The choice of paint can significantly impact the aesthetics and durability of your walls. Understanding the differences between interior and exterior paints and their benefits is helpful for achieving the best results for your home. Can you use exterior paint on interior in Atkinson? Keep reading to explore whether exterior paint is a suitable option for your interior spaces.
Can You Use Exterior Paint On Interior?
- While it’s possible to use exterior paint indoors, it’s not advisable as it won’t provide any real benefits and may even be a waste of money. Moreover, it can lead to potential health risks. Exterior paint is designed to withstand elements like rain, sleet, snow, and direct sunlight. However, to make it durable and resistant, chemical additives are added, which are hazardous to human health.
While exterior paint offers superior durability, it may not dry properly indoors. Furthermore, it lacks the necessary properties to protect against indoor stains, scratches, and wear commonly caused by daily household activities. Therefore, it’s wiser to use paint for the specific purpose it is designed for.
Why You Should Avoid Using Exterior Paint Indoors?
- You might consider using leftover exterior paint to save money or think that its durability makes it ideal for walls prone to marks and scuffs. However, exterior paints are specifically formulated for outdoor conditions and are not intended for indoor use.
Here are the reasons why it’s best to keep exterior paint for its intended purpose.
Risk of Scratching and Staining
- Despite its resistance to the harsh outdoor environment, exterior paint is not ideal for indoor use. It is not designed to handle everyday indoor conditions such as exposure to oils, humidity, frequent touching, and other forms of wear and tear that interior paints are specifically designed to resist.
This makes exterior paint more prone to scratching and staining and harder to clean when used inside. Interior paints, on the other hand, include additives that enhance drying time, ensure even pigment distribution, and prevent fading or yellowing, making them more suitable for indoor applications.
Release Harmful Fumes
Exterior paints contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that help bind pigments but also release harmful fumes. These VOCs can pose serious health risks:
- Some VOCs are linked to severe respiratory issues, including lung cancer.
- Short-term exposure can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat.
- Symptoms like difficulty breathing, nausea, lightheadedness, and headaches are common.
Long-term exposure to these fumes can be especially dangerous for children, the elderly, and individuals with asthma or other respiratory conditions. It’s crucial to keep these hazardous fumes confined to outdoor areas and avoid using exterior paint inside your home.
Costs More Than Interior Paint
- Its composition and special features often determine the cost of paint. Exterior paints are generally expensive due to their formulation, which includes additional ingredients for enhanced durability, moisture resistance, and color retention.
In contrast, interior paints have a simpler composition and do not require these extra additives. Consequently, they are typically more affordable than their exterior counterparts. For those looking to save on costs in Atkinson, using exterior paint indoors might not be the right approach.
Takes Longer to Dry
Using exterior paint indoors can lead to extended drying times, which can delay your renovation schedule and also compromise the appearance of the paint finish, often resulting in a patchy and uneven look. This is because exterior have different drying and curing properties compared to interior paints designed for quicker and more even drying indoors.
Give your home the professional treatment it deserves with our exterior painting services. Experience Neat, Efficient, and Professional service with Miles Makarowski Painting! Call us today at 603-489-8802 for a complimentary estimate. We are located in Atkinson, NH.