Different brands have different kinds of qualities for Interior and exterior paints. The answer to that is yes, they do in fact have differences. In order to determine those differences, one needs to know about the pigments, solvents, resin, additives and paints.
It helps to know which paint should be used for indoor or outdoor wall. We will cover the basics of the use of oil and water-based paints in detail. So, let’s jump into the details.
Don’t skip the simple tips at the end of the article. Those tips will help you to be more informed about Indoor vs Outdoor painting skills.
Indoor vs Outdoor Paints | Some Basics
Interior paint needs to be odor-free. But you don’t have to think about it twice to use an oil-based or water-based paint on exterior painting. Exterior paint resin should be a bit softened because when it comes to brick painting, they need to breathe and need moisture. And the binding resin should be soft, but the binding resin should be strong for interior paint.
Pigments, additives, solvents, and resin are essential when choosing interior or exterior paints. The solvent is the element that helps the paint to dry. When it dries up, the paint gets evaporated.
Pigments and solvents are pretty much the same for both types. You can use oil-based or water-based on both your outdoor surfaces because oil-based paints are more likely used in exterior paints.
Acrylic and Latex are water-based paints. Alkyd paint is of the oil-based variety. Latex paints are more lasting than oil-based paints. Oil-based paint takes more time to dry out than water-based paint. The exterior oil-based paints are dirt-resistant and help outdoor surfaces stay safe from UV-Rays.
Can We Use Exterior Paints for Indoors?
Resin used in exterior paints causes a small amount of odor for a year. That is why those extra added resin paints are not used for indoor painting jobs. Using exterior paint on your walls is not a good idea.
There are also some brands of paints which are made for both interior and exterior surfaces. If you are using the same paint for interior and exterior paint, it is good advice to seek professional consultation. That will help you to save on cost, work, and all other details about whatever it is you want to renovate.
If you commit to apply Outdoor paint on interior wall, then you may use eco friendly multi purpose paint which will allow you to use in both surface.
Can We Use Interior Paints on Outdoors?
Let’s get this straight. When you buy a particular color from a particular brand like Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore’s paint, you’ll notice that they will send two containers with two different purposes. One for indoors and one for outdoor.
They do things like this because two different surfaces have two other struggles. Outdoor surfaces need more resin than the indoor surface. Outdoor surface faces rain, sunlight, cold weather, which makes the outdoor colors fade.
Using interior paint on outdoor wall will give an unprofessional look on the surface and the color coating will be thinner. Even after applying 3 to 4 coats, it will still not give a good finish.
Using interior paint for outdoors will also take a lot of time to dry. And they don’t dry very well in the cold weather.
If we use Interior paints outdoor, the color will ultimately fade. Using soft sheen paints on an exterior surface is not a good idea. The wrong paint on the wrong surface can create a disastrous experiment.
Avoiding a disastrous experiment is well worth not wasting your money. So choose the best outdoor paint for outdoor surface.
Are Water-based Paints A Better Option for Exterior Surfaces?
The most dependable and versatile paint for an exterior surface is a water-based paint.
Water-based paints are easy to apply. They are weather and humidity resistance, quick to dry. The increased number of additives of the exterior paints offer long-term reliability.
Oil-based and water-based external paints can resist dirt, UV-rays, cracking and damage to the outdoor surface.
Can We Use Interior Paint As A Primer?
Some experts will say it’s a big no-no because paints are paints and it will work when used as a primer. Primer has a thick coating quality, which helps the paint stay longer than usual.
Primers are used as covering blockages and stains, so using white paint as the primer is not a good idea. If you want to use leftover Interior paint for your outdoor paint job, you need to use a primer. Without primer, you can’t use any interior paint. No matter the quality of the paint, it will not work as a primer.
Is it Possible to Use Exterior Paint Indoors?
There is not such a huge problem you are going to face if you use exterior paint for an inside surface. However, the paint’s odor will remain for 48 hours or more, (and it’ll take a year to overcome with it).
Using outdoor paint inside will be quite expensive because the exterior paints are weather resistant. You don’t need any paint with a higher additive for interior surface, but if you use choose to use exterior paint inside, it will not prove to be a disastrous decision.
It’s better to use the paint according to its needs. It will not only satisfy your needs, but is also worth your cost on the brands you will use.
Do not think it is a must because it’s a simple task. But things might get tricky when you’re not aware of the equipment and process types.
Can We Use Interior Paints On Exterior Doors?
