There are a bewildering array of paints available on the market today for house painting in Danville. This prompts a question: what should homeowners choose? There are many factors to consider — the surface being covered, to the local weather, as well as the method being used to apply, and of course the available budget. People might think that all they have to do is to choose the paint color, but in fact this is the least important aspect when paint buying.
Aside from making your house beautiful, paint also provides the needed protection for your home, inside and outside, against many sorts of elements from fire to mold and mildew. There are several special paint additives sold on the market today that will provide a specific purpose in protecting your home.
When you embark on house painting in Danville, buy a kind of paint that is formulated for interior or exterior use. Paints aren’t made the same, because there are actually paints for interior coverage and other paints for exterior coverage. Interior paints usually come in more colors, glosses and sheens, while exterior paints are usually more durable and are likely to have protection against ultraviolet elements. Make sure you read the can label first to see if the paint is for interior or exterior use.
Another consideration to be made while buying paint is to know which paints are oil-based or water-based. People used to be advised not to mix two types of paint, or not to put water-base over oil-base. However, you can cover anything with anything as long as there is a good primer on-hand. If you want to buy water-based paints, choose latex, vinyl and acrylic paints. The only “modern” oil-based paint available on the market is alkyd paints whose base is mineral spirits, also known as paint thinner.
The term “oil-based” originally referred to earlier paints which actually used real oil as bases. As the paint dries, the oil base usually evaporates, leaving the pigments, binders and specialty additives. Binders are something likened to acrylic that maintains the paint on the surface. These factors are what make a higher or lower quality paint, or expensive or cheap paint. It is also in these ingredients that help you determine which paint is best for a certain surface and situation.
Most painters use latex paint, especially acrylic latex or 100% acrylic. Part of the reason is because this type of paint dries very quickly, allowing for less time needed between coats. Latex paint is also less odorous, can be washed with water, and definitely does more good to the environment. The 100% acrylic is also an excellent choice because of its ease of application and cleaning as well as durability. Surfaces painted with 100% acrylic doesn’t easily chip or flake when brushed, and holds its color and sheen well.
Alkyd paints aren’t really sought-after paints for interior use because they dry more slowly than their acrylic counterparts. However, the slow drying time of alkyd paints allows it to smooth out brush marks. When alkyd paint has been completely dried, it gives a smoother and glossier finish than latex paints does. Alkyd paints are usually stain- and scuff-resistant and highly durable, which makes it excellent for high traffic areas (like bathroom and kitchen) and for trim. It has been preferred for exterior paint use because of its ability to work well with sprayers as well as its durability.
In latex versus alkyd, sheen may be an important factor. Usually, the higher the sheen or gloss the greater the durability. Whether it is washable is another factor as well as its resistance to humidity and moisture are also greatly enhanced. There are also specialty paints with additives that are particularly formulated for certain situations (such as elastomeric paints for stucco).
Above all, the most important consideration in buying paint is to pick high quality paint from a trusted and reputable source. Cheap paints may save you money for a time, but because of its poor quality it will cost you more in the long run and you will have to repaint sooner. Paints with good quality may cost you more but its durability will save you from painting all over again. In case you’ll not be doing the house painting in Danville, hire quality house painting professionals to do the project for you.