• Home
  • Services
    • Exterior Painting
    • Interior Painting
    • Plastering
    • Pressure Cleaning
    • Spray Painting
    • Decoration
    • Gyprock
    • Timber Varnish
    • Fence Painting
    • Commercial Painters
  • About Us
  • Gallery
  • Blogs
  • Contact
0461 537 9690423 842 125
Posted on 22 April 2021

Exterior paints come in a vast array of colours, like their interior paint counterpart. Although they can technically be applied inside, they have been designed to last best in their external environment. Applying exterior paint inside has major drawbacks, and there are better choices for you to make.

What is the difference between exterior and interior paint?

All paints are made up of resin, solvent, and pigment. However, some paints have essential differences that can affect their suitability for certain surfaces. Paints also differ in their appearance, texture, and finish. Various varieties can be used for their respective looks, each differing in terms of sheen, reflectivity, durability, and so on.

A lot of subtle differences exist between interior and exterior paints, but the primary one is the resin used. Resin is what holds the pigments together. The paint that goes on the exterior must be more durable and resistant to temperature changes and moisture exposure. It is no good if it peels, chips, or fades when exposed to sunlight. Resins used for binding exterior paints need to be softer to prevent being damaged by sunlight or other weather conditions.

The difference between exterior and interior paint stems from the requirements of the surface they are applied to. This is because these surfaces are affected by differing environments. Exterior paint needs to be able to withstand wind, rain, and intense heat while interior paint doesn’t. In contrast, interior paint needs to be easier to clean and maintain than exterior paint, since imperfections are more noticeable and unsightly on the inside of your house. Because of this, interior paints require different handling than exterior paints.

Is it ok to use exterior paint inside the house?

You might think that using exterior paint indoors would be more beneficial. It saves you from having to buy two different kinds of paint and provide your walls with added protection due to the built-in design of exterior paints helping against stains and abrasions. However, using exterior paint indoors is not recommended as it can affect your health.

Since these paints are designed to withstand the outdoor environment, they contain larger volumes of chemicals. These chemicals generate fumes that are toxic to humans when inhaled excessively. If used in a room with low ventilation, these fumes can build up and turn that space into a health hazard.

Despite this, there are some scenarios where the use of exterior paint can be used in indoor spaces. Rooms that are either outdoors or located somewhere people don’t sleep or stay in regularly are good locations for the use of exterior paint. It is still recommended to use interior paints for indoor surfaces. However, if you have some spare paint leftover after an outdoor paint job, that leftover can be used indoors in these scenarios.

What happens when you use interior paint outside?

When you apply indoor paint to an external surface, you are setting up a future for yourself where you are forced to spend more money and dedicate more time to painting. This is because using interior paint outside will cause the paint job to deteriorate, fade away, or become brittle over time due to the impact the weather conditions will have on it.

Indoor paints aren’t designed to withstand outdoor environments like exterior paint. As a result of this, using interior paint for your external surfaces will force you to repaint more often than if you had just used exterior paint. So it is not considered cost or time effective to apply coats of indoor paint outside.

Conclusion

The use of exterior paint indoors is strongly advised against in most scenarios. Spending some more money to get the right paint rather than risking a health problem is a way better pay off. An experienced, professional painter knows this is the case, so it might be wise to invest in hiring a professional to paint your interior and exterior surfaces for you. This will save you the headache of worrying about the effects of various paints on your walls and ensure you get a clean and safe final finish.

Previous Post
What Are the Benefits of Pressure Washing a House?

Recent Posts

  • When Should Various Primers Be Used In Painting Applications? 4 December 2023
  • Concrete Moisture Test Before Repainting: Advisable Or Not? 21 November 2023
  • When To Opt For Elastomeric Paint For Home Exteriors? 11 November 2023
  • How To Safely Store Leftover Paint From Interior Projects? 2 November 2023
  • Why Modern Coastal Colours Are Perfect for Homes in Sydney 17 October 2023

Categories

  • Blog (52)
  • Fence Painting (1)
  • Gyprock (1)

Popular Keywords

Benefits of Pressure Washing Best Fence Colours Best Industrial and Roofing Painters Best Paints For Interior Walls Best Wall Decor Ideas For Your Home colour consultant Commercial and Residential Painting Concrete Buildings Concrete Moisture Test concrete pressure washing Creative Ideas To Paint Or Decorate Walls Elastomeric Paint Gyprock Fixings Gyprock On a Brick Wall High Gloss Polyurethane Hire Professionals For Pressure Cleaning home interior painting How To Paint Without Leaving Brush Marks How To Plaster A Ceiling Modern Coastal Homes Old Home Painting Paint a Room Like a Pro in 6 Easy Steps Painting a House Painting Interior Brick Walls Paint Over Popcorn Ceiling Paint Sprayer Paint Sprayer Vs Brush Paint Storage Power Wash Pavers Prevent Streaks On Interior Wall Painting Process Of Painting The Interior Of A House Professional Painter For Residential Painting Reasons To Hire Professional Painting Services Remove An Oil Based Wood Stain From A Fence Spray paint Finished With A Brush Spray Varnish Timber Floor Polish Two Tone Feature Wall Types Of Home Paints Types of Plastering Value and importance of exterior painting services Varnish or Polyurethane Water and Gloss Paint Compatibility Waterproof Interior Basement Walls When To Use Primer For Painting
Our Services
  • Interior Painting
  • Exterior Painting
  • Plastering
  • Gyprock
  • Spray Paint
  • Pressure Cleaning
  • Timber Varnish
  • Decoration
  • Fence Painting
  • Commercial Painters
Demolition Services
  • Shower Demolition
  • Wall Demolition
  • Roofing Demolition
  • Shed Demolition
  • Fence Demolition
  • Kitchen Demolition
  • Garage Demolition
  • Flooring Demolition
  • Laundry Demolition
  • Ceiling Demolition
  • Bathroom Demolition
  • Basement Demolition
  • Internal Demolition
  • Strip Out Demolition
  • Fit Out Demolition
Top Serving Suburbs
  • Painter Parramatta
  • Painter Penrith
Quicklinks
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Gallery
  • Sitemap
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Flickr
Houzz
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Reddit
TikTok
Tumblr
Twitter
Linkt.ree
Quora

© 2023 Mi Painting & Maintenance | Website By Nifty Marketing Australia