During the confinement many took advantage to make some changes at home. It is not a coincidence; during confinement, as well as during holidays, it is when we have time to reflect on things that work and those that do not work in our home both practical and aesthetic. And if it is an aesthetic change what this or that room asks us, painting becomes a great tool to achieve it.
Do you want to renew the decor of the rooms? Changing the color of the walls or any of the furniture can help you transform the entire space. You should know, however, that there are different types of paint with different characteristics that will make some better fit than others to a particular surface.
When you get ready to buy paint you’ll see that doing it is not as easy as you could have imagined. You will have to define your search according to the type of paint and cater to features such as the power of coverage, ease of cleaning and quality, if you want to make a good purchase. But let’s start at the beginning, know the most popular types of wall paint:
Plastic paint
It is among the types of paint the most used indoors. It dries very quickly, hardly produces odors and is very easy to apply. Most plastic paints are also washable; a dry one can wipe the surface with a damp cloth without damaging it. In case these characteristics were not enough, the color chart offered by this type of paint is endless; if parts of a white plastic paint you can create other colors using different dyes. Whatever color you imagine, you can recreate it.
Plastic paints have three types of finish: glossy, satin and matte. The first is ideal for facades and exterior walls; the second is ideal for rooms with bright walls and intense colors; and the third for uneven walls and those you want to conceal certain damage.
Within this type of paintings you can find two groups with their own characteristics: acrylic paints and vinyl paints. Acrylic plastic paints are more resistant, both indoors and outdoors, and have a greater waterproofing capacity. Vinyl, meanwhile, are easier to apply and offer greater versatility; they allow you to obtain high quality satin finishes with amazing decorative effects.
Synthetic enamels
Synthetic enamels are very strong paints, composed of synthetic solvent resins. Its hardness and resistance to washing make it especially suitable for the painting of exterior walls or surfaces exposed to moisture and increased wear such as the kitchen or bathrooms. It is a paint that must be used with a previous base and that like the previous one has three finishes: glossy, satin and matte.
While everything might seem like advantages, these paintings have two big “buts”. The first is its smell, much stronger than that of plastic paints. And the second and most important its relationship with the environment. They emit VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) to a greater or lesser extent so they are less environmentally friendly.
Acrylic enamels
Composed of acrylic resins, as well as catalysts and pigments, acrylic enamels stick to most supports such as synthetic enamels, but unlike these they do not smell, dissolve with water and are more environmentally friendly.
They are mainly used for artistic work but can also be used for painting interior walls. Its high cost and not as comfortable application as other options, however, make it less popular for such use. It can still be found on the walls of certain shops, hotels or homes where you are looking for a better retention of intense colors and extra touch of sophistication.
Tempera painting
The quenching paint is water soluble and has as binder cellulosic glues and as a pigment plaster or calcium sulfate. It is economical, permeable and easy to extend but has little adhesion on surfaces that have not been previously treated. Therefore, its use is not recommended on walls that suffer moisture, as mold may form on the surface.
If appropriate, however, to use on plastered walls and ceilings that are not exposed to much wear. And it is in these where it is mainly used for the possibility it offers to create textured finishes.
Epoxy paint
Epoxy paint is made from high-grade plastic resins. It is one of the strongest varieties of paint. It is resistant to moisture, extreme temperatures, rubbing and impacts. Features that make it ideal to cover and protect some surfaces that require extra protection such as seabed, insulating materials or garage floors with a lot of traffic.
They also have a remarkable covering and a similar finish to that of liquid porcelain. A feature that has attracted the attention of many interior decorators and has allowed these paintings reserved for very specific spaces can be seen in kitchens, playrooms or children’s spaces for their ease of cleaning.
Do you now have clearer the functionality of each of the types of paint? Which one have you used to paint your walls?
