One of the most cost-effective ways to improve your home before putting it on the market is to give it a facelift with a splash of paint.
Whether you wish to improve the interior or exterior, a fresh lick of paint will work wonders. You’ll increase your curb appeal from the outside, while indoors you’ll fix all the scratches and dents that walls suffer from day-to-day living.
If you have some tins of paint in the garage, you might have wondered whether the exterior paint you used for the picket fence could brighten up the tired-looking guest bedroom.
If so, think again!
Using exterior paint indoors has the potential to harm your family’s health. And if you tried interior paint on the outside of your home, it wouldn’t be more than a few months before you’d be out there with a brush again, correcting your mistake.
Here’s the deal with paint: Exterior paint is formulated to withstand harsh weather. Its volatile organic compounds (VOCs) release fumes that can cause headaches, dizziness and respiratory irritation. Its mildewcides and fungicides can trigger allergies.
If that’s not enough, your guest bedroom will start smelling pretty terrible because exterior paint has an unpleasant odor in confined spaces.
If exterior paint is such a toxic mixture to ensure it can handle the weather conditions, it’s fair to assume interior paint would never be up to the task outside. And that’s true. With exposure to sunlight, rain and temperature fluctuations, interior paint will fade, crack and peel prematurely.
Here are some tips for painting.
- Select a high-quality exterior paint designed for your home’s siding material, such as brick, wood or stucco.
- Always clean and repair cracks or damage before painting. Preparation is essential for an excellent job.
- Consider using a primer to enhance paint adhesion and create a smoother finish. It will reduce the number of coats of paint.
- Don’t paint in extreme weather. Avoid the heat, the cold and the humidity.
- Paint from the top down. By working your way down a wall, you’ll reduce the possibility of streaks.
- Always wear safety gear, such as gloves, masks and goggles.