Painting your House is important for protecting its aesthetic beauty and making sure that both the interior and exterior walls are protected from harmful weathering elements. If you leave your walls unpainted, they may get damaged due to a number of factors. The walls won’t even look good and you will only have a shabby looking home. Due to this reason, it is always necessary to keep your home walls painted. You should also get your walls painted every 5-7 years so that they look young and fresh.
When you are looking to get your home painted, you need to learn everything about the paints and varnishes available in the market so that you can make an informed decision and get the finest products for your home. So here is a look at all the things that you need to know about paints.
Types of paints
There are different types of paints on the market. However, most of them belong to any of the generic categories of semi-gloss, eggshell, gloss or flat. Depending on the surface that you want to get painted, you may also have to apply a coat of primer.
Base coats
Primer
A primer is applied on an uncoated surface before the actual paint is applied. Its role is to protect the material on whose surface the paint is to be applied. The primer also functions as a great base for further painting coats. Primers can be water-based or oil-based. Traditionally, an oil-based primer is chosen before applying an oil-based paint. Special primers are used for melamine or tile surfaces which can be painted over with normal paints.
First coat
The first coat paint is a specially made product that is used for building opacity beneath the finished coats. After the application of the primer, it is necessary to apply at least a few coats of this paint before the final or finish paint is applied. While majority of the oil-based first coats can be used for both interior and exterior walls, there are also special exterior wall first coats that come with enhanced protection features against weathering elements. Pale first coat paints are needed for pale finish coats, while dark first coats are necessary for dark finish coats.
Finish coats
Finish coats are the decorative coats that become visible from outside once the painting project is finished. Let’s have a look at the flat, eggshell, satin and gloss finish coat paints.
-
Flat
Flat paints are latex-based paints that are mainly used for the walls and ceilings. They come in a wide range of finishes such as matt, silk and dead-flat matt. Certain variations also contain vinyl which makes them hardwearing. These paints are also often used for siding materials as they have great anti-moisture properties. Exterior flat paints are available with a rough or smooth texture.
-
Eggshell
The eggshell paints are typically more durable than the flat paints and comes with a slight sheen. The sheen can vary with different manufacturers and therefore it is important to check the finish before picking an eggshell paint. Although mostly used for interior wooden surfaces, some brands also create products that are suited for the exterior walls. Since surfaces painted with eggshell paints are easy to clean, they are often used on the wall surfaces where hardwearing finish is needed.
-
Satin and Gloss
The gloss paints are quite hardwearing in nature and are great for metal and wooden surfaces. Satin paints are somewhat less shiny than the gloss paints and are often chosen for interior woodworks. Both latex-based and solvent-based versions of satin and gloss paints are available. While the latex paints are much easier to apply and do not get yellow with age, they do not provide with as hardwearing a finish and great shine that is offered by the solvent-based paints.
Interior design company Bangalore also recommend making use of only the best quality interior and exterior paints as they can make your home look truly great.