Choosing the Best Paint for Your Exterior Commercial Structures

From interior to exterior surfaces, few projects are the same, which means you will need different paints to handle every type of structure. For example, you wouldn’t use the same paint for interior jobs as you would for exterior work.

At IPS Paint Supplies, we have years of experience in advising clients on which are the best types of paint for their exterior commercial structures. And there are some key things we’d like to share with you before you decide which paint is the most suitable for your external surfaces.

Things You Need to Know

Firstly, we’d like to point out the top three things which you need to take into account prior to choosing paint for external structures:

Cost is usually a good indication of how durable your paint will be and how good it will look on your surfaces. If there is a bargain basement price tag on it, just remember that you get what you pay for!
Choosing high-quality paints will add value to your project because they look fantastic and will last a long time too.
Sunlight will diminish gloss and colour, but higher quality paint will not lose its colour or gloss as quickly as paints of a lesser quality.

Before you start your paint job, you need to take into consideration that paint serves a number of purposes. Most importantly, it protects surfaces, adding longevity to the life of an external structure. Another important reason paint is applied to outdoor surfaces is for aesthetic reasons, which is why choosing the right colours can enhance your structure’s appearance, giving your property a sudden boost of curb appeal.

When it comes to choosing the right type of paint, you need to be mindful that different paint manufacturers use different terminologies, making the process a bit difficult if you don’t know what to look out for. It’s worth noting that most paint types are made up of six ingredients as follows: base, pigment, filler/extender, binder, thinner/solvent and various additives that improve the quality of the paint for special situations.

On top of that, there are 20 different types of paint, from latex to oil to enamel and many other types in between, each having a specific purpose.

Choosing the Right Paint for Your Exterior Structures

Choosing the right paint requires knowing the type of surface you’re going to cover. Various paints will mesh differently depending on the surface. For example, if you painted drywall with a paint made for that surface, that same paint probably won’t be as effective on wood. Paint used on cement will differ from paint used for metal surfaces.

Most exterior paint is made with chemicals that make them durable and capable to withstand the elements. Leading manufacturers have formulated exterior paint so that it will adhere to surfaces extremely well, is fungus and mildew resistant and won’t fade quickly in the sun.

The fumes and potentially harmful chemicals in the exterior paint dissipate fast outdoors and do not present a risk to humans or animals. These are the most significant characteristics of exterior paint:

Exterior paint provides protection against the elements, including ultraviolet radiation, which can quickly fade paint that isn’t made for exterior uses.
As exterior paint cures, it releases unsafe VOCs.
Most exterior paint requires sunlight to cure.
It is resistant to water and chipping.
Resins used in exterior paint are softer, allowing them to expand in the heat without cracking.
It contains fungicides to prevent growth build up.

IPS Paints for Your Commercial Paint Supplies

The specialist team at IPS Paint Supplies can help with advice and guidance for all your exterior surface commercial paint requirements. Call us today on the number below or pop into our shop at Unit 2, St John’s Court, Upper Fforest Way, Enterprise Park, Swansea, SA6 8QQ