Interior paint buying guide: How to choose the best paint for your home

Types of interior paint

One of the most important decisions you'll need to make when buying interior paint is choosing a sheen. The sheen refers to the amount of light that reflects off the paint's surface, and the right sheen for you will depend on the area of the home you're painting and how you want it to look.

• Flat

  This low-gloss finish can hide minor imperfections but isn't great at resisting stains. It creates a soft and subtle finish and is best for ceilings, walls and other low-traffic areas.

• Matt (or matte)

  Offering a little more gloss but still providing a smooth finish, matte paint is suitable for walls and low-traffic areas.

• Eggshell

  Providing a smooth, low-sheen finish, eggshell is easy to clean and offers decent stain resistance. It's often used in living rooms, dining rooms, hallways and adults' bedrooms.

• Satin or silk

  These have a mid-sheen finish that offers increased durability compared to matt but is not as durable as a gloss finish. Suitable for dining and living rooms, it can also be used in high-traffic or messy areas such as hallways and kids' bedrooms.

• Semi-gloss

  Simple to clean and with a high level of resistance to stains, semi-gloss paints are used in kitchens, bathrooms and hallways and on interior trim.

• Gloss

  Offering maximum stain and moisture resistance, these highly reflective sheens are used on skirting boards, door frames, furniture, kitchens and bathrooms.

How to compare interior paint

To find the best interior paint for your project, consider the room you're painting, the type of finish you want and your budget. It's essential that you choose a paint that suits the area you're painting. While your bathroom will need a moisture-resistant paint, kids' bedrooms and hallways need hard-wearing paint that's easy to clean. Kitchen paint should be moisture-resistant but also capable of withstanding grease and other stains.

Make sure you take the following factors into account:

Additional features

• Size. Paint tin sizes tend to range from 1-15 litres, and most manufacturers will also offer 2L, 4L and 10L options (and possibly others) in between. Consider the size of the area you're painting, the spreading rate and the number of coats needed to ensure you buy enough paint for your job.
• Drying time. If you need to get your job done quickly, choose a paint with quick drying time. Some can dry in as little as 20-30 minutes while others take hours.< li>
• Primer or undercoat? Check what sort of primer and/or undercoat is needed for any paint you plan on choosing. This will help remove imperfections, ensure that the paint adheres to the surface and provide more even coverage. Some interior paints are self-priming, which means you won't have to apply a separate product first.
• Price. High-quality paints can be double or even triple the price of budget offerings, but you generally get what you pay for. The price of a 4L can will generally range from $40 to $110, but remember to consider the spreading rate and the number of coats required when calculating value for money.High-quality paints typically require fewer coats and will last longer. Of course, a high price tag doesn't necessarily mean quality paint, so shop around to find something suitable.

How to choose a paint colour

Finding the right interior paint colour is a time-consuming process and is often the source of many marital disagreements. These tips should help you find a shade that's just right:

• Use tester pots. Don't just splash out on a 15L can without first checking whether it's what you want, as a colour will never look the same in the tin as it does on your wall. Buying a small can will let you try out paint to see how it looks before making a long-term commitment.
• Look at things in a new light. Lighting can affect how a colour looks, so step outside the store into natural light to get a different view. When using a sample pot, paint a swatch on a large sheet of heavy paper so you can move it around and see how it looks against your decor at different times of day.
• The colour sets the mood. Make sure you're aware of the effects colour has on the atmosphere of a room. For example, while a bold and vibrant colour might give your living room the punch you want, it may not be the best choice in your bedroom if you're trying to create a relaxing retreat.
• Work with what you've got. Consider the interior decor and furniture that will need to complement your colour scheme, as well as how the colour you choose will fit in with the rest of your home.

While choosing the right interior paint for your project can be a challenge, researching the available options and then shopping around will help you make the right decision. If you want to buy interior paint to freshen up your home, start comparing your options today.