# Best and durable type of paint for garage walls



## ZTMAN (Feb 19, 2015)

My garage side walls were covered with the brown peg board. About two years ago I wanted to paint them. Applied two coats of Zinsser Primer. After priming, I did not bother with a finish coat. Liked the color and the sheen of Zinsser. 

Fellows on hear said it may yellow since it is a primer, but so far so good. It has held up well, you can wipe it down , and still is a nice white, even over the brow peg board. 

Personally, if I was going to paint, I would apply eggshell and stay away from semi-gloss.


----------



## steppinthrax (Nov 29, 2010)

ZTMAN said:


> My garage side walls were covered with the brown peg board. About two years ago I wanted to paint them. Applied two coats of Zinsser Primer. After priming, I did not bother with a finish coat. Liked the color and the sheen of Zinsser.
> 
> Fellows on hear said it may yellow since it is a primer, but so far so good. It has held up well, you can wipe it down , and still is a nice white, even over the brow peg board.
> 
> Personally, if I was going to paint, I would apply eggshell and stay away from semi-gloss.


My biggest concern is an eggshell that can clean up with a rag etc.. I get cob webs and in a garage I deal with a lot of grease/oils. I use a grinder and may have to deal with splatter of grease. I don't want to have to touch up every few minutes. I'm planing to go with a dark grey etc...


----------



## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

2 coats of satin or semi-gloss enamel should do fine. IMO waterborne would be over kill [maybe I'm just cheap] I would stay away from the low end latex enamels as they are prone to chip and peel when hit with stuff.


----------



## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

Benjamin Moore, Scuff X is designed for walls that need an especially tough finish. Or Durapoxy from Kelly Moore, if you have any in your area. Waterborne alkyds are designed for trim, not really walls, I wouldnt use it. They would be very likely to run if rolled on a wall anyway. Manor Hall from PPG is pretty tough and durable too, though not quite to the level of Durapoxy or Scuff-x, but I would use it in your situation.

Washability is more based on paint quality than sheen. Even a quality flat paint will be more washable than a crappy eggshell. I would use a quality eggshell myself.


----------



## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

An exterior semi-gloss paint.

Pick a brand you think you might like.

Something to think about.
Why buy a 25 year paint when your going to repaint it in 5-6 years.


----------



## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Given a choice I wouldn't use an exterior paint inside the garage. Exterior paints don't dry to as hard a film so they can better withstand the elements. Nothing to gain buying exterior paint for inside use.


----------



## cocomonkeynuts (Jan 12, 2018)

ron45 said:


> *An exterior semi-gloss paint.*
> 
> Pick a brand you think you might like.
> 
> ...


LOL no. You want an interior paint.

ScuffX hands down.


----------



## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

Exterior paints are more expensive, are made for different environments, and can be toxic if used indoors.

Also, I dont know anyone who repaints their garage every 5 years either.


----------



## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Ya a garage is like a closet, everything else gets repainted but they get skipped more times than not.


----------



## steppinthrax (Nov 29, 2010)

Thanks guys. I was just recalculating my sqft it came out to around 768sq feet. I didn't subtract the two windows, entry door and double garage door. Assuming water borne alklyd has a coverage of around 400sqft per gallon, I figure I need around 3 gallons for 2 coats. 

So my question is if I were to go water based alklyd, what's the difference between this and simply oil based paint? Seems the only real advantage is the low VOC and low dry times. Can water borne alklyd be recoated with latex?

Thanks. 

Sent from my LG-LS777 using Tapatalk


----------



## cocomonkeynuts (Jan 12, 2018)

Don't use waterbased alkyd on your walls... asking for trouble using a paint not designed for walls. ScuffX or contractors grade stuff like ultraspec500


----------



## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

Just to answer a few..

Most garages don't have AC/Heat so I use an exterior paint.

Some customers for whatever reason like to paint between 3-5 years. And yes they like everything painted including the garage.
Window washing is done 1-2 times per year.

In my neck of the woods apartments have certain times to be painted.


----------



## cocomonkeynuts (Jan 12, 2018)

ron45 said:


> Just to answer a few..
> 
> * Most garages don't have AC/Heat so I use an exterior paint.*
> 
> ...



