Who would have thought that a simple coat of paint has the potential to make a significant impact on your customers, your workplace, or your company’s branding?
Paints are essential utilities to protect and beautify buildings. Although it doesn’t seem like it, paints do help maintain the structural integrity of any building. This is why interior painting in the Bay Area is an important task, and you should do it at regular intervals.
Different renovations may call for different types of paint and application methods. This article lists a few available types of paint and their finishes that you should consider for your commercial painting.
The best types of paints for interior walls
1) Latex paints
Latex paints are currently the most popular choice for interior walls for many reasons. They are the most available, inexpensive, and budget-friendly. They also come in an extensive range of colors and finishes.
Latex paints contain synthetic binders such as acrylic resin and polyvinyl acetate. They are easy to apply and spread, dry and cure fast, and clean easily with soap and water. On the flip side, latex paints are less durable than other paints and cannot hold up well to moisture and humidity. These are the reasons why latex paints are used for low- to medium-traffic areas, such as conference rooms, waiting areas, and bedrooms (for multi-family homes like apartments and condominiums).
2) Acrylic paint
Acrylic paints are almost the same as latex in terms of composition and use. The only difference is that acrylic paints contain greater amounts of acrylic polymers than latex. These properties give acrylic paints a thicker and more viscous consistency, which make these paints more durable, flexible, and long-lasting than latex – and thus, more expensive. But like latex, acrylic paints are easy to clean with soap and water.
These factors make acrylic paints the better option for painting hallways, back rooms, kitchens, restrooms, conference rooms, offices, and much more. Acrylic paints are versatile in that they can be used on any surface – wood, metal, vinyl, and even glass. Be sure the surface is clean and free from dust, oil, grease, or wax.
3) Emulsion paint
In most emulsion paints, water is the primary medium where the pigment, binders, and other ingredients are added and continue to be dispersed. Polymers are the binders that give emulsion paints (and other paints like acrylic and epoxy) structure and continuous flow.
Emulsion paints are non-toxic, highly durable, long-lasting, and resistant to cleaning and scrubbing. They also dry fast, benefiting anyone planning to open a business. Emulsion paints are flexible; they are not prone to cracks and chipping.
4) Enamel paint
Enamel paints can be water-based or oil-based. Once dry, enamel paints form a hard, durable, and usually glossy coating resistant to moisture, oil, grease, and chemicals, making the surface easy to clean.
Enamel paints can be applied to interior walls, flooring, metals, glass, and masonry. You can even use enamel paints on pieces of furniture or other items. However, they take longer to dry, which may slow down one’s business.
The best paint finishes for interior walls.
When painting your interior commercial spaces, choosing the right finish is as important as choosing the right color. The type of paint you choose can significantly affect your customers’ impression and workplace morale.
When choosing a paint finish, it’s essential to consider the amount of traffic a commercial space gets regularly and how often it will require cleaning. Commercial painters in the Bay Area can help you find the best paint finish for your interior commercial space:
1) Eggshell
The eggshell finish is among the most popular paint finish options for commercial painting projects. Compared to flat or matte, eggshell gives off a faint sheen and a smooth, durable finish that is resistant to moisture and scuffing. But unlike glossy paints, eggshell provides an excellent hide from surface marks. It is suitable for low- to medium-traffic areas such as offices, conference meeting rooms, webinar rooms, and common areas like break rooms.
2) Satin
The satin finish is another popular paint finish option for commercial painting projects. It offers a shiny and durable finish. It stands up well to everyday wear and tear as it is resistant to scuff marks, stains, scratches, and moisture. Satin gives a noticeable reflection, making it ideal for use in offices, break rooms, reception areas, etc.
3) Semi-gloss
Semi-gloss is shinier and more reflective than eggshell and satin. It is more durable and resistant to scratches, scuff marks, stains, water, oil, and grease. However, this finish can reveal surface flaws, such as dents and patches. You want to be careful to do good prep work before applying this paint finish.
Semi-gloss is ideal for areas with high traffic and humidity, such as hallways, break rooms, kitchens, pantry rooms, restrooms, storage areas, etc.
Choosing the right paints for your commercial property
The paints and paint finishes mentioned in this article are some excellent choices for commercial interior spaces. Each option has pros and cons; be sure you know them.
It is vital to understand that each type of paint has a different level of sheen. The higher the sheen level, the paint becomes shinier. This sheen increases durability, resistance to outside elements, and washability.
If you need help choosing the paints for your commercial spaces, contact painting contractors in the Bay Area. They will help you achieve a beautiful, functional space that works best for your customers and staff.
Call us at (510)-795-0903 to schedule an appointment to discuss your painting needs. You can also complete the Contact Us form for a free estimate.