When you’re designing your home, the first place you start is with paint. Paint has a power that is unlike anything else. It can define a style, create a mood, and transform a space. Paint is everything!! If you need a refresh, paint is the jumping off point. But guys, paint is SO MUCH MORE than just color.
We’ve talked about picking colors, and my recipe for the perfect white paint. We’ve talked about how to prep new walls for paint and get all of the drywall dust off. We’ve talked about practical application and how to paint. So today we’re diving into using the right kind of paint for the job.
It’s really easy to stop into your local hardware store and buy the cheapest paint they’ve got right? Before you do that, there is so much more that you need to know!! Different paint lines have different formulations for use. If you use the wrong kind (or a lower quality formula) you’re potentially setting yourself up for a world of hurt. I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen!!
First things first, go to . The folks behind the counter know EVERYTHING and have saved me multiple times from making big mistakes. Like the time I called and asked about painting vinyl exterior moulding and found out that 1. it shouldn’t really be painted, and 2. if I painted it black the heat from the sun would melt it. Did you know this?! I didn’t! But Sam from Sherwin-Williams sure did. Can you imagine putting all of the exterior trim up on the front of the Merc, get it painted and watch it distort and droop? Gah!!!
Depending on what you’re painting (walls, trim, furniture, doors, exterior, interior, cabinets, floors, etc. etc.) there are different types of paint. Paint is not one size fits all, and if you’ve ever had a paint fail from using the wrong type, you TOTALLY know what I’m talking about. (Furniture that is slightly sticky I’m looking at you!) So what is the right type for the job?!
On the walls at the Merc we used Emerald Interior Acrylic Latex. It’s been my go to paint type for the last 5 years. I?? LOVE?? IT??. It’ low VOC, has great coverage, the finish on the walls is flawless, and the best part, all of the sheen finishes are washable, even the flat! (Traditionally the lower the sheen the easier paint washes off when you’re wiping your walls, but that isn’t the case with Emerald Interior). I don’t love wall texture, so having a matte finish is a big deal to me, but so is being able to wipe dirty handprints off. Hello best of both worlds!
For our doors and trim we used Sherwin-Williams new Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel and IT. CHANGED. MY. LIFE. Have you ever seen doors or trim work where the paint peels when it gets dinged or it doesn’t feel hard? That is because the wrong kind of paint was used! Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel has a finish like oil-based paint without all of the downsides of actually using oil-based paint. We used a Satin finish on the doors and trim and I am so over the moon happy with it. I’ve got a whole post just about this paint coming up because it is perfect for anything with heavy use like cabinets, furniture, etc. So stay tuned for that!
For the exterior of the Merc we used Emerald Exterior Acrylic Latex. Exterior paint is formulated for durability, and protection against fading, peeling and blistering.
Have you ever seen a door or shutters that have faded? The door at our family cabin was painted with regular paint and after less than a year has faded from olive green to a muddy yellow brown. Using such saturated colors at the Merc, fading would be the absolute worst! Emerald Exterior is a really thick consistency and settles to a smooth finish, just make sure that the weather isn’t too hot or cold while you’re using it because that can inhibit the drying process.
Using the right paint will make all the difference in the world on your projects! If you have any questions leave them below and I’m happy to help! And of course, you should also visit your local Sherwin-Williams store for recommendations from the experts.
I’d like to thank Sherwin-Williams for believing in my vision and supporting and sponsoring the Merc renovation.
Hi! It looks like you used a sprayer to apply paint to your doors? Which one did you use and did you need to do anything (like dilute it) to the Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel to make it work?
Thank you!
We recently sprayed new cabinet fronts with SW Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel and were told by the sales guys that dilution was not necessary but we could dilute if we thought it worked better with our sprayer. We ended up adding just a touch of water, maybe 5% to thin it a smidge for the sprayer and it worked SO well. We are extremely pleased with how it turned out and smoothed itself out as it dried 🙂
What color black did you use for your doors and trim?
I actually purchased this paint in black to repaint my doors. Some haven’t been repainted since we moved in and others are chipping after I used Solo, recommended by a SW sales person. Was not happy with that paint. I’m glad to hear this one turned out well. Did you prime the doors first?
Thank you for this post! I have been wanting to paint all my exterior doors but wasn’t sure what kind of paint to use. I have only had bad experiences with exterior paint so I will for sure be trying this!
I have pre-primed shiplap on a wall surrounding my built in oven microwave combo that I need to paint. Worried about grease/smoke heat coming from oven and don’t know what paint to use and don’t want a shiny finish. Thanks for any help