellent paint, notwithstanding middle-tier user rankings.
- People greatly consider both the interior and exterior paints.
5. Dutch Boy: “B-minus” Ranking
This is a great paint company that produces various kinds of paints for different usage.
History & Location
The brand was originally known as National Lead Company in 1907, where it became well-known for its wonderful lead additives in the paint. Currently, Sherwin-Williams owns it as its discount brand.
Where Sold: You can find their products at mass merchants and discount retailers.
Important Notes:
- Dutch Boy paint is not consistent in their rankings yearly as sometimes, they hit near the bottom of the top ten.
6. Clark + Kensington: “C-plus” Ranking
The brand is widely known for its good quality paints for use in homes and other buildings.
History & Location
It is owned and manufactured by Ace Hardware as its major brand though Valspar currently manufactures Ace’s other paints, with the inclusion of Clark + Kensington.
Where Sold: You can find their products at Ace Hardware chain stores.
Important Notes:
- It has a declined reputation currently despite its popularity in the past.
- Valspar currently makes Ace’s paints.
7. PPG: “C-plus” Ranking
If you are looking for good quality and resilient external in internal paints, then the PPG brand is a good brand you can rely on. However, it does not provide all kinds of painting substances as the top ones on this list that is why it finds itself at this position.
History & Location
It was founded in 1883 and is sited in Pittsburgh.
Where Sold: You can find their products at specialty paint retailers and PPG franchise paint stores.
Notes:
- Exterior grade PPG Timeless includes several similar elements found in highly resilient automotive paints.
8. Glidden: “C” Ranking
Glidden is a widely sold brand of paint that users can trust when looking at sturdiness and variety.
History & Location
Glidden has been a subsidiary of PPG since 2013 and is sited in Strongsville, Ohio.
Where Sold: You can find their products at Home Depot, Walmart, and specialty paint and decorating stores.
Important Notes:
- This brand is made by PPG and seen as their bargain brand.
- Glidden also manufactures the “Flood” brand of wood sealers and stains.
9. Royal: “C” Ranking
This is among the top paint brands though it is owned by Ace hence having the same products as them.
History & Location
Ace owns this brand and manufactures its products ever since its launch recently.
Where Sold: You can find their products at Ace Hardware franchise stores.
Important Notes:
- It is a new brand with an inadequate history for a long-standing conclusion.
- Ace Hardware stores acquire very high marks when customers are satisfied with their retail service.
10. Olympic “C-minus” Ranking
The Olympic brand is one of the quality paint manufacturers in the USA as they provide customers with various paint options.
History & Location
It is owned by PPG Pittsburgh Paints.
Where Sold: You can find products at Lowes stores.
Important Notes:
- Widely known for wood stains, though it offers a full line of paints too.
- The last in the top ten consumer satisfaction rankings.
Best Paint Brands for Customer Satisfaction
When customers purchase good and quality paints and experience their abilities, they give our reviews which come in various ways. Additionally, this causes the brand to grow higher as more people patronize the brand. Despite the growth in brands currently, there are still some top brands that have been consistent in quality for years now. These four brands include:
- Benjamin Moore
- Sherwin-Williams
- Valspar
- Behr
Despite the alternations in ranking yearly with other brands, these four brands stand out and perform greatly and this is why they are the best options for customers.
Exterior Paints: Painting Your House exterior
It could be tricky when painting something outside as you would consider some external factors like sun, rain, wind, and other kinds of weather once it dries. The first challenge will be to apply it as you would have to wait for the weather you can do that conveniently so that it can dry properly.
Before choosing a kind of paint for your exterior, you should note the surface you wish to paint. Though exterior paints can handle various kinds of surfaces, they still experience some limitations as they have various preparation and application methods. Some paints could match the sides of walls and fences, while some could suit various flooring and ground surfaces.
Furthermore, you will select either latex or oil-based paint. The difference is that latex is easier to work with and can dry quickly in less than two hours while oil-based takes a longer time to dry and is frequently more resilient.
Exterior Painting Preparation
When preparing to paint the exterior of the house, there are some things you should do to save time, costs, and achieve a perfect job.
First, choose the area you wish to paint. Sometimes, it could be just the shutters or trim you want to paint instead of the whole house. Next, select the colors and the kinds of paint you want to use.
