Painting
What's the Difference Between Interior & Exterior Paints
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. Read on for an introduction to the main components of all paints.
Some Basics of Paint
The components of all paints contain pigments, solvents, additives and resins. In latex paint, the solvent is water, while in oil-based paint the solvent of choice is mineral spirits. The solvent is what causes the paint to be ‘wet’. As paint dries, the solvent will evaporate. You are left with the resins, pigments, and additives, which are the lasting ingredients. The pigment is the color, which is bound to the surface by the resin. Resins can be made of epoxy, acrylic or even silicone.
Additives give paint different properties, such as resisting the growth of mildew, making the paint easier to apply, or even making it easier to clean.
So What's 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.
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