Angie's List: Spruce up with fresh paint

“Painting is a great way to freshen up your house," said Angie's List founder, Angie Hicks. "Your paint takes a beating through the years, whether it’s outside in the elements, or inside with wear and tear from the pets and the kids and getting bumped into. A lot of people who are looking to freshening up their house decide to paint."

According to a recent Angie’s List poll, more than 50 percent of the respondents said they are going to tackle aesthetic home improvements this year, like painting. It's one of the least expensive and quickest ways to spruce up your home.

Angie’s List asked highly rated painters to offer up their expertise on what is the most popular and why.

• Popular colors: Earth tones tend to be popular choices for both interior and exterior of the home. However, the exterior tends to be the easiest part to choose a color for because there is less space to cover and fewer outside factors to consider. For the interior, shades of red tend to be the color that homeowners get tired of the most. If you’re weary about red but really want to incorporate it into your home, try a smaller dose of it. Using red for an accent wall or trim instead of as a base color is a more subtle move.
• Maximize your space: Darker colors can make a room feel smaller. If you want to incorporate a darker, bolder color into your home, use it on just one wall as an accent and choose a lighter color for the others. Professionals usually match the accent colors to the furniture you have in your home. Take note of color schemes that already exist and play them up with matching paint colors.
• Stick with names you know: Brand-name paints have the durability to last a long time and they will be around should you need to buy more for touch-ups. Brand-name paints are often grouped in color families, and accent colors are suggested for use with main colors. This is helpful when painting trim and other smaller areas of the exterior.
• Painting vinyl siding: It’s vital to use the right type of paint to make your project a success. Several new types of paint have been developed for vinyl siding which consist of urethane and acrylic resins. A good rule of thumb is to choose a color lighter than your current vinyl siding. Painting with a darker color may cause the siding to absorb too much heat, which can cause it to warp if exposed to the hot sun. “Consumers need to be careful when painting vinyl siding," Hicks added, "because they need to check their warranty first. Some vinyl companies, if you paint the siding, you’ll void the warranty, and that’s the last thing consumers want to do.”

Paint comes in many colors and types. Picking the right ones can be difficult. Paint consists of three different substances – solvents, pigments and binders.

• Solvents: Liquids that make the paint gel together and flow. After paint is applied, the solvents dry away and leave a solid substance behind.
• Pigments: Small molecules that add color to the paint. Pigments, or lack thereof, determine how opaque or translucent the paint is.
• Binders: Chemicals that hold the pigment together and glue the pigment to the painted surface. Binders determine how durable and glossy the paint is.

There are two major classes of paint – oil-based and latex. Both types of paints use similar pigments to get their color. Oil-based paint can be applied over latex-based paint, but latex-based paint cannot be used on top of oil-based paint without priming the surface first.

• Oil-based paints: Use a liquid-like alcohol or paint thinner as a solvent and a substance called alkyd as a binder. Compared to latex, it’s harder to clean up and takes longer to dry, but it creates a durable, scuff-resistant surface.
• Latex paints: Typically use water as their solvent and vinyl or acrylic as their binder. Both types of paints use similar pigments to get their color. Generally less durable than oil-based paint. However, latex tolerates more UV exposure.

Oil-based and latex paints both have a few possible levels of finish, ranging from flat to satin to semi-glossy to glossy. The level of finish in a paint is determined by the proportion of binders it has in it, as well as what other additives are in it.

• Flat-finish: Good for covering up mistakes, and is therefore ideal for large areas like walls.
• Satin finish: Has more luster and is more durable, so it is ideal for high-traffic areas like hallway walls.
• Semi-gloss finish: More durable, shiny and water resistant, making it ideal for areas like bathrooms.
• Gloss finish: The most durable and water resistant, but it also is the most likely to show brush strokes. Glossy finish is usually more appropriate for surfaces like trim and door frames that take a lot of abuse.

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