Interior vs. Exterior Paint

One of the most common confusions among homeowners seeking to have some painting works done concerns exterior and interior paints. Some people, especially those who decide to do the painting work themselves, hardly know there are different paints designed for indoor and outdoor use. Interior and exterior paint have different formulations, so using one for the other can cause issues. 

Why can’t you use exterior paints in your interiors and vice versa? 

Exterior paints typically contain mildewcide, which helps make your home exteriors or outdoor furniture mildew-resistant. Exterior paints are ideal for open spaces, but inside your home, their smell becomes too strong that it may cause breathing problems to people living in the house; babies also cannot handle exterior paints indoors. 

Conversely, if you mistakenly use an interior paint outdoors or in the garage, you cannot prevent mildews from growing there because interior paints don’t have mildewcide. You also cannot use exterior paints containing mildewcide in your bathrooms to prevent mildews and molds. Instead, you must use a particular type of interior paint with a specific formula for preventing molds and mildew build-up in bathrooms. 

Always check whether you are buying the right paint for your intended application. 

How to ensure you’re using the right paint per application

The most common cause of mistakenly using interior paint outdoors and vice versa is the homeowner’s lack of awareness. Sometimes, homeowners decide to do the painting themselves and fail to inform the paint shop attendant whether they’re buying paint for indoor or outdoor use. Thus, knowing the difference between exterior and interior paints, and remembering to specify which one you need, is the first step to preventing this mistake. 

Alternatively, consider hiring a dependable professional paint contractor like Somerset Painting. Somerset Painting has been helping property owners with their paint jobs and home improvement projects since 1985. So they can help you prevent making costly paintwork mistakes. Visit their website and get a free estimate today!