It may seem obvious, but the difference is essential to understand. Outside paint serves completely different purposes from interior paint. Paint on the exterior is designed to withstand a variety of elements, such as weather and humidity. Occasionally, walls can expand and contract rapidly due to temperature changes, which the paint has to adapt to in order to avoid cracking. A paint that dries as quickly as possible is also designed to be used on exterior walls, which might not be possible during bad weather. This requires the exterior and interior paint compounds to be different in order to achieve this.
Could interior paint be applied to the exterior?
Although possible, it is not advisable. It’s highly likely you can get the same color that you used on your interior at a store specializing in exterior painting. For those who cannot find the color you desire, our painters and decorators provide color consultation services, which allow them to mix and blend colors until they find the perfect match.
A reason interior paint hasn’t proven so useful is that it doesn’t resist exposure to sunlight. A relatively thin layer of exterior paint usually requires many coats of interior paint because interior paint is often thinner. A substance that would cover spots within a living room might not be very appealing when used outside a home. Also, since this paint doesn’t dry in moist or cold weather, it will quickly become dirty and unattractive.
So exterior paint is also suitable for interior painting?
Although exterior paint has a high resistance to humidity, it might seem logical to use it in bathrooms, but you shouldn’t. The fact that this is not intended for that purpose and will just look horrible is simply not worth mentioning, but it is also quite hazardous to the health. Exterior paints that last outdoors for several years contain compounds that can release fumes. As exterior paints are meant for use outdoors, painting the inside exposes fumes from the air and can trigger respiratory problems such as asthma, irritate the eyes, and even cause headaches. In addition, exterior paints were not designed to be used daily or to be exposed to chemicals such as stain removers or detergents.
If you are experiencing mold problems due to humidity in London, make sure you air out the building as often as possible. If not, a humidity absorber device can be used instead. A humidifier is cheap and small, and it absorbs humidity from the air to prevent mold growth.
Painting the interior with exterior paint
In case you’re reading this post, recently after painting your interior walls with exterior paint, there’s no need to worry. Whenever you paint over another color, you can just paint over it again. In order to prevent fumes from passing through the newly applied interior paint, first, you need to clean the walls, removing the previous exterior paint layer.
Our painters and decorators are available as soon as the next day if you are uncertain how to proceed or you are concerned that you will do something wrong.
