PAINT “BY THE NUMBERS” TO GET THE BEST RESULTS
When it comes to painting the home exterior, aesthetics drive most decisions, but you shouldn’t ignore the math when choosing your paint. That’s the advice of the Paint Quality Institute, a leading authority on paints and painting.
“Things like cost and coverage rate should be taken into account, but some other numbers are much more important,” says Debbie Zimmer, paint and color expert at the Institute. She says that – knowingly or unknowingly -- every paint job involves three key numerical decision points:
“2 or 3?” One decision concerns the number of coats you’ll have to apply. According to Zimmer, a “traditional” paint job calls for a coat of primer and two coats of paint, for a total of three. However, she says that you can achieve similar results by simply applying two coats of a combination “paint and primer” product. You don’t need a degree in mathematics to see that this can save a lot of time, and possibly, some money, too.
“4 or 10?” Another decision: How frequently do you want to repaint your home exterior? If painting once every 10 years or so sounds more appealing than painting every four years, then you should be sure to use a top quality exterior paint, says Zimmer. Studies have shown that the best paints can last a full decade or more, while lower quality coatings usually last only three or four years.
“100, or something else?” How can you tell which paints are top quality? Zimmer says you should look for latex paints made with 100% acrylic. Most manufacturers put the number “100” in big, bold type right on the label of their best paints, she says. These coatings offer better adhesion, greater flexibility in changing temperatures, and better durability than other paints -- the perfect formula for long-lasting performance.
So, to sum up, if you want the best results with your home painting, choose a top quality 100% acrylic latex coating, and consider using one that functions as both a primer and paint. You’ll complete your work in a shorter amount of time, and your new paint job will last a lot longer. You just can’t argue with that math!
For more information on every aspect of home painting, visit the Paint Quality Institute’s new website at www.paintquality.com, or check out blog.paintquality.com.
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ABOUT THE PAINT QUALITY INSTITUTE (SM)
Since 1989, The Paint Quality Institute (SM) has been educating people on the advantages of using quality interior and exterior paints and coatings. The Paint Quality Institute's goal is to help educate consumers, contractors and designers by providing information on the virtues of quality paint as well as color trends and decorating with paint through a variety of instructional platforms and conferences, and traditional and new media vehicles. More information can be found at www.paintquality.com.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