Before you begin painting, clean, dull, and dry the surface of the region so that the paint would adhere properly. If there is dirt from chalk or mildew, then wash it off too. After you have cleaned the region, scrape off any peeling or cracked paint, then sand and prime it. Use plastic bags or materials to cover landscape plants before painting so that they do not get affected by the chemical in the paint.
The next step to take after priming is to paint the trim with semi-gloss paints advisably. Take notice of the temperature as it is better to paint on days when the weather is humid between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit for best results. If it is sunny, then use shade if not, direct sunlight can cause heat blisters on your job.
Be careful to keep a “wet edge” by overlapping painting areas over the areas you finished most recently. Don’t paint it into a drying paint film: the film could buckle.
The best way to paint shutters is to remove them and spray them away from the house. If you must paint them in the house, use an angled sash brush. When choosing a color for shutters, keep in mind that dark colors absorb more heat and can cause vinyl shutters to warp.
Apply an oil-based primer coat to metal doors before you begin painting. This step is especially important if the door is exposed to the weather. Allow the primer to dry for 24 to 48 hours, next apply two coats of exterior paint. Latex exterior paints have undergone improvements, and some can be as durable as oil-based.
Tips on selecting exterior paint
There are two basic types of exterior paint to choose from and these are the oil-based and the latex which is more usually used.
Oil-based paints last long and are water-resistant that is the reason they are suitable for exterior painting. Professional painters use them mostly too. If you want to paint a surface with a previous oil-based painting, then you should use an oil-based paint. When working, stir it from time to time to keep the oil from separating.
Also, use a specific roller or brush made for it so that it does not damage the brush and render it useless.
Currently, latex exterior paints have improved considerably and last longer too. They don’t make your work difficult as they are easy to apply, dry quickly, and resist the actions of direct sunlight. You can as well clean it easily with water.
Features to look for in when getting an Exterior Paint
Square Footage
Before you get exterior paint, you should consider the square footage of the area you want to paint as this would help in determining the quantity of paint you need.
Material
The kind of material you want to paint too is another feature to look out for. Is it of wood, brick, or vinyl siding material? Will you need a primer, or cover another layer of paint directly? Ensure that the kind of paint you want to buy will match the surface you want to paint to prevent unnecessary costs and stress.
Finish
You will find paints in four major finishes: flat, satin, semi-gloss, and gloss. Semi-gloss and gloss paints are suitable for accents, like doors, window sills, or shutters, but won’t work well for large areas. Flat paints conceal flaws in texture and absorb light, though they are hard to clean and may need more regular repainting. You can wash satin finishes though it requires extra care when during painting to get a striking result finally.
How to Choose Exterior Paint Colors for a Home
The exterior of your home is the first place a stranger or visitor spots and it tells a lot about the interior too so when choosing an exterior paint color, be wise in your decision. You can employ our professional tips to help you choose the right paint color for the exterior of your home. They include:
Plan to spend a little more money
You should invest in quality paint like Behr Marquee Exterior Paint & Primer in One as they last long, resist stains and weather actions, and would not need repainting for years to come.
Think about your permanent materials
You should consider those materials or objects in your home exterior that you would not remove for years. The paint you choose should match their paint shades.
Take advantage of technology
There are online tools that help you choose an initial color, recommend identical/matching colors, and help you test with color combos on images of a home exterior so you can imagine the finished look.
Take care of the trim
You can try some extra shades of light on your exterior to get a delicate, stylish outcome.
Ease in with swatches
You can get sample paint and use it for various edges of the exterior so that you can observe if it matches before you begin the main painting.
You can as well employ this cheat sheet of popular Benjamin Moore exterior colors to get a head start.
Neutrals:
- Shaker Beige HC-45, Alexandria Beige HC-77, Pashmina AF-100
Grays:
- Stonington Gray HC-170, Thunder AF-685, Storm AF-700
Blues and Greens:
- Phillipsburg Blue HC-159, Guilford Green HC-116, Soft Fern 2144-40, Santorini Blue 1634, Wickham Gray HC-171
Trim:
- Navajo White 947 (also OC-95), Frostine AF-5, Simply White OC-117
Front Doors:
- Lucerne AF-530, Flint AF-560, Breath of Fresh Air 806, Black Satin 2131-10, Silhouette AF-655, SuperNova 1414, Pomegranate AF-295
Best Exterior paint Brands
Some brands top the market in paint production and supply and there also exist brands that top the market in “exterior” paint production and supply. To help you find them easily, here is a list of the top exterior paint brands in the USA.
