After you have chosen the interior color of your choice, it is important for you to choose the type of paint finish. While choosing a paint finish you can pick from a matte, satin or glossy finish. Although each type of finish has its own set of pros and cons, a glossy paint finish gives noticeably better results and is more long lasting in comparison to other paint finish. Still wondering why should you choose a glossy paint finish? Here are a few compelling reasons:
Moisture Resistant
Paints that result in a glossy finish are a harder and tougher in texture than paints with a matte or satin finish. So, these paints will ensure that the painted surface is moisture resistant and will prevent cracks on the paint that are triggered from humidity trappings or pipe leakages within the walls.
Durable and easy maintenance
Not only do they prevent severe chippings but also their sheen and ultra- shiny exterior, make it user friendly and easy to clean. It is the perfect type of finish for houses with messy young children and animals as the cleaning process only requires a cloth and some soap water. In case you’re apprehensive about painting your walls with a glossy finish, here is some good news. It is also the best suited paint for cabinets, doors and edges that are commonly touched and prone to discoloration. Above all, a glossy paint finish also reflects light off of its surface, giving the room a luminous feel that can brighten the space.
But the main reason why glossy paint finish is the most practical option because it is the one paint job that can give you results that is worth every penny of your spending. Matte finish or flat finish paints get dirty easily and matte surfaces cannot be cleaned with soap and water without ruining the walls and damaging the paint. All of which make a glossy paint finish the most durable and user friendly finish option.
Child friendly
No points for guessing why glossy finish paints are the best option for your kitchen, bathroom and children’s bedrooms. These areas are arguably spaces that are most prone to dirt, grime, mold and grease from grease, humidity and fingertips, respectively. Given that these spaces require extra cleaning a glossy finish is great as it can be cleaned easily until your next paint job.
Variety
Glossy paints come in a variety of glossiness that you can choose from. Full-gloss paints are the most durable and cost effective paints but they do bring out the imperfections on your wall, particularly if you haven’t spent enough time on preparation. Semi-gloss paints manage to provide an easy to clean finish while attracting less attention towards the wall imperfections. While other paint finishes do not have the spectrum to choose from, with glossy finish you have this luxury because you can choose the percentage of sheen based on your preference.
Plus, a glossy paint finish need not be restricted to your walls as they are well suited for wooden furniture, cemented areas and even trims on closets. If you choose to a glossy paint finish for your walls, the extra paint left over from wall painting can be used to paint small pieces of wooden furniture such as side tables and nightstands.
This is why a glossy paint finish could be the best painting investment you make.
Primers are one of the saving graces to any dry, cracked, and uneven walls. Prepping your walls with primer before painting is an integral part of the painting process because primers act as glue, and it adheres to your walls, leaving you with a smooth and uniform surface to paint. Although skipping this step might seem tempting, the results will almost always be disappointing as paint applied to un-primed surfaces are prone to peeling, cracking, and chalking. A good primer job improves the paint’s hide and the ability to cover and reduces the number of coats of paint required to achieve a smooth finish. So, including priming in your paint job will help you get your money’s worth by requiring fewer coats of paint and making the paint job more durable. In order to guide you through the priming process here are 5 things you should know about primers before painting your walls:
Types of primers
There are different types of primers available for various purposes, and if not used properly, the paint might not adhere to the surface properly. Wall primers are either available as oil-based or latex-based. Oil primers are used for surfaces that have chalked and cracked up paint. On the other hand, latex primers are used for dry walls and to provide a flexible finish with cracking and peeling resistance. The best part about latex primers is that they can be cleaned using soap and water.
Application surfaces
All primers must be applied to clean, grease-free surfaces (for some, the surface must also be moisture free). Any type of residue left on the wall might cause a hindrance to the primer and get in the way of the smoothness of the coats of paint. Lightly sanding the surface before you begin priming is something you can try to make sure your paint job is great. If you choose to sand, make sure you clean up the dust by using a damp cloth to ensure there isn’t any surface residue when you start priming your walls.
Cover up option
Primers can be used to cover up a dark wall, paint a lightly colored wall, or simply paint over another dark color. Some of you might think that a primer might not be necessary for the latter option, but covering a dark-colored wall with another dark color is a challenging feat, and if you don’t follow the right steps, the result might not be how you pictured it. Also, using a primer will prove to be a lot cheaper as only a couple of coats of primer and one coat of paint is sufficient to cover up the surface compared to the 6-7 coats of paint alone. A great tip is to tint your primer gray to further reduce the number of primer coats.
Durable and Cost-Effective
The biggest selling point of primers is probably the fact that they help make your paint job more durable and make it more cost-effective. Plus, in the process, primers help adhere the paint to your walls properly, which is cost-effective and makes your paint job aesthetically appealing. Even though it might seem like an extra cost to you now, in the long run, it will save your money as using a primer will prevent your surface from being chalky, cracking and will make your paint job last a lot longer.
Drying Time
The average drying time of the primer and when you apply the topcoat depends on the manufacturer of the primer. It can vary anywhere from a day to a week. If you fail to follow the directions, it may trigger performance issues and cause adhesion problems. Another thing that you must consider while letting your primer dry is the humidity and the temperature. Most recommend putting on the primer when the temperature is around 75 degrees Fahrenheit (or 25 degrees Celsius) and with a humidity of about 50 percent.
Prepping your walls with a primer is definitely not a step you want to miss during your paint job. While you’re at it, make sure you pay attention to these 5 tips.
