After careful considerations, you have decided that painting is the best way to remodel your home. It comes with only a small budget, and the paints on the market are more than enough to choose from.
Based on your own experience, and maybe from your times of browsing the vast world of the Internet, you noticed that exterior paints seem to have the advantages over the interior type.
The walls covered by exterior paints are perfectly protected from the environmental factors.
The color still looks beautiful overtime, and you have not seen any cracking or mold. Not to mention the wood surfaces do not suffer from bleeding through the paint layers.
You stand in front of the massive racks of paint cans at the store and begin to protest with yourself about the quality and types of paints.
Now, you might be wondering:
Can Exterior Paint be Used Indoors?
Although exterior paints come out to be a bit more expensive, this question is the all-time popular amongst the construction industry and between the homeowners who just simply like to bring a fresh look to their house.
Our research has shown the ultimate answer is that- you can. Exterior paints can work better than the interior types when it comes to different purposes. My advice is that you should take several factors into consideration to find the best product for yourself.
Exterior Paints Can Challenge Environmental Conditions
Exterior paints are available in a wide range of lively colors, but the key feature that makes them stand out is the ability to withstand all weather conditions.
This is what keeps the color from fading over time, ensuring that you will not have to repaint to renew the surface from time to time.
Since interior walls face pretty much the same problems as the exterior ones, using exterior paints can help you a lot.
You will never have to worry about the unstable atmosphere from intense heat, heavy rain to intolerable blizzards. Hailing shouldn’t be a big problem, either.
Moreover, the formula contains interesting additives that can resist water damages, shielding out harmful UV rays and other pollutants. These ingredients play a major part in enhancing the paint durability.
Households with children can take advantage of exterior paints inside the house since there are no avoiding accidents that involve spilling liquid or other impacts that can damage the paint greatly.
So if you are concerned about the paint quality when dealing with various factors, or you are working with spaces that are mainly exposed to the environment, for example, you are painting garage drywall, then exterior paints are highly recommended.
Moreover, exterior paints can prevent termites or other bugs that eat wood. The wood is much less inviting with the paint providing the best shield.
Better Coating for Furniture
Exterior paints work well with wood surfaces. The paint consistency provides a coat that prevents stains and bleed-through, maintaining the aesthetic features. You should give your wooden furniture a protection layer to prevent molds.
Another common question is that:
Can you Use Exterior Paint on Interior Furniture?
With a little tinkering, exterior paints work well with interior furniture. Similar to the wood surfaces, you will need to prepare the furniture before you can paint them.
The steps for the furniture preparations are the same as that with the walls. You will start by sanding and end with painting.
Remember to remove the other accessories that go along with the furniture. You don’t want the paint to be on the cushion and pads; it will be a hassle to wash them out.
From kitchen cabinets, counters, to chairs and tables, exterior paints provide them the better coat than other wood stains. This will also give them a nice look of polished wood.
Your projects to renewing furniture should be accompanied by the equipment such as brushes and paint sprayers.
Working with furniture can be a hassle because not all of them are the same sizes. With the large tables with many cabinets that require heights to reach them, going for a paint sprayer is your right choice.
This tool is portable, avoid fewer mistakes like what you would make when using brushes. The tank capacity allows you to work for a long time before the refill, meaning that you can complete many tasks quickly.
Spray guns are manufactured for even beginners. You can get one of the amazing tools at a low price.
The weather is a big factor when you work on the furniture. You can wear shorts when working for the convenience and ventilation for your legs. With an ideal temperature it can produce a better result so choosing when to do it is very important.
The surface can dry too fast, leaving the mistakes to remain. Or if the humidity is too high, the imperfections such as molds can be easily observed.
The Smooth Paint Finish with a Little Help
Drywalls require you to sand the surface carefully before applying a good primer. Only then can you proceed to the final painting step. But what if the walls are already covered in paint? Can you paint exterior paint over interior paint?
In this case, you will have to put in more effort to get the best result. First, you should converse the walls back to the original condition for further convenience.
Remove the paint by scraping and sanding the walls. It is not guaranteed that the paint will be gone completely, but you can remove it as much as possible.
Then, continue to apply the primer. Primers are great supporters in keeping the paint last longer.
Finally, it’s the trickiest part: finishing it all off with the exterior paint.
Now: Can you imagine the act of repainting the walls manually?
With the brushes, you can fix small details while painting, but it will use up a lot of your time, which is not good when you work with exterior paints. The surface may vary from time to time so knowing how to deal with it is a big win.
After the work is done, you will have to clean the equipment thoroughly for the next use to be efficient. This will only take a few minutes so you can do it every time you are done using it.
The good news is, exterior paints are flexible when it comes to choosing the right equipment.
Aside from the brushes, you can work better with a paint sprayer. The sprayers are available in the market with many types and prices suitable for home use.