1. Best Overall: Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior Paint
For many years now, the Benjamin Moore brand has been making the best and resilient paints regardless of the color you desire or the finish.
Their Aura Exterior collection is suitable for exterior painting as they last longer and do not fade, peel, or crack easily. However, it could be quite costly though its price matches its quality as you would not have to spend money on repainting for years.
You would find the paint in four finishes—flat, low-luster, satin, and semi-gloss as it is self-priming, 100 percent acrylic, and a gallon can cover between 250 to 400 square feet. Aura exterior paint also dries very quickly, setting to re-coat in just four hours.
To purchase one, access Benjamin Moore’s website though you can find them in stores all over the country. Additionally, you can use Benjamin Moore’s store locator to find your nearest pick-up place.
2. Runner-Up: BEHR Premium Plus Ultra
The Premium Plus Ultra is a top exterior paint, that matches brands costlier than it by far.
You can find it in three finishes—flat/matte, satin, and semi-gloss as it is perfect for jobs involving brick, stucco, vinyl, and metal.
The paint is also 100 percent acrylic and a gallon can cover about 400 square feet despite its inexpensiveness. BEHR used Nanoguard technology to manufacture it so that it can resist stains, sunlight, and moisture and still gleam after years.
3. Best for Porch and Patio: Kilz Interior/Exterior Enamel Porch & Patio Latex Floor Paint
With this KILZ paint, you will transform your patio or porch into a private haven as it should be.
It is very durable though it will need several coatings to improve its resilience.
One gallon of paint will cover 200-300 square feet on coarse surfaces and 300-400 square feet on smooth surfaces.
Additionally, KILZ only offers the paint in two colors, Silver Grey and Slate Grey.
4. Best for Wood: BEHR Barn and Fence Paint
BEHR’s Barn and Fence Paint employs a powerful formula to resist the effects of Mother Nature.
This paint hardly cracks, fade, or peel for numerous years as it prevents the growth of mold hence ensuring the sound and health of your wood.
You do not also have to worry about your animals as it doesn’t harm them if they mistakenly consume it.
BEHR’s Barn and Fence Paint is a mix of latex and oil and latex, so you should check the manufacturer’s recommendation when repainting an old surface.
5. Best for Vinyl Siding: Sherwin Williams Duration Paint
This Sherwin Williams model comes in four different sheens and more than 100 colors ranging from enduring neutrals, like Cotton White, to comfortable and more different shades, like Bluebird Feather and Coral Reef.
The company employed Sherwin Williams’ PermaLast Technology in designing Duration to give it higher resilience and superior protection from weather actions. With great quality, it is one of the costliest in the market.
6. Best for Brick: BEHR Indoor/Exterior Masonry, Stucco, & Brick Paint
For more than 72 years, BEHR has been making quality paints and exterior paints are one of their products too. Their Masonry, Stucco, and Brick Paint model adheres easily to both coarse and smooth surfaces so that is why it is suitable for painting brick. You can clean it easily by using water and soap without having much stress.
It comes in various finishes like flat, satin, and elastomeric, and a gallon can cover about 400 square feet. It is also cheap and lets you tint it to a different color.
7. Best Oil-Based: Valspar Anti-Rust Armor Paint
Valspar Anti-Rust Armor paint is very affordable and as oil-based paint, gives your home exterior an outstanding finish and a long-lasting lifespan.
A gallon can cover about 400 square feet, though it is possible to buy a quart instead of a full gallon for smaller projects.
Interior Paints: Painting Your House interior
After you have satisfied the look of the exterior, the next place to turn to is the interior. You do not spend much here as weather actions don’t normally affect the house interior. However, there are some crucial decisions you should take when painting so that you achieve a perfect finish and a beautiful home.
Secondly, the brand of your paint is a feature you should look out for since certain actions could disrupt the beauty of your interior painting. If you use a poor brand, then you can expect a poor outcome. Hence, we have drawn up a list of paint brands that are suitable for your home interiors.
