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An exterior paint is made to withstand the elements because the weather can cause many problems if the paint's viscosity isn't up to par. The sun can cause the color to fade, and the rain and snow can cause moisture buildup which may lead to cracking, peeling, and mold and mildew problems. A mid-grade and "best" paint found in any store that sells paint will usually contain in its "recipe" certain things to withstand all of these problems and will last anywhere from 10 years to the lifetime of the paint against peeling, cracking, and fading. These paints will also have a mildew resistance to them that will last three to five years, as well.

When one reads about this kind of durability, they might think that an exterior paint could be a wonderful solution to their interior painting needs because of its amazing durability. An area that people typically consider an exterior paint for is a bathroom because it's prone to constant moisture and humidity. Moisture and humidity can make interior surfaces prone to the same problems you may deal with on your exterior surfaces because moisture buildup may lead to cracking, peeling, and mold and mildew problems. These are very common in a bathroom and will occur because of poor ventilation. Poor ventilation can be either from a window not being present in the room, or the bathroom fan isn't being properly utilized.

Knowing that interior surfaces can have the same problems as exterior surfaces, you may want to turn towards an exterior paint to solve the problem because of its wonderful benefits of withstanding the elements, but this isn't a good solution. In fact, an exterior paint can cause more harm than good by using it indoors because of the VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds), or what's commonly referred to as paint fumes that it gives off.

Paint fumes are not just something that is considered bad for the environment, they are harmful to human beings and animals. These VOC's are known to cause "sick building syndrome" and some common symptoms are headaches, lightheadedness, and nausea to name a few. These fumes won't just "go away" after a few hours in an enclosed area. In many cases it can take days, weeks, or even months and most people that I've known who have used exterior paint inside the home, wound up re-painting the surface with an interior paint because they couldn't stand the fumes any longer.

There are specific things you must do before you re-paint an interior surface that was already painted with an exterior paint. A paint specialist can help, but it is usually recommended to remove as much of the old paint as possible, sand the surface, wash and dry the surface, and then apply a stain-blocking primer to the walls like KILZ before you paint. This type of primer will put a barrier between the old paint and the new paint.

A better solution for "problem" rooms like a bathroom, is to paint with an interior paint that's specifically made for humid areas. Some specialty paint stores will carry a kitchen and bathroom paint, while other stores will suggest a high quality semi-gloss or gloss paint. Both paints will usually give you a three to five year mildew resistance and be washable and scrubbable. Excess moisture in a bathroom can also be remedied by using the fan during your shower and leaving it on for at least a half an hour after your shower. If you have a window present in the bathroom, you can also open it to release some of the humidity that causes moisture build-up.

Learn more about this author, Kimberley Linstruth-Beckom.
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