Myth busting: 5 myths about paint

So you're getting organised to throw on your overalls and get painting but you feel overwhelmed with what colour palette, sheen, or primer to use? Whether this is your first time picking up a brush, or you’re a seasoned DIYer, you may be harbouring some long held painting myths. Technology in paint has come a long way and with it, preconceived notions about colour and paint application need to change. Doing this can save your wallet and time. To help cut through the noise, we break down the top five painting myths and how to paint like a pro.

Myth #1 Dark colours make a room appear small

While colour plays a large role in the look and feel of a room, this is indeed a myth. The truth is that there are many factors that influence the perceived size of a room. Lighting, or lack thereof, is often the main culprit.

The popular myth is that dark colours will always make a room feel smaller, but this is usually due to dark colours being paired with large ornate furniture and décor. When executed well, dark colours can in fact make a room appear larger. Sometimes lighter colours can be a major factor in making a room feel tight and restricting – ever been in an all-white room with florescent lighting that felt small and clinical? Exactly. If you are looking to open up your space, read our blog on how to use lighting to your advantage, as well as our colour picks for creating the appearance of a larger room here.

Myth #2 Dark colours require more coats of paint

Dark colours really get a bad rap with paint myths, but they should be embraced because done right they give a room an elegant feel. Another common myth around dark colours is that they require more coats of paint to achieve the right saturation and therefore are more expensive to use. This may have been years ago or with cheaper brands of paint, however, if you select to use a primer and in some circumstances, tinted slightly darker for the correct basis for certain colours, then all you will need is the standard one coat of Taubmans 3-in-1, then two coats of your top coat such as Endure Interior Walls.

Myth #3 Prepping is optional

Prepping? Optional. This is one of the most common painting myths. Prepping is what separates an obvious DIY job from a well-executed job. If you’ve managed to keep your walls relatively free of cracks and paint chips, you may be tempted to skip the primer and jump straight into applying the paint. This would not be advisable as the primer is an essential ingredient in ensuring the paint sticks well and stays durable. If you need help on how to correctly prep a range of surfaces, see our prepping walls guide.

Myth #4 You need a warm, sunny day to paint your home

This myth holds some truth to it - while a warm, sunny day is ideal, it is not necessarily needed. The reason this advice exists is because paint has ideal temperature ranges to aid the application and setting process. Those temperature ranges vary depending on if your are using exterior or interior paint. Weather that is too warm, could make the paint show excessive brush marks and even blister. While weather that is too cold and wet, will effect the drying process. Painting in humidity can also cause issues in how consistent the paint will dry, so maintaining warm, dry air is more important to the process than worrying if the sun is shining.

Myth #5 High gloss paint is the most durable.

Like all myths, they often stem from some truth. High gloss paint was the paint of choice for high traffic areas, like hallways. While this remains true, there are pros and cons to a high gloss. For instance, it highlights surface imperfections, and requires extra preparation such as priming when recoating (if opting for a water based product over an oil based) or by ensuring you recoat with another oil based product (if recoating over an old oil based enamel and if you wish to avoid the need for a primer). This is as long as the surface is in relatively good condition, with no cracks and patch work and ensuring you give high gloss surfaces a light sand to improve paint adhesion.
High gloss paint reflects a lot of light and cleans up easier than other sheens. The myth here is that high gloss is the only option for these high traffic areas or frequently touched and knocked surfaces like doors or trims.

The truth is, thanks to advances in paint technology, today you can drop to a lower sheen level such as semi-gloss or even low sheen and opt for an enamel like Taubmans Ultimate Enamel, without compromising on durability. The Ultimate Enamel product is a hybrid and although flows and performs like an oil based enamel, is in fact water based, with a quicker drying time than an oil based and a water wash up.

Now you have a little more clarity on making your next paint project work for you, enjoy getting creative with your choice of colour palettes. Check out our 2021 colour collection Chromatic Joy, for colour inspiration and even order a test pot of your favourite colour via Coloursmith. Happy painting!