How to Choose a Good Paint
- 1). Look through the paint colors to decide what you want. Most paint and home improvement stores can create the color you want in virtually any brand of paint.
- 2). Select the type of paint you want to use. The two basic kinds of paint are oil and latex paints. Latex is easier for most people to use, and cleanup is much easier. Some latex paint is mixed with additives such as rubber, acrylic or vinyl. For example, rubber additives make the paint work better on metal and concrete. Acrylic additives make walls durable and washable, making it a good choice in kitchens or children's rooms. Vinyl additives help make latex cover better, such as when painting over darker colors or patterns. Oil-based paint is good on unfinished wood, covers well, protects against stains and is durable. Enamel paint -- available in both latex and oil -- has a high-gloss shine and is very durable.
- 3). Decide whether you want a flat paint, satin, semigloss or gloss. Flat paints have no shine at all and are not easy to clean. Satin finish has a slight sheen, and it is easy to clean. Semigloss has a bit more shine, and gloss has even more; both also are easy to clean. Gloss is especially easy to clean, which makes it a good choice for trim and other areas that get a lot of abuse and fingerprints.
- 4). Check to see if the paint has primer already in it. This makes it easier to get good coverage when you paint. If the paint you choose does not have primer in it, you need to cover your walls with separate primer before you paint.
- 5). Look for paint warranty; higher-quality paints usually have a longer warranty than lower-quality paints have. A warranty provides coverage against things like peeling and flaking.
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