All About Painting and Staining

Your interior and exterior walls can take on a variety of looks when you know about painting and staining. For one, painting doesn’t always mean a single, flat finish to a wall, just like staining doesn’t only apply to patio wood. Here is a look at some great painting and staining ideas to speak to your home painters about.

Sponging Verses Stenciling

There are multiple ways to put designs on your wall, all you must decide is if you want something orderly or random. Sponging uses a sponge to apply or remove some paint. This gives a random, speckled look that can mimic different natural textures. Stenciling uses a cutout shape which can be repeated as desired. The ordered look can be classical or modern, depending on the kind of cutout and color you use.

Opaque Verses Semi-Transparent

With staining, you will need to let your painters know if you want to see the wood grain or not. An opaque stain won’t hide that you have wood, but it will cover the wood grain. For some visible tree lines, a semi-transparent stain does the job. Stains that allow the wood grain to show are more common in exterior painting.

Interior Verses Exterior

With exterior and interior painting, there is always a question of durability. In your living room, you don’t have to worry about rain, snow or intense sunlight. However, your bathroom would need mold-resistant paint since steam is an issue. A patio or other exterior surface needs extra protection, so ask about moisture resistance and sealant.

To learn more about the variety of interior and exterior painting and staining options, talk to your local painters. Always communicate your desires for a painting project and ask questions along the way. Together, you and your painter can pick the right color, style and finish that will last and complement your existing decor.