Ever wondered about different paint types and which is best suited for each room? There is a big variety of paint types available in stores now days, with little information on what works best and where. I hope this list helps you in your painting adventures.

Flat latex - This is a water-based paint, easy to work with and low odor. It will dry with a dull matte finish. Walls and ceilings are good areas to use this paint, but will show scuffs and marks a little easier than some paints. A gallon can will cover approximately 650 sq. ft.

Vinyl flat latex - This is a water-based paint and more hard wearing than flat latex. It dries with a wipeable matte finish. This is good for all walls and low wear areas. The matte finish can conceal wall imperfections better than a shinier paint. This will also cover approximately 650 sq. ft.

Vinyl gloss latex - This is a water-based paint as well. Its very practical since it's wipeable and even washable. It dries with a high sheen. This is good for all walls and ceilings. It's especially good for bathrooms and kitchens since it's so easy to clean. A gallon will cover approximately 620 sq. ft.

Semi-gloss - These tend to be oil based but there are acrylic versions now too. Semi-glosses tend to be low odor and more user friendly than some paints, as well dry with a medium shininess. It is good for all walls and ceilings, especially higher traffic areas. As with the others, a gallon will cover approximately 650 sq. ft.

Quick-drying semigloss - This is a water-based acrylic paint. Some of these will have anti-molding agents mixed into them. It is also a low odor and quick drying paint. This paint dries with a medium sheen. This paint is also great for all walls and ceilings and due to its anti-molding agents, great for areas like bathrooms and kitchens due to moistures. This paint covers approximately 620 sq. ft. per gallon.

Textured - This is a great paint for those that want to add more character to their walls. It is a water-based paint, can be left plain or painted and dries with a thick matte finish. Great for covering poor surfaces and cracks. It is a very hard wearing paint. This paint only covers approximately 200 sq. ft. on average.

Additional paint tips:

• Using oil based paints on walls is a lot more work to cover if you ever choose to repaint. It will require several coats of a strong primer to cover before painting with a new color.
   
• I personally recommend Behr Primer and Paint in One. It cuts the work with repainting rooms in half with the primer and paint color mixed for you. I can honestly say we covered dark purple and navy as well as bright neon green in our home (previous owners) in two coats vs. two coats of primer and two to three coats of paint.
   
• Always measure out the room you plan on painting and calculate the amount of paint you will need, (counting two coats),so you don't have to make multiple trips to get more paint. On average most paints require two coats for solid coverage.
   
• Always calculate for a little more than you expect to need. You never know when you will need a little touch up paint, and even though you know what color you have, each can of paint mixed can be slightly off from the previous.
   
• If your project takes more than one gal. of paint, consider pouring all of your gal. cans into one five gallon bucket and mixing, then if your cans of paint have a shade varience, you will keep the paint exactly the same shade throughout the room.
   
• Make sure to spackle any nail holes or noticable imperfections at least a few days before. Once it dries you will need to go back with a light sandpaper and smooth it down. Sometimes it requires more than one layer to smooth out your rough spots, so make sure you have plenty of time before painting to do this.
   
• Don't forget to get plenty of painters tape. Painters tape is your friend. It takes some time putting it up, but it will save you cleanup and trimwork afterward.
   
• Make  sure to keep a small bucket with water and a few rags in it, to more quickly wipe off paint that gets anywhere you don't want it to.
   
• Choose your paint brushes and rollers based on your wall type. If you have any questions most knowledgable paint specialists can recommend the correct types to you. (Smooth walls low nap rollers, rough or textured walls long nap rollers). Sponge brushes work great vs. bristle brushes for smoother painting (and they are very cheap).

I hope this article comes in handy before you start your next painting project! Happy painting!