A Guide to Interior Paint Types

A trip down the paint aisle in any home improvement store can be confusing, especially if it's the first time to tackle a paint project. If you're not familiar with paint types, it's hard to choose the correct interior paint with confidence. You might end up walking out with a can of paint, but wondering if you made the right choice between latex and oil-based paint.

Oil-Based/Alkyd Paint

It's true that oil-based or alkyd paints are the most durable of all paints on the market, but that durability comes at a price for those of us with chemical sensitivities. The smell is strong and clean up is not simple. Strong solvents such as mineral spirits must be used to clean your skin, the brushes and any other equipment used. Ventilation must be excellent and even then the odor can be overpowering.

Although oil and alkyd paints are technically different, they're included in the same category because they're basically the same type and the names are usually interchanged. True oils are usually replaced with alkyd in today's paints. Oil-based paints are made with linseed or other oils, whereas alkyd is a resin won't yellow like true oil-based paint.

To its credit, oil-based paint is ideal for cabinetry, trim and furniture. It's more stain resistant than water-based paint and can easily be scrubbed after it's dry. And speaking of dry, oil-based paint can take upwards of 24 hours to dry to the touch and weeks to fully cure, depending on temperature and humidity levels. Oil/alkyd-based paints are available in the same sheen choices as water-based paint.

Water-based/Latex Paint

Latex paint is the standard paint choice and the only paint I use for several reasons. It's more durable than it used to be so it's almost replaced oil-based paints. All latex paint has a water base and therefore cleans up easily with soap and water. Although it's not as stain-resistant as oil/alkyd paint, it's durability and richer pigmentation is improved from decades ago. The colors are more saturated and it can be very durable when the paint is good quality with the correct sheen for the application.

The most important factors to consider when choosing latex paint is sheen and brand. Interior paint is not a product that should be purchased as cheaply as possible. Paint already gives the biggest bang-for-your-buck compared to other home improvement projects, so don't set out to buy the least expensive paint you can possibly find. Quality has much to do with the durability and coverage of interior latex paint, so buy the best you can afford. Cheap paint is often more diluted and has less color saturation. You'll probably end up applying more coats of cheap water-based paint anyway.

Kitchen and Bath Paint

To add to an already confusing array of paints on the market, you'll also find "kitchen and bath" paint. Most paints labeled for kitchen and bath are always latex/water-based paint but you can easily turn any paint into "kitchen and bath paint" with the addition of a mildewcide. That's the only difference in this paint and other interior paints. A mildewcide is a paint additive that is intended to inhibit the growth of mold and mildew, making this paint a good option for humid bathrooms or kitchens. Mildewcide can be purchased separately and added to any paint you choose, so purchasing this room-specific paint is not a necessity.

Low-VOC and Zero-VOC Paints

Hopefully in the future, low-VOC and zero-VOC paints will be the most common types available on the market. These are environmentally friendly paints that have little to zero volatile organic compounds which release into the air when paint is drying. It's quickly becoming more readily available but might not have the coverage or durability of regular latex paints yet. Just as latex paint has greatly improved from it's beginning, it's likely the same will happen with low-VOC and zero-VOC paints.

Low-VOC and zero-VOC paint is more expensive than regular latex paint, so wait until the need arises to use it. Since volatile organic compounds are released into the air as the paint dries, your existing paint has already released any VOC's during the drying process. In other words, don't rush to replace your interior paint before it's necessary just because of the lack of volatile organic compounds in this relatively new paint.