Best Interior Paint Brands
These paint brands are top brands in the USA that you can obtain quality paints for your home interiors. We have matched them with customer reviews and find them worthy of their positions. They include;
1. Benjamin Moore Paints
Just like exterior paints, the Benjamin Moore company tops again with interior painting production of high quality. These paints can match environmental conditions and are very durable. Whether you are a pro or beginner in the painting job, Benjamin Moore paints are for you and you can get them easily at independently-owned stores and retailers.
Do not forget that bold colors aren’t a necessity for your home interiors so when choosing you can pick the White Dove or Decorator’s White which are some top interior Benjamin Moore paints.
2. Behr Premium Plus Paint
If you don’t have a large budget, you can go for Behr’s brand as it matches quality with low pricing. You can find them at Home Depot alongside your painting tools like paint rollers, brushes, and tarps.
With BEHR Premium Plus Paint, your home will always have a clean look s it hides painting faults and protects the surface from molds and dirt. On their website, you will find ideas on selecting paints, decorations, and advice to inspire your painting.
3. Valspar American Tradition Paint
Here comes Valspar once more with has a full line of interior paints, stains, primers, faux finishes, and cleaners. You can wash off most finishes easily as they resist stains, easy to apply, and have low odor. You can purchase the American Tradition Paint at hardware stores and specifically at Lowe’s Home Improvement Centers.
4. Dunn-Edwards Paints
If you are in the Southwestern region of the USA, then you should know, Dunn-Edwards. With growing popularity now to other parts of the USA, you can obtain the interior paints in other parts of the country.
Many interior decorators, professional painters, and designers use their interior paints for beautiful finishes and if you want to get more information on their paints and locations, you can simply go to their website.
5. Pratt & Lambert Paint
This is the first time the Pratt and Lambert Company is appearing in the top lists of paint. However, they make top-quality paint, luxurious sheens, and various colors since it was founded in 1849. As a homeowner, you can easily use their new lightweight interior paint with the container having a built-in handle for your painting. You can purchase their paints in hardware and paint stores all over the USA.
6. Glidden
Glidden tops the interior paints market once more with their new ceiling paint which goes on pink but after drying, turns a bright white. You can simply get their interior paints at hardware stores, company stores, and paint centers all over the USA.
7. Sherwin-Williams Paint
The Sherwin-Williams brand which tops in the paint market provides users with various colors for their home interiors. An example is the Pure White and Agreeable Gray you can find at Lowe’s hence making it easy to buy.
8. Farrow & Ball
The last brand on the list is the Farrow & Ball that provides interior paints that last long and never become old-fashioned. Despite its position, it is still quite expensive and has quality though it isn’t very popular.
FAQs
Question: What is the most popular exterior house color?
Answer: A deeper grey-blue color is suitable for the up north region as they match the evergreen landscapes and skies. Other colors mostly used for house exteriors are cream, beige, yellow and light-hued versions of grey, blue and green. For darker colors, brown is the mostly used color.
Question: Is Walmart paint good quality?
Answer: Wal-Mart Color place paint is of high quality and matches the cost which is quite high. They equally sell Dutch Boy which will give you much better coverage and quality for a few extra dollars a gallon. However, from experience the Dutch Boy is much better.
Question: What Sheen is best for exterior house paint?
Answer: Satin/eggshell is the best sheen for exterior house paint as it has a low-reflective finish that easily conceals surface flaws and makes it easy to wash and clean. It also has a slightly glossy and stands up to abrasion better than flat or matte paints.
Question: Is it better to spray or brush exterior paint?
Answer: Generally, spraying takes up more paint than brushing as most of the spray droplets thin away while working. Spraying utilizes more paint because the sprayer atomizes the paint into tiny droplets. Most of the droplets end up on the surface, but many others drift away.
Question: Is it better to roll or spray exterior paint?
Answer: You could use spray for the exterior instead of the interior as it makes it faster for you to work in large surfaces when you are less concerned about accuracy. Rolling is for smaller surfaces that require more accuracy like the home interior. Brushes help you do the detail work.
Conclusion
Painting your home is a decision you take for various reasons and before you make your final decision, there are several things to consider. We have provided you with a detailed article that will help you go about your painting effortlessly regardless of your reason for painting. Hence, take in the tips carefully and change the look of your home.
Further read: