Paint Types - Selecting the Right Paint or Stain

Paint types - Selecting the right paint

Choosing paint for your home or office is more than just colour selection. Choosing the best and most proper paint to use will depend on:

• the type of surface (wood, plasterboard, wallpaper, plastic, tile, metal, brick, concrete, aluminium, etc)
  
• the condition of the surface
• the age of the surface
  
• type of paint used previously
• location (interior, exterior, high traffic, etc)

Selecting paint wisely is as important as the surface preparation and the application techniques used. Professional painters will be able to advise you on the best paint type for your home or office, but an understanding of the different kinds of paint will allow you to better understand your choices and get the end results you want.

Paint basics

Paint is made up of pigments, additives and binders held together by an oil or water-based solvent. The proportion of pigments to binder in any paint will determine the amount of gloss the finished product will have. The glossier the finish the more hardwearing it will generally be. Additives can be included that will enhance the performance of a paint including splatter resistance, mildew resistance, easy to clean, UV protection to name a few.

The quality of the paint ingredients will have a great affect on how the paint works when applied and how long it will last. Cheaper paints have a higher percentage of solvents than a more expensive paint.

Oil versus water-based paint

Paint generally fall into two categories: water-based latex paints; and solvent-based paints which are called oil-based paints or alkyds. Both paints can be used for most surfaces and each have their good and bad attributes.

Latex based paints are the most popular type of paint for a number of reasons. It can be used in both interior and exterior painting and is generally cheaper. Other key characteristics include:

• quick drying time (1 - 6 hours)
• simple water clean up
• good performance
• little odour
• mildew resistant
• excellent colour and sheen retention  

Oil or Alkyd based paints are still popular with professional painters for a number of reasons. Top quality oil-based paints have excellent adhesion characterictics, which means that they grip well to the surface and offer great durability. Oil based paints are stain resistant and because it goes on thicker it dries with less brush strokes giving the paint a flatter look. The most common areas around the home oil-based paints are used are interior wood trim, doors and cabinetry.

Disdavantages of oil-based or alkyd paint are:

• dries slowly
• strong smell
• extra clean-up and equipment

Primer

Primer helps to increase the quality and durability of a paint job. It is responsible for sealing and producing a uniform surface ready for paint. It is important that you choose the right primer for the surface condition and environment, as well as the type of material. Both interior and exteriors primers are available.

Finishes

The finish of the paint, also called gloss or sheen, can have a significant impact on the both appearance and servicability. Generally speaking the more gloss the smoother the surface and the more resistence to washing and the affects of wear and tear. When choosing a finish it is important to think about durability and colour choice as the gloss of a paint can change the look of a colour. Lighting is also extremely important because of the reflective qualities in higher gloss paints. There are four basic finishes to choose from:

• Flat or matte finish paints have the least amount of gloss. They help hide imperfections in the surface and is most commonly used on walls and ceilings. This type of paint is not suitable for high traffic areas as it is generally harder to clean.
• Satin or eggshell - both these finishes have a slight sheen or gloss. This finish is used commonly on walls and trim as it resists dirt and is easily cleaned. In addition, stain finish is a good choice for exterior use since it more readily sheds water and resists the affects of the sun.
• Semi-gloss paint is a good choice for kitchens, bathrooms and kids rooms. It is durable and ideal for high traffic areas which require frequent cleaning.
• High-gloss finish is most commonly used to highlight architectural features or used on doors, windows and trims. It has a high reflective quality which will show up any imperfections.
  

The general conventions of house painting are:

• Celings - matte
• Walls - low gloss
• Trims - gloss
• Wet areas - low to high gloss