You can cover a wide acreage in a short time without worrying about the flakes because the sprayers turn the paint into tiny drops that can fit in the gaps and even the smallest cracks on the walls. You will just have to maintain your position and work with the convenient, lightweight sprayer.
Are you worried about cleaning up afterward? The parts can be easily removed and cleaned with a few flushes from the water hose. Allow the sprayer to dry, and it is good to go for a new task.
Your Health Might be At Risk
The Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOC, is a serious concern regarding using exterior paint indoors. VOC is commonly known as the main chemical of the exterior paint fumes.
VOC plays a major part in keeping the pigment for the paint while making sure that the paint holds better to the surface, meaning the overall quality depends mostly on these useful yet dangerous components.
It will not evaporate into the air when the paint can lid is properly sealed then it’s safe and ready to be stored.
Oil-based paints that are mainly used for exteriors have the highest level of VOC.
On the contrary, latex paints with water-based formula have a lower level of this harmful chemical. Some manufacturers even have interior paints with zero VOC.
This chemical can cause dangerous health problems to you and other family members, especially in enclosed rooms that do not allow much air to pass through.
And it gets even worse:
VOC can last in the atmosphere for a long time, even after the paint is completely dried. VOC can also spread from the slight opening of the lid.
The syndromes of VOC effects can vary from light headaches to nausea. In the summer, the effects can become more significant.
If you are using exterior paints in the windy season, VOC can spread out on a wide area, such as the neighborhood yards.
People with a weak immune system may suffer from fatal respiratory problems. Without careful concerns and regular health checkups, the illness can worsen to cancers.
Using exterior paints on your indoor walls should be the last resort, or that you are dealing with special cases.
Make sure the surrounding area is clear enough to allow better ventilation. And the can lid should always be secured every time you are done with the painting projects.
Solving the Problem of Your Budget
This is a product that is high quality and comes with a good price. If it’s not necessary, cross these pants off of your list to keep the household expenses less problematic.
But if you have a generous budget, then exterior paints will be completely worth a try. Don’t worry about not using up all the cans you bought; you can save them for keeping the good look at the furniture.
The paints can be kept for a long time if you preserve them well by tinkering with them just enough for your projects, and keeping the lids tightly secured all the time.
With the right calculation and tools, you will not have to waste too much paint by avoiding mistakes in painting. Whether it is the wall or furniture, you should create a careful plan to work effectively.
If you are not familiar with paint brushes or other tools, you can consider trying out the paint sprayers for home use.
You might think that paint sprayers will only add more to your budget.
Remodeling the house can involve other unexpected costs, but the paint sprayer will not be part of the problem.
The sprayer gun has an enhanced feature that with a big capacity this product needs one or two filling for each use so it is super convenient for big projects.
Some guns have the capacity so generous that you can spare a bucket of paint after painting medium areas.
A sprayer allows you to work with objects of all sizes, and give you a big help in painting the walls while avoiding imperfections. It is another plus in saving your hard-earned money.
And since the sprayers are designed for home use, they do not only come with portable designs, but also friendly technology so you can change from sheer coating to creating thick layers with just a convenient switch or accessory.
The technology in paint sprayers can help you achieve a smooth finish in the horizontal or vertical patterns.
The electronic speed is within your control with the simple buttons on the sides.
Every sprayer gun comes with the twist lock for the paint capacity, accompanied by the indicator that will let you know the right refilling time.
You will be amazed by the wide variety of paint sprayers available. Although there are products with low prices, the quality is pretty much the best for your experience of painting like a professional worker, with faster and more effective equipment.
Companies now offer the shipping service that also gives you good discounts.
The Final Conclusion
On the bottom line, is it ok to use exterior paint inside the house?
Overall, exterior paints save you the trouble of cracking and damaging the surfaces.
They are good with many painting tools, and can also be used on the furniture. Thanks to the development in the competitive market, exterior paints now have vibrant colors.
You can use exterior paints inside the house, and you can make it easier by choosing the better tools and equipment for the job. It is suggested that paint sprayers are perfect for most projects, because they are portable, easy to use and clean, and they come with affordable prices.
The right tool will give you a smooth paint finish, plus, you won’t have to spend much time cleaning out the paint as much as you usually do with brushes.
But it is also important to remember that the spaces should be comfortable enough not to let the harmful exterior paint fumes get trapped. Exterior paints may come at a higher price, but the high-quality will surely be worth it.
I am Peter Levick, with over 10 years of experience in the home improvement industry, I have become a seasoned expert in painting and paint sprayers. Through numerous DIY projects, I have developed a keen eye for aesthetics and a deep understanding of the technical aspects involved. My expertise extends to various paint sprayer systems, and I stay updated with the latest advancements. I bring a meticulous approach to every project, ensuring stunning and durable results. Clients can trust in my craftsmanship and commitment to delivering exceptional work.
