House Painting Mythbusters: Painting houses is anything but simple. In fact – numerous myths and misconceptions about house painting exist in the public concessioness. We are paint experts here at Carroll Painting so today we will be painting over those myths with the truth! Here are ten house painting myths.

Paint Myths

1. You do not need to use primer if you use multiple coats of paint. Primer is an essential part of the painting process. Primer helps paint stick to walls and there are different kinds of primer for different surfaces including wood, metal, plastic, or plaster. If you skip the primer step the final product will suffer immensely. 
2. Adding essential oil to paint will improve its smell and prevent nausea from paint fumes. Most modern paints are odderless so adding ingredients to them to improve the smell is unnecessary and it can void the paint’s warranty. If the smell of the paint is bothering you instead consider opening windows and doors to air out the room being painted.
3. Paint can be saved for later. Many families have cans upon cans of open paint cans sitting in their garage or attic. However opened cans of paint do not maintain their quality overtime so it may be time to throw out your old paint can collection. 
4. You should not paint the exterior of a house during cold weather. This is a piece of advice that has been rendered a myth by technological advances. Once upon a time it was generally a commonly accepted rule that painting in the cold would lead to thick paint that wouldn’t spread evenly or easily. Thankfully modern paint formulations do ot have this problem. The paint manufacturer Benjamin Moore, for instance, certifies that it is acceptable to paint with their product between the temperature range of 35 degrees Fahrenheit and 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Zero VOC paint actually has zero volatile organic compounds. Zero VOC (volatile organic compound) paint does have less off-gassing than traditional paint but it still contains trace levels of VOCs. As long as paint has less than 5 grams per liter of VOCs it can be marketed as zero VOC paint.
6. Any brand can color-match any paint even if it is produced by a different company. It is understandable that shrewd homeowners would want to take a paint swatch from an expensive brand and find that exact color from a cheaper brand. Unfortunately paint companies have proprietary formulas and incompatible color systems so it is impossible to find exact color matches between different brands of paint.
7. You can use paint meant for your walls on your floors as well. Unfortunately wall paints are not designed to withstand the wear and tear of people constantly walking across your floor. If you paint your floor with wall paint it will get worn and dirty very quickly. You really do need to buy separate kinds of paint for walls, floors, railing, and other elements; it is not just a marketing gimmick.
8. Finding the best color for your home is overwhelming. Here at Carroll Painting we can help you pick the perfect paint color without stress or inconvenience. 
9. You do not need to paint your house before attempting to sell it. Paining should be a top priority before your next move. A fresh coat of paint makes your house more attractive to prospective buyers and increases the amount they would be willing to pay for it.

Painting your home can be a deceptively complicated process but we are here to male that process easier for you. Whenever it is time for you to paint again be sure to call Carroll Painting for all of your Colorado painting needs!