At first glance, it might seem that exterior paint is the same as interior paint. But this is a common misconception. There are actually several differences between exterior and interior paint. As exterior painters in Edina, we thought we would take a minute to clarify the differences between the two and why exterior painters will always choose exterior paint when painting the outside of a home or business.
Similarities
Don’t get us wrong. There are plenty of similarities between the two kinds of paint. For example, all paints have four parts. They are solvents, pigments, additives and resins. Solvents make the paint wet. Pigments give it color. Additives are additional chemicals that are added to the paint to change a specific property of the paint. And resins are what bind the pigment to the wall. Both exterior and interior paint have all four of these components.
Differences
While both kinds of paint have pigments, the pigments used in interior paint are different than the ones used in exterior paint. The pigments in interior paint will fade faster than what is in exterior paint. The resins used will also differ because exterior paints have to be able to adapt to temperature changes and moisture. This results in paint that is softer and more prone to scuffing, but exterior paint is also durable and can resist chipping and peeling. Interior paint has resin in it that is more rigid, which means the paint is less likely to scuff and is easier to wash.
Plus, interior paint has additives in it that make the paint easier to clean after it’s on your home’s walls, and the additives also make it stain and scuff resistant. Exterior paint has additives that increase its durability and make it more resistant to mildew and fading, which means it is a favorite of exterior painters like us.
Exterior painters will never use exterior paint on the inside of a home. Exterior paint is a lot more odorous and releases more volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than interior paint.
For more information on hiring exterior painters in Edina, call DuraPro Painting at (612) 701-6552 or contact us for a Free Estimate.