Can I Use Exterior Paint Inside The House?

Last Updated on November 17, 2021 by Kimberly Crawford

When you decide to carry out a DIY project in your home, you might opt for all the hacks to help you save money. Decorating the interior of your house means that you might need some painting work done.

Now that you have some leftover exterior paint with you, you might get thinking if it would be a good thing to use that exterior paint inside.

Some homeowners have used exterior paint on the inside even without knowing whether it’s good or bad because all they wanted was to have the inside of their houses looking good. So, can you use exterior paint inside?

Technically, you can decorate the interior using exterior paint, even though that would not be the best choice. The thing with each paint is that it has been formulated to work best in its designed environment. When you decide to apply exterior paint indoors, you will not be making a mistake, but that kind of paint is not meant for the inside.

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Paint Formulations

paint formula

With exterior paint, it is formulated to be highly water-resistant. It also contains additives that offer ultraviolet-blocking to ensure that direct sunlight does not cause premature paint breakdown.

The additives also protect against tannin stains and mildew spores. On the other hand, interior paint is designed to hold indoor traffic resulting from scrapes and bumps against walls.

You can see that exterior paint would be your second best choice since interior paint is most suitable for inside due to the advantages that it has to offer. Before you can think of using exterior paint inside, you need to understand that it comes in three finishes while exterior paint has six of them. It shows that interior paint would do more for your interior decorations.

Another vital thing to know about interior paint is that it produces fewer chemicals compared to exterior paint, and that is why it would be better to use what would not be toxic.

With exterior paint smelling for more extended periods, why would you struggle that much with it while you can use interior paint for the inside of the house?

If you are still finding it hard to understand things to do with paint, you need to work with someone who has so much knowledge. You can consult with painting contractors because they have vast knowledge.

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The Tips Below Will Help You Find a Reliable Painting Professional

painter

The Contractor Should Be Licensed and Insured

Before making the final choice, you have to know if the person you are hiring has a license and insurance cover. There is no way to verify the qualifications of a painter if you fail to check the license.

Once the professional has successfully completed the required training in painting and related aspects, they are supposed to get a certificate as proof for the same. Therefore, you need to check this to avoid hiring scammers.

Moreover, you need to verify its validity since some of the painters you find in the market have invalid licenses. Another thing to know about painting is that it can be dangerous; the paints, as well as the tools used like ladders, can pose a danger to the painter, and this explains the need for an insurance cover.

Ensure that the painter has workers’ compensation and liability insurance. Lack of insurance means you will have to cater to the painter’s medical bill in case of an injury while painting. Furthermore, the availability of insurance means that you will be compensated if your property is destroyed or stolen when getting the services, which would be a good thing to learn.

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Experience

One crucial thing to know before hiring a painter is their experience in painting. You can check with Better Business Bureau website to see if your preferred painter is listed as a member. While at the website, you can also confirm if the contractor is a member of a trade association.

What you need to understand about BBB accreditation s that it is not an easy process, and quacks will always opt-out before that; that is why any member there is a serious professional.

It is also easier to know about the experience of the contractor online. You can check how long they have been offering painting services. With someone new in the industry, you need to understand that they do not have enough resources to handle big projects.

On the other hand, someone who has been around for many years has been able to stay ahead of the competition and knows all that is expected of them. You need to know the amount of experience that the contractor who would handle your project has.

This will give you peace of mind since you are sure that the expert you choose will deliver a great service. If possible, ask to see past projects; seeing what someone has done in the past will be helpful because you can already picture your home looking good after the paintwork.

If a painting contractor is shying away from giving you client’s contacts, you should go ahead and look for another one. This shows that they are not confident in the kind of services that they delivered.

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Review the Materials and Enquire About Warranties

It will be a good idea to know the materials that the paint would be using for your project. You need to understand that the use of cheap, sub-standard paint means that the color would most likely fade off in a few years, something you would not want to experience.

Exterior paint will also fade faster due to weather and exposure to the sun. Therefore, you need to work with a contractor dealing with high-quality paint and materials. Expect to pay more for better paint.

Asking about warranties will give you peace of mind because you will know what to expect once the painting is over. It is essential to know the length of the warranty.

Moreover, it will be helpful to know if the warranty covers materials and labor because you do not want to pay from your pocket for the contractor to rectify any mistakes.

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Online Reviews

Many people rely on online reviews to know more about painters. Look for reviews about painters within your region; you can get those reviews from a third-party website.

Some businesses will only post positive reviews, which explains why a third-party website will help you get an accurate picture of what to expect from the painter you are about to hire.

Some painters will have two or three bad reviews, but that does not show their work is terrible. However, if your preferred painter has more negative reviews than positive reviews, you might see the need to choose a different one.

Reviews tend to help you know about the reputation of the contractor. The one with many good reviews shows that they do an exemplary job, and many people love the work.

A good reputation means that the painter has put in so much work, which is why most people loved the services. Always choose the one with many positive reviews and a good reputation; you will not regret a thing because the paintwork will be excellent.

