Different paints have different properties and are formulated for different purposes. Interior paint is made to be scrubbed, resist staining, and allow cleaning. Exterior paints are made to combat against fading and mildew. When starting a painting project, it’s important to know the differences between the two and choose the right paint. In order to understand the difference between exterior and interior paints, you will need to learn a bit about the chemistry behind paint.
What's The Difference?
While there can be many subtle differences, the primary difference between interior and exterior paints is in their choice of resin. You will remember that the resin is what binds the pigment to the surface. In an exterior paint, it is important that the paint can survive temperature changes and being exposed to moisture. Exterior paint also must be tougher and resist peeling, chipping, and fading from sunlight. For these reasons, the resins used in binding exterior paints must be softer.
For interior paint where temperature is not a problem, the binding resins are more rigid, which cuts down on scuffing and smearing.
A critical step for any painting project is choosing the right paint. Thanks to today’s improved coatings and applicators from Sherwin William, we can achieve professional-quality results.