Painting Ideas & Tips
  • June 12, 2015
  • Interior Painting

What are the main factors that I need to consider when choosing my interior paint?

Interior painting is one of the quickest and most inexpensive ways to totally change the appearance of your room.

Factors to Consider for Choosing Interior Paint

Choose the Right Primer

Using the right primer is also of utmost importance. Generally speaking, the darker the wall that you are painting over, the more coats of primer you will need – usually two or three for a very dark wall. Using the right primer is key because your primer needs to work with the paint that you are going to use – otherwise you might have adhesion problems.

Choosing the color

Is one of the first things that people think of when they decide that they are going to have their interior painting done. Keep in mind however, that paint tends to look different on the wall than it does in those little colour samples. The way the paint colour looks can be affected by the type of paint as well, the lighting in the room as well as by other colours in the room such as the colour of the carpet or furniture. In most cases, a professional painter will offer to put a few paint samples on the wall so that you can get a better idea of what your colour choice might look like once the room is complete.

Type Of Paint

Another consideration for interior painting is choosing the type of paint. Whether you choose flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss or high-gloss will depend a great deal on your lifestyle and how much use any particular part of the house gets.

For example, if you live in a two-story house, consider the fact the walls around your staircase are more likely to get marked up quickly. A higher gloss paint will be easier to wash, but will also show more flaws.

Flat paint does not reflect light and is therefore the best for hiding flaws. This is good if you live in an older home that may have more plaster-patch-up jobs on the wall. The downside of flat paint is that it is also the most difficult to clean – so it’s not the best if you have small children who like to leave sticky fingerprints everywhere they go.

Eggshell paint has a slight sheen to it. It can still hide flaws relatively well and is slightly more washable than flat paint.

Satin paint is a popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms. It has a medium sheen to it which will stand up to greater levels of humidity and is much more washable than flat or eggshell paint. The drawback is that it will not hide flaws as well.

Semi-gloss paints and high gloss paints reflect the most light. They will not hide flaws but they are both highly washable making them great for high traffic areas.

In addition to the colour and the type of paint, you should also consider the quality of the paint that you use as paint qualities can vary greatly. Some painters will recommend a specific brand that they know to be of high quality because this can affect their warranty.

Interior painting can be a great way to spruce up any room – just make sure you take the time to choose the right paint so that you will end up with results that you love.