Consequences of Choosing the Wrong Type of House Paint

When painting your home, choosing the right color is not the only important decision that you must make. Choosing the correct type of house paint is an equally important decision. The wrong paint can leave you with unpleasant consequences and could end up costing you both more money and more time to fix.

• Choosing a latex based paint to go over an oil-based paint will not work, as it will not cover.  You can however, use an oil-based paint over a latex.


• An inferior quality paint will chip and peel sooner than a good quality paint. Though it may seem that you are saving money with the less expensive paint, it will only usually last half as long as the good quality paint.


• Using the correct sheen of paint for the job you are doing makes a big difference. For example, using a flat paint for trim instead of a gloss, or semi-gloss will make it harder to clean finger prints. Flat paint tends to hold the dirt. A Matte finish will hide imperfections better than a gloss or semi-gloss.


• For those sensitive to smell, avoiding oil and Alkyd paint would be best. Both have strong smells that often bother people.


• Alkyd and oil-based paints also take a longer time to dry. If you are in a hurry, latex is the choice for you; choosing one of the others will mean a long wait time before you can paint another coat.


• Choosing the wrong paint can cause you to end up with faded paint sooner. Certain paints can handle the sun's ultraviolet rays better than others. Some will degrade much faster when exposed to UV light.


• Surfaces such as metals, heaters, stair treads and fireplaces all require specialty paints. Using regular paints for these surfaces will cause cracking, peeling and other issues.