Interior vs Exterior Paint
You may not think much of the differences between paints that are used inside the home and those that are used outside the home. However, the fact is that, on the shelves of a paint store, you would find two categories of paints meant to be used as interior and exterior paints. As a layman, it is really difficult to tell the differences as they look and feel the same, but there ought to be differences considering the fact that exterior paints have to withstand and weather the elements. This article attempts to highlight the differences between interior and exterior paints to enable readers to choose the right paint depending upon the portion of their homes to be repainted.
Interior Paints
Interior paints need not worry about the elements like sunshine, snow, and rainfall apart from winds. This means that there are changes in additives, pigments, solvents, and resins that are the main ingredients of any paint. There is no danger of fading because of extreme temperature conditions, and there is no danger of mildew as interiors of a home do not face the kind of wetness that the exteriors are exposed to.
Interior paints are made washable so as to clean spots and marks that get applied accidentally, especially by small kids and pets at home. Interior paints contain less of pigments as they do not get faded because of harsh weather conditions. Interior paints are made in such a manner that the small errors in painting remain hidden, especially the roller and brush marks. They are also easy to clean and resistant to stains. One characteristic that makes interior paints totally different from outdoor paints is that they can be cured without any exposure to sun light.
Exterior Paints
Retention of color is the biggest challenge in the case of exterior paints as they have to withstand harsh weather conditions. They must resist fading and must be flexible to be able to withstand flexion and contraction that is common in open conditions outside the home.
Most exterior paints contain mildew resistant coating to prevent mildew formation because of wetness in the air that comes in contact with the paint surface. Another thing that exterior paints have is the presence of many types of fungicides, pesticides and mildewcides. Exterior paints make very good use of sunshine to cure quickly. After all, they have to face and withstand the torture of extreme temperatures later on.
What is the difference between Interior and Exterior Paint?
• Though interior and exterior paints look similar, their chemical properties are vastly different as exterior paint shave to withstand harsh weather conditions
• Heat and snow can cause the exteriors to expand and contract, requiring flexion in the paint. This is not required in interior paints.
• Exterior paints have to be fade resistant as they face very high temperatures while there is no such problem for interior paints
• Interior paints need to be stain resistant and good at hiding brush and roller marks
• Exterior paints need sunlight to cure while interior paints get cured without direct exposure to sunlight
• While one can apply interior paint himself, hiring the services of professional painters is a must for a decent application of exterior paints
• Exterior paints contain many additives like pesticides and fungicides that are not required in interior paints
• More Resins are used in exterior paints, to bind the pigments to help paint retain its color
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