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Location

Even though you can hire a painter from any part of the world, you need to choose someone who can help you save money in the long run. If you choose a painter from a far region, you will have to pay for transportation, and it will also be costly to drive to the office for a consultation.

There is no need to go through all this while you can choose a local painter and save a considerable amount of money. It is even easier to reach a local painter to rectify anything that does not seem right.

Working with a local contractor is the best decision since he or she has a good reputation in the local area. Another thing with such a painter is that he or she knows the local paint suppliers and can bargain better prices, which means that you will end up paying less than expected.

Interview Potential Contractors

You need to start by creating a list of potential contractors, after which you will have to interview each one of them. You can call them over the phone or email them. Tell them your needs and hear what they have concerning it.

Try to avoid those who don’t respond within a reasonable time, because they might not be eligible because it shows that they do not have an outlined way of responding to their clients.

After you have identified your perfect contractor, you can go ahead and plan a meeting with the prospective and discuss your expectations. Ask what products they use, how they handle any spills, and how long the project would take until completion. You should also know how long the painter has been in the industry.

Make sure you ask what will happen if you have an issue with the work. You should also know if the painter would hire subcontractors and if the team will use protective equipment.

Always ask if a deposit would be needed before closing the deal. Knowing what to expect will help avoid any form of confusion. As long as the contractor is transparent with you, you will have nothing o worry about because you are sure that your project is in the right hands.

Even though you think that it will be helpful to do the painting yourself, you need to understand that this kind of work needs to be handled by a professional. Your home should look good, and a DIY project might not bring out the desired look. You need to hire a professional to do the painting and enjoy the result. Here are some benefits of working with painting contractors.

It Saves You Time

Some people think that that painting is something that can do a few hours and they are done, but this is very far from the truth. If you want to paint several rooms or the entire house, you will realize that it needs a lot of time to finish.

If you are trying to juggle between family and work, it will be too hard for you to do the painting yourself, and that is why hiring a contractor would be the best thing.

Prepping everything for the painting work will take so much time; you will take so much time to prep everything before you are ready to start the work, and you will not like any of that.

Therefore, hire a painter and let him or her do everything for you. You will have enough time to rest with your family. You will be surprised to learn that the contractor will have the work done in a couple of days.

The Painter Will Use the Right Tools and Equipment

Even if you have a paintbrush, you need to note that it will not be enough to do the painting.

Painting takes more than a brush because you will need to have high-quality rollers, paint sprayers, drop cloths, extension poles, ladders, scaffolding, caulk guns, and other relevant tools.

The availability of the right tools will play a key role in getting the work done efficiently and quickly. A painter will have all the tools needed to do the painting work, and that is why it will be helpful to hire one.

Instead of buying all these things for a one-time project or having to rent them, you need to hire a professional; he or she will come with everything.

Note that if you decide to do the painting yourself, especially without all the necessary tools, you will end up doing a bad job and will always regret that decision. Instead of all that, you need to work with someone who knows everything and stands a chance to get the best services.

You will End up Saving Much Money

When people decide to do a DIY project, their main aim is to save money; however, they end up spending more than they had anticipated.

When you choose to do the painting yourself, you forget to factor in everything, and sometimes you underestimate things. You end up spending more than you had budgeted, something that can be very frustrating.

You might even make countless trips to the mall to buy more paint, drop cloths, tape, and other things, which will be costly. Also, the fact that a contractor can bargain better prices shows how good it will be to hire one.

You do not deserve to go through all this in the name of saving money and ending up spending more; employ a contractor and see the magic when it comes to the total bill. It will save you much because the contractor can help you come up with a rough estimate and a better budget.

Experience and Professionalism

A painter is an expert in the field, which is among the reasons you should work with one. Their specialization is in prepping and painting, which shows how good they tend to be.

When you work with someone who has so much knowledge, you end up getting services far beyond what an amateur painter would offer.

A professional knows how to paint straight lines, tape edges, the right brush to use on different surfaces, and the like. The fact that you will be getting the services from an expert means that you will be expecting a good job.

Once the painting is done, you will not have to redo it after a few years since it has been done professionally. A painter’s job is to paint; so, why not let them handle what they know best? You do not have to do a shoddy job while a contractor can offer professional painting services.

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No Need for You to Deal with Clean-up

What you need to note is that there is a lot of clean-up work that needs to be done once the painting is over. It can be very tiring to do this, especially when you have other aspects of your family to handle.

After hiring a professional to paint your house, you will be saving yourself from all the required cleaning. A professional knows the right ways to dispose of thinners, paint, and other materials.

Professionals know that unused solvents and paint are household hazardous waste, and that is why they cannot go in the dumpster. You deserve some time to relax with your family after a long day, and that is why working with a painter will be good since they will do everything, including cleanup.

Hiring a painter will be a good thing, and your home will end up looking appealing. You do not have to juggle everything yourself while you have the option of letting a painter handle painting work while you take care of other essential matters in your home.

Professionals like painting contractors will ensure that you get the best service. If you want to enjoy all the benefits associated with letting a professional handle painting work, you will need to ensure that you make the necessary considerations when choosing an expert.