Interior Painting: What Type of Paint Do You Need?

If you are considering painting your home’s interior, there are several things to consider before you start buying the paint. First you need to decide what type of paint you want and need on your walls. 

There are several different types of paint material options available for interior painting projects including flat, oyster, semi- gloss and oil-based gloss. Flat paint is generally the cheapest and lacks any kind of gloss, hence the name. Flat is easily marked up by fingerprints and easily shows dirt and wear so it isn’t easy to keep looking fresh. Flat paint is great for a first coat, especially if you need to cover up a darker color because you are going to a lighter color but consider where you intend to put flat before you commit to it because it isn’t a good fit for every room.

Semi-gloss is by far the most common choice for interior painting because it is easy to apply, water based for easy clean up and is almost mistake proof to apply. Semi-gloss paint is easy to wipe clean and keep looking fresh and dries relevantly quickly. Semi- gloss is also a good choice for rooms that tend to draw moisture such as your kitchen or bath. These are not rooms to attempt flat paint in since moist air can make flat look damaged relevantly quickly. 

Oyster is not a color in this instance but rather a kind of a mix between semi-gloss and flat. Oyster is ideal if you want a flat sheen but don’t want a flat paint and it offers a hint of gloss without being a full on semi -gloss shine. Like flat and semi-FFFF gloss, oyster is water-soluble so clean up is easy.

Your final paint selection for interior painting is an oil-based gloss. This is not water based soluble and it is not easy to apply without every mistake in your brush stroke showing. Don’t attempt an oil-based gloss on your own; this type of paint is strictly for the professional painters. Oil based paint offers a thicker, richer looking paint and the results are definitely longer lasting. But it isn’t a paint that you can touch up on your own and if you have ever examined good oil based paint job you will see why; every brush stroke is visible. It takes a long time to dry and most of the time it is reserved for areas that get heavy finger traffic such as railings, fireplace mantles, cabinets and the like. 

Once you decide on the type of paint you want your next step is to decide on what color to use. Avoid the most common mistakes and forgo dark colors that can make a room appear small and dark, and other off colors that like Pepto Bismol pink that at best only look good in moderation, not coating four walls of a room.