How do you decide what paint type to use?
There are so many different types of paint to choose from let alone the colour!
Each paint type has a specific use which is sometimes very obvious. Bathroom paint is great for bathrooms etc. However, this only allows you to paint your chosen room in the colours that the paint companies think are trendy this year.
There are so many different words used but the basic 3 are based on the sheen of the paint. The more shiny the paint finish the more imperfections are visible.
Matt / Eggshell – this has no sheen. Matt is more usually used for walls whereas Eggshell is normally for wood and metal trim. A newer paint is called flat matt which has even less sheen than Matt.
Silk / Satin – this is a medium sheen. This is what bathroom paints can be. Silk is more usually used for walls and Satin for wood and metal trim.
Gloss – this is a high sheen finish, usually only for wood and metal trim. As this paint has the highest sheen level it will show many imperfections which is why it is unwise to use this sheen of paint on large areas.
Vinyl or not?
This is the next choice. Vinyl basically means that plastic is added to paint which makes the paint a lot more robust to everyday bumps and scuffs of everyday life. So when you rub the paint to remove any marks a vinyl paint is less likely to come off and hence leave a different coloured patch on your wall.
Oil or water based?
Should you choose oil or water based satin paint? Oil based satinwood and gloss paint is usually cheaper than the equivalent water based paint. The oil based paint takes much longer to dry, has a very strong smell whilst it is drying and if the paint is not exposed to natural light then white paint will turn yellow over time. The water based paint dries much quicker, has a much less strong smell and the white tends not to yellow.
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