Most of the domestic appliances last for many years, but after a couple of years their colors are faded, though their functioning remains good as ever. Some such items in any normal household include pieces of furniture, cabinets and cupboards and the refrigerator.
Usually, the color of a cupboard or a refrigerator fades away after about five years of use, and the phenomenon is more pronounced in case of items in white color. The paint usually wears off from the corners and edges, making the item look odd in a new kitchen or the one that has been repainted. That prompts many to go for new equipment but repainting, which saves considerable amount of money is the second best option.
Three types of gloss enamel paints are available. These are high gloss, semi gloss and eggshell. All the three varieties are equally good and provide the needed protection. The difference is in the degree of shine that their application delivers. That’s the reason for their being used for painting cabinets, doors and such like items.
Before going ahead with the process of painting it will be good to understand how the three different types of enamels work. It’s neither desirable nor essentially required to apply gloss paint on all items. One needs to be careful in deciding which type of gloss would best work on a particular item. Here are a few helpful tips for you to decide on that.
Enamel paints giving high gloss or semi glass are most frequently used in the bathrooms and kitchens. They are able to reflect a good part of the light falling on them and are very easy to clean as well. You may apply them with the help of rollers, paintbrush or spray cans.
It’s always helpful to go thru the instructions offered by the manufacturer. For instance, a certain brand of paint would give better results if small volume of water were added therein, while another brand may give a glossier look on using a small quantity of it over a particular surface. Likewise, there are certain paints that give the desired results thru one coat only and if you applied an additional coat it could spoil the entire effect.
It also helps to distinguish among the most often used paints. For instance, a particular kind of enamel may fail to give the desired results when applied on metals or concrete. Similarly, alkyd paint may not prove to be durable for some other type of material. Knowing all the characteristics and limitations of any paint before getting starting with painting helps to get the best results.
Very frequently the paint companies introduce a new product with some distinct properties and classy famishes like one-step gloss, solid emulsion, ‘green’ paints for the environmentally conscious, and sturdy paints with long lasting sheen for bathrooms and kitchens. Availability of such special purpose paints makes it rather difficult for a common man to make out which is the most suitable for a particular application.
Here is an attempt to simplify things for an average homeowner. For domestic applications there are two main types of paints. One is the water-based variety and the other is the solvent based, which is more popularly known as oil based paint.
Water-based paints comprise of emulsion, eggshell for quick drying and water based material for providing shine, whereas the composition of solvent-based paints varies from customary eggshell and shine component to durable gloss finishes and special paints or lacquers for metal. Some paints may contain additional components like polyurethane or vinyl acrylic to enhance their durability or coverage but their fundamental composition remains the same.
Water based paints are most suitable for walls. Gloss element or water-based eggshell may be used for interior woodwork. Solvent-based paints are just right for areas that experience frequent wear and tear on the exteriors or interiors including metals and wood.
Emulsion or Enamel/Gloss Based
On reading the manufacturer’s instructions for thinning, you can know if it’s a water-based paint or a solvent based. If the instructions allow use of water, most likely it’s water based, whereas if instructions suggest use of white spirit, it’s definitely solvent based.
Disposing of paint
Oil-based paints and solvents need to be treated as hazardous materials. They should never be disposed of into any normal litter or dispensed thru the sink. You need to check with your local waste collection department for disposing such materials.
Primer
Primer is absorbed by the surface and works as a base for the successive coats. Bare timber should always be covered with primer. Likewise, it should also be applied on bare metal to be covered with gloss.
Undercoat
Undercoat provides a smooth base for application of liquid gloss. This solvent-based paint is good looking on its own but comes in limited range of colors. It is likely to get chipped. So, if you are not using a topcoat of gloss, you should cover it using clear varnish.
Emulsion
Emulsion is the ideal material for walls. Basically, a water based paint, it has vinyl that adds to its durability and facilitates cleaning too. It can safely be used on surfaces that have already been painted.
Gloss
For metals and wood, the normal choice is gloss paint. Solvent-based gloss offer a high degree of shine, but if you are looking for a mirror like finish it is best to use thin liquid paint. Professional decorators often use it over undercoat, especially for exteriors.
