If you’re going to put in the effort of repainting a part of your home, you should ensure you’re getting the most out of the process. This means not only finding the right color to fit your needs, but also choosing a well-made product that will last. Fortunately, there are several indicators that distinguish good paint from bad. These are some of the characteristics of a high-quality paint product and what they mean for your results.
Top-Grade Ingredients
As you’re trying to narrow down your paint options, you should look at the list of ingredients. Paints are a mixture of pigment, resin, and solvent. While the pigment and resin, also known as solids, provide the solution with color and finish, the solvent, or liquid, determines how it dries. Quality paints will have a larger concentration of solids and fewer liquids to create a rich and smooth appearance.
Coverage
Quality paints are also slightly thicker and cover a wall much more effectively with just one coat. Since they have more pigment in them, they do a better job of filling in small cracks and crevasses and blocking out the previous color. This will help hide any imperfections and highlight your chosen finish. These paints spread easily, too—making them less of a hassle to apply over large areas.
Resistant To Wear
Another important characteristic of a high-quality paint product is its durability. Paint can feature several additives that increase its resistance to factors like moisture and even mold. This is crucial for times when you need to wash your walls or remove any scuffs. Increased protection ensures that your walls resist substances that would damage or weaken them.
Low in Volatile Organic Compounds
Quality paints are also low in volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. These substances, present in the solvent, are released into the air as the paint dries. They can have harmful effects on respiratory health. In fact, in high enough concentrations, these chemicals can be toxic. But with an already low volume of solvent, there are fewer dangerous materials to worry about when using high-quality paint products.