:vs_worry:


----------



## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

ron45 said:


> Just to answer a few..
> 
> Most garages don't have AC/Heat so I use an exterior paint.
> 
> ...


Exterior paints can contain mildecides that are toxic in interior spaces. Dont use it inside. There is NO reason whatsoever an exterior paint would be better in a garage. It costs more money, and hazardous to health.

I've seen hundreds upon hundreds of garages painted with cheap interior paint, some of them with 20-30 year old paint job and have never seen a single issue, aside from the occasional waterstain. Hot or cold has no effect on dry paint.


----------



## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

woodco said:


> Exterior paints can contain mildecides that are toxic in interior spaces. Dont use it inside. There is NO reason whatsoever an exterior paint would be better in a garage. It costs more money, and hazardous to health.
> 
> I've seen hundreds upon hundreds of garages painted with cheap interior paint, some of them with 20-30 year old paint job and have never seen a single issue, aside from the occasional waterstain. Hot or cold has no effect on dry paint.


To each his own.

Exterior paint is only a few dollars more then interior paint, but it is thicker and spreads better not to mention holds up far better then interior paint. 

Mildecides as you call it is not dangerous and you won't be drinking or bathing in it. 
https://www.consumerreports.org/interior-paints/mildew-resistant-paint-for-your-bathroom/


You said,
""" I've seen hundreds upon hundreds of garages painted with cheap interior paint, some of them with 20-30 year old paint job and have never seen a single issue, aside from the occasional waterstain. Hot or cold has no effect on dry paint.[/QUOTE]"""

I seriously doubt that.........


----------



## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I've painted 100s of garage interior walls with interior paint, many with ultra cheap wall paint - never any issues.
I have a 'spray booth' in my barn/shop that has drywall painted with interior satin latex. The current paint job is about 10 yrs old and other than scuff marks the paint job is fine.


----------



## steppinthrax (Nov 29, 2010)

Guys, I just settled on a 5 gallon of Valspar Signature. It was an ops paint that happened to be in the right color that I wanted (gray). Only thing it was a semi-gloss but I think that should be fine. I was probably over-thinking this a bit.


----------



## cocomonkeynuts (Jan 12, 2018)

ron45 said:


> To each his own.
> 
> Exterior paint is only a few dollars more then interior paint, but it is thicker and spreads better not to mention holds up far better then interior paint.
> 
> ...


 I can only assume your business card lists 'handy' man and not professional painter.


In short order a HO will figure out real quick why exterior paint means exterior only. See it all the time, people read 'exterior' on the can and assume its more durable for walls/cabinets/trim and had one lady even paint the interior of her shower. Besides health concerns exterior paint is a softer resin and basically non cleanable.


----------



## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

HUGE difference between "mildew resistant interior paint" and "exterior paint with added mildecides.


----------



## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

woodco said:


> HUGE difference between "mildew resistant interior paint" and "exterior paint with added mildecides.


Since we are making things clear.

http://www.paintpro.net/Articles/PP706/PP706_Mold-Mildew.cfm

""" Thanks in large part to pressure applied by widespread media hype, today’s premium products — whether they’re made for the interior or exterior — contain some degree of mildewcide that companies promise will keep the paint film mold- and mildew-free for a certain amount of time, which is typically for the life of the coating. They are washable and/or scrubbable. And they protect against an unknown number of fungi invaders.

But, experts agree, in order for them to work there’s one thing that must be done first.
“You need to take care of mildew at its source before you paint,” says Andy Rzicznek, product manager with Pratt & Lambert. “I don’t know of any paint that kills mildew and mold spores.”

And if there were such an animal, it would have to be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as a pesticide."""


""" One to grow on
The higher the sheen, Rzicznek points out, the tighter the paint film and the lower the chance of mildew growth. “Flat paints have a higher chance of seeing mildew,” he observes. “They are very porous and there are more places for moisture and dirt to settle, which is a perfect environment for mildew.”

Perhaps that’s why some companies do not offer their mold-resistant products with a flat finish. The most popular offerings include semigloss and eggshell.

Regardless of the sheen or the quality of the product, Spillane maintains if the conditions are right mold and mildew will eventually grow. “At a certain point, mildew can grow on anything. In the laboratory, scientists can even get