How Often Should You Paint Your House

How Often Should You Paint Your House

We provide you with a comprehensive analysis by our painting experts to answer how often should a house be repainted and why.

Exteriors & interiors

Does exterior paint gets depreciated faster?

It is a common belief that exterior paint depreciates faster than interior paints since exterior paints are exposed to harsh climatic conditions. However, it is a myth. Exterior paints are manufactured keeping climatic conditions in mind and are more durable as they are imbued with additives thus making them weather resistant.

Generally interior and exterior paints can last for 5 years if they are of average quality. However, people mostly decide to get the house repainted owing to just get a fresh look rather than a real need for repaint.

For areas where the humidity level is high or those regions that tend to get heavy rainfall, exterior paints tend to deteriorate fast and repainting protects against mold and mildew.

Primary plastering

Smooth plastering for a better finish

We would like you to know that while getting the house repainted, one must not forget that layers of putty and plastering are required before putting the actual paint. The sturdiness of paint depends upon the quality of plastering and leveling on the walls. The evener and smoother the plastering, the longer the paint shall last making your walls beautiful.

The durability of the painting differs as per the geographic locations and climatic conditions. For example, in places like Mumbai, sand, which has high absorbing power, is used for plastering walls so as to protect the walls from salty water and marine climatic conditions. However, it produces cracks on the exterior walls within a short time span.

Usage

How often are the walls touched in the house?

The wear and tear of wall paint is directly proportional to its use. The more you touch or wash the walls, the paint deteriorates. This is a key factor in deciding when the house should be painted. Frequent touching and washing makes the paint fade away and leaves greasy marks on the walls making them look ugly. Just glance at your ceilings, The paint up there shall be more fresh than the paint on your walls since ceilings are never touched or washed.

However, not all parts of the house or rooms are used equally. The living room, kitchen, and bathrooms are more much-used spaces than the bedrooms, hence, wall paint deteriorates much faster in these high-used areas. The walls of the rooms that are scarcely used are usually clean and can last well beyond the five-year tenure.

Inhabitants

A house inhabited by children tends to get its wall paint fade faster when compared to a house inhabited by adults only. Scribbling on the walls by kids makes the wall paint dirty. Also, kids are in the habit of touching the walls frequently and need to be washed to get the marks off thus making the paint wear off. The solution lies in opting for high washability paints which can delay the fading to some extent.

Kinds of paint

What kind of paint should be used?

Selecting the right type of paint for your walls is extremely important. Opting for a cheaper paint may save you a few bucks initially, however, it shall wear off in a short time span forcing you to repaint again which shall add up to a hefty amount. Hence going in for good paints is advisable. Though the pricing for such paints is a bit high, the durability of such paints can save you the burden of frequent painting. Distemper and emulsion paints are a wise choice.

Colors

Should one opt for darker shades as they tend to last longer?

It is a common belief that dark shades last longer, however, this is nothing but a myth. Dark shades tend to deteriorate fast. Also, dark shades need more coats of paint, thus increasing the per square foot cost of painting. Dark shades are best suited for rooms with plenty of natural light as such shades absorb light. Lighter shades make the room brighter as they reflect light. Consult professional interior designers if you have any questions.

So chose your paints wisely and make your house lively!