Interior Paint Buying Guide

Selecting the right interior paint is essential to ensuring that your paint job is durable, smooth and looks great. In this guide, we'll cover the different types of interior paint, how to choose the perfect color and the tools needed to achieve a great result.

Before you get started with your project, here are a few considerations to keep in mind.

Size Up Your Room
Consider its shape and size. A lighter color can make a small room feel more spacious, while a darker color can help an immense room seem cozier.

Take Architectural Details Into Account
Think about the moulding, trim, columns and brackets. What’s attractive and what’s not? Paint can accentuate a room’s features or hide them. Varying intensities and hues can complement architecture, furnishings and wall art.

Factor in Function
Will the main purpose of the room be eating, sleeping, working, entertaining or something else entirely? A warm hue in the living room or family room creates a more comfortable and inviting atmosphere for guests than a cooler color.

Interior paint is specifically designed to cover walls, ceilings and moulding in your home. There are numerous types to choose from. You’ll want to select the one that works best for the look you're trying to achieve and the needs of your family.

Types
There are two types of interior paint: oil-based paint and water-based or latex paint. Here are the pros and considerations of each type.

Latex or Water-Based Paint
Pros: The vast majority of interior paint is latex or water based. Latex paint is easy to clean, dries quickly and is less odorous than oil-based paint. It also comes in numerous finishes.
Considerations: Brush strokes show more easily on latex. It can also chip or peel on some surfaces, so it’s best to avoid in high-traffic areas.

Oil-Based Paint
Pros: Oil-based paint provides a hard, durable and smooth finish. It’s resistant to nicks and scratches. It works well on cabinetry in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms. 
Considerations: The dry time for oil-based paints is much longer than latex paint. It also has a strong odor and high VOCs. Clean-up is more difficult and will require mineral spirits or solvents that also emit strong odors.

Specialty Paints
There are several other types of interior paint to consider.

• Keep track of your to-do list by adding a chalkboard wall.
• Use magnetic paint in an office or to display your child’s artwork.
• Chalky paint gives an antique-like finish to furniture.
• Use mildew-resistant paints in moisture-prone areas like bathrooms, basements, kitchens and laundry rooms.
• Use metallic paint on home accessories to add a gold, silver or copper finish.
• Mimic the look of a Mediterranean villa with lime-washed walls in a bathroom or living space.

Before choosing your paint, think about where your room fits into the scheme of things. Where's it situated in relation to other rooms? Is it a high- or low-traffic area? What do you want to accentuate? The type of paint finish you choose makes a world of difference in the end.

Flat
Flat paint is the best paint for ceilings, areas where surface imperfections might be visible and anywhere a muted, low-reflecting surface is desired. Because it takes more effort to clean, a flat finish is ideal for the low-traffic areas of your home.

Satin or Eggshell
Use satin or eggshell paint on areas where you want a slight sheen. It's easier to clean than flat paint and great for hallways, living rooms and bedrooms.

Semi-Gloss or Gloss
Use semi-gloss paint for kitchens and bathrooms. Choose gloss for banisters, railings, shelves, door jambs and windowsills. Also, keep in mind that the higher the gloss, the more it emphasizes any surface imperfections.

Natural and artificial light can affect how a paint color looks in a room. Cooler tones usually look better with northern light, while southern light can enhance warm tones.

Undertones
Know the undertones of a color. Warm colors have red, yellow or pink undertones. Warm neutrals are often used in living and dining spaces. Cool colors have green, blue or violet undertones. You'll often find cool tones used in bedrooms and bathrooms. If you're unsure of an undertone, place a sheet of white paper next to the paint chip. You'll start to see undertones of red, blue, yellow or green come through.

Paint Samples
The best way to see if a color will work is to try it in your home. Buy several paint samples and paint them on the wall or a piece of drywall or cardboard. Place the color samples in the room and look at them in different light throughout the day.

Other Tips

• Don’t be afraid to paint bold and bright. If your room is unfurnished, a vibrant color can fill it until you can.
• Think about your favorite colors. Often times, the colors you enjoy wearing make you feel good. You’re the one who has to live with the color, so live with the shades you love.
•  If you’ve already chosen décor or if you’re working with a room that’s already furnished, focus on a favorite fabric color, piece of art, furniture or other objects.

Lowe’s Color Matching
Have something unique but can’t match the color? No problem. Lowe’s offers free computerized paint matching and custom color mixing to give you the best paint for your indoor spaces.

If you’re trying to determine how much paint you’ll need, here are a couple of general rules to keep in mind.

• A quart of paint covers approximately 100 square feet.
• A gallon of paint covers approximately 400 square feet.

Use our paint calculator to figure out how much paint is needed for your job.

Other factors that affect the amount of paint needed include:

• If you're using a primer
• If the surface is rough or porous
• If you're using budget paint or a higher quality paint
• If multiple coats are required
• If you’re going from a dark color to a light one

Now that you’ve selected your paint, you’ll need to choose the best primer for the job. Priming is an important step in the painting process because it helps prepare the wall by providing a uniform base to which the paint will adhere. It'll create a long-lasting and durable paint job, while also insuring color accuracy.

The best primer to use depends on the wall surface and the paint you’ll be using. Primer is used to hide stains, cover bare drywall and to create a neutral base when drastically changing colors (ex. going from a dark color to a light color.) For more on choosing the right primer, read our Primer Buying Guide.

How-To Help
Learn how to prime drywall and other surfaces.
Prep to paint a room.

High-quality paint performs better for a longer period. It’s less prone to yellow as it ages, goes on smoother and won’t leave brush marks. It’s also easier to clean and is dirt-resistant. Premium paint may cost more up front, but it lasts longer and holds up better than a budget paint.

Low-VOC or No-VOC Paint
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are harmful chemicals that are released as paint dries. Different kinds of paint have different VOC levels. Low-VOC or zero-VOC paints are safer for your health and the environment. Be sure to read the label to ensure you’re getting a low-VOC or no-VOC paint.

Consider the Price
Because different paints have different glosses, sheens and colors, their prices vary. Flat paint is usually the cheapest, eggshell is in the middle and semi-gloss or gloss comes in at the most expensive.

Now that you've selected the best paint for your project, it's important to purchase the right tools to get the job done. Here are a few items we recommend that you have on hand.

Prep Tools
Pick up painter’s tape, drop cloths, sandpaper and paint trays.

Application Tools
Purchase brushes and rollers. If you have a large job, consider purchasing a paint sprayer.

Cleaning Supplies
Once you're finished painting, you'll need a bucket, soap and rags. If you're using oil-based paint, purchase mineral spirits.

Selecting the right interior paint for your bedroom, bathroom or living space is important. The quality of the paint is the foundation for any space. You'll also need the right paint applicators to ensure a flawless finish. Lowe's has the best interior paint selection and tools to get the job done. Shop online or visit your local Lowe's store.