Eggshell paint
Eggshell is a multipurpose sheen finish, characteristically applied on indoor woodwork. It may also be applied on walls to get an even look.
Wood stains and varnish
Wood stains made for indoor use prove to be much more decorative compared to protective external paints. They need to be covered with a coat or two of clear varnish. Application of varnish delivers a clear, defensive coating for stains and paints. You get it in matt, satin and high gloss finish.
Environmentally friendly paints
These paints are made using oils from natural plants, minerals and resins, so that they are not toxic by nature and remain environment friendly and cause no health issues. They are easy to apply, are odor free and allow the surface to breathe.
Painting safely
Solvent-based paints are combustible and should not be stored indoors, but need protection from frost. As they release unpleasant harmful fumes, care should be taken to use them in well-ventilated areas only.
Change over of paint finish from high gloss to flat is as easy as applying a primer, followed by the application of new paint color. You need to give sufficient time for the primer to dry and some more time for drying of the new color before you can start moving furniture, accessories, and other items that give your room the feel of a home.
There are certain preliminaries for painting flat over gloss. If you ignore these simple rules, you may end up having an unattractive paint finish with patches of gloss visible through the flat layer. It gives the room a very unprofessional look and the visitors get a wrong first impression of how you believe about your own home.
Consider Sanding
It may become quite problematic to change too glossy a paint finish to get flat finish. On facing such a situation it helps to sand the wall lightly that helps to get rid of some of the glossiness. Wipe of most of the dust with a rag before taking the next step, else you may face problems in applying the primer or the next layer of paint. Whenever you doubt if the wall needs to be sanded or not, it is good to take precautionary measure and sand it lightly.
If for any reason it’s not possible to sand the area, you may use a de-glossing agent, which is easily available at most home improvement warehouses and such stores. You may also get ideas from the Internet, as some online stores sell these materials and ship the same directly to your home. They are not expensive and quite easy to use also.
Start With Primer
The most important part of the entire process is applying a coat of primer to cover the gloss paint; otherwise it will bleed through the new paint color. Application of primer coat is an important starting point for any changeover from oil-based to water-based paint, but is particularly significant for changing over from gloss to flat paint. Primer envelopes the first coat, and is the ideal way that ensures a more professional look in due course. Generally, latex primers are quite easy to apply and present an excellent barrier between gloss and flat paints.
Many home improvement stores sell branded primers like Kilz and others. Most of these are equally effective. The most important deciding factor in their case is the price, and if that is not an issue, it will be wise to choose a brand that is better known and get the best possible results.
And, finally don’t forget that you need to give enough time for the primer to get dried completely before you begin to apply the next coat of paint. If you paint over a primer that has not dried up entirely, it will crack and unsightly cracks will appear in the end. You should give a minimum of 24 hours for the primer to dry before applying another coat of paint.
When considering painting of your house you need to decide not only the color of paint but also the kind of finish you would like to have. There are many options for the two and you should look for one that goes to compliment the furniture in the room and your style too. Here’s a brief description of different kinds of finishes for you to choose from:
High gloss paints, true to their name, give a very shiny finish. Of late they have been applied to furniture in modern-day settings.
Semi-gloss paint is largely applied on windows and doorframes. It’s also used in bathrooms and kitchens because it is cleaned easily.
Colors in matt finish are employed on the internal walls and are of great help when trying to cover up flaws in the plaster. However, it gets scratched easily, making the marks visible.
Satin finish paints deliver harder wearing. Therefore, these can bear light scrubbing and cleaning. Their slight gloss coupled with the said properties makes them perfect for being used in kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, and children’s rooms.
Flat enamel is also hardwearing paint in matt finish; it can also bear light cleaning.
An eggshell finish gives the texture and gloss of an egg. It’s ideally used with light cream colors and goes well in living areas.
When thinking on the lines of finishing, keep the size and function of the room in mind. For example it will be wise to choose durable, easy to clean paint for children’s room. You should know that it is easier to clean paints with more gloss.
You should also decide before hand the kind of look you would like to have finally. If you like to present a warm living area, it will be good to use a paint that gives a finish that is within a matt and gloss finish.
You would get better ideas by being on the Internet or going thru some of the magazines on the subject of interior decoration.