Interior paints are dramatically different from exterior coatings. They are manufactured differently than exterior paints. Interior paints fail outside and they are not even tested on exterior doors. The interior paints crack and creates bubbles on the surface of the outer surface.
If you want to use the interior paint, you have to use a good primer. But in doing so, the result might not be satisfying. So, use exterior paints for the exterior door rather than an interior one.
Can We Mix Interior Paint & Exterior Paint?
It’ll give a disappointing result to your outdoor surface. Both of these types of paints have chemicals that react differently based on where it should be used. So, when you mix, you will lose the exact reaction. Even the coating will not be as good as using just one of them.
When we try to mix water and oil based paints, do they incorporate? The answer to that is a RESOUNDING NO. When you try to mix oil-based paint and water-based paint altogether, it simple NEVER works well.
Using flat and semi-gloss paint with the same base can be mixed successfully. Otherwise, the problem will remain the same because the specific paints’ effectiveness will be reduced after it’s mixed. It will not be long-lasting at all. Using it for outside is a bad idea.
The Mixing Process of Interior and Exterior Paints.
1st), take 2 empty 5 gallon buckets. Take 1 bucket and fill it with 2½ gallons of a flat texture paint and the other with 2½ gallons of semi-gloss texture paint. Now pour each paint in the empty bucket and mix.
After mixing the paint, wash out the other bucket, which is empty. Using different sheen paints altogether is not a good idea and especially when it’s latex paint and oil-based paint. It’s a complete disaster.
It can happen if you use too much glossy paint with flat paint as well. Keep in mind that you can only mix semi-gloss paint with a flat paint.
Can We Use Exterior Paints Inside Our Bathroom?
Using exterior paint in the bathroom can cause many damages and paint blistering. It might even worsen because exterior paint creates moisture. The lack of proper ventilation makes mold and mildew. If you don’t have a window that will provide a fair amount of ventilation or a bathroom fan, it will cause damage to your bathroom.
There are also some instructions which you might need to take from experts or otherwise it might prove to be harmful to your house. Your health might get affected, as well.
Knowing that the odor of exterior paint is vital. It is harmful to human skin and eyes. And before drying properly, you can’t use the bathroom for approx. 48 hours.
But experts would recommend you to not go with the exterior paint inside the bathroom. So before using that, do make sure to take experts’ opinions.
Outdoor paints are incredibly harmful to your health. It is better to use outdoor paints outdoors and not indoors.
Is it Possible to Use Outdoor Paints Inside a Garage?
Using exterior paint inside the garage is not a bad idea. Most of the experts working with paints have used exterior paints inside a garage because the temperature inside the garage can be changed according to the work that happens inside the garage.
Exterior Paints are mainly used for weather resistance because interior paint can’t sustain the ups and downs of temperature. And it causes black stains on the walls after some years later. But the exterior can resist the weather a lot more. So, it’s better to use exterior paints rather than interior paints inside a garage. It’ll resist the temperature and dirt. It’ll make the garage look clean.
Take an excellent exterior paint for your garage and start to work with it. You’ll get the best results.
Interior Paint Or Exterior Paint | Which One Costs More?
Exterior paint is more expensive because it saves the exterior surface from temperature issue. And it keeps the outdoor surface from dirt too.
Some extra ingredients get mixed with the typical components to boost toughness. Interior paints are basic and less expensive because they couldn’t protect the outside surface from temperature. It’s not moisture resistance and can’t save the walls from UV-rays. But an exterior paint does it all.
No matter the cost of paints, it’s better to use both according to its purpose. Although cost will most likely be part of your decision-making process, take expert advice for all painting projects. Taking this advice will improve your skills and chances to have success in whatever your painting job will be.
Some Simple Tips
- Use a good quality primer with a roller. It will give an excellent finishing to your surface.
- After using a roller, try to use a synthetic brush for a good blending.
- Try to avoid spraying paint if you are a novice to painting.
- Before priming, sanding is a must. After sanding, try to use the primer for covering the blockages. And let it dry.
- Don’t start painting before drying out the primer.
- Use branded paint for good results.
Painting is easy if you know the products you are going to use, the instructions of how to use it, and of course, a little bit of practice before starting to paint the whole surface. Keeping all these things in my will help you get good results even if you are inexperienced. Many brands will cover up your unprofessionalism on your painting because their paints have a good blending quality. Try to use a good brand of paint with some instructions by the expert, and you are good to go.