9 Best Paints for Interior Walls

Buying Paint for Interior Walls

When it comes to updating the interior of your home, there’s no simpler or more affordable way to refresh a room than with a new coat of paint. Although paint color choice is extremely important to the overall effect, it’s just as important to choose the right paint product to ensure the best results possible.

We asked Ryan Berry, the owner and principal visionary at Form, a custom home builder in Saratoga Springs, New York, to help us run down the top things to look for in an interior wall paint:

• Coverage: This depends on several factors including paint quality, application method, sheen and contrast between previous wall color. If you’re planning to apply a lighter color over a darker one, Berry says “you may need more coats or a tinted primer.”
• Viscosity: This relates to a paint’s thickness and structure (solid count). The higher the count, the less dripping and splattering you can expect.
• Durability: In high-traffic areas, choose a scrubbable paint so you can remove scuffs and fingerprints. Sheen often goes hand-in-hand with how washable paint is (i.e., glossy more than flat).
• Sheen: Gloss, semi-gloss, eggshell, satin (pearl) and matte (flat). The further up the shine spectrum you go, the more imperfections you might see.
• Low toxicity (VOCs): Wet paint emits certain amounts of fumes. Low and non-VOC paints reduce unhealthy off-gassing.
• Budget: We’re all for saving money. However, some less expensive paints are diluted with extenders, resulting in less-than-optimal coverage. As with most things, Berry says “You get what you pay for.”

Revamping a room? Check out our list of the best paints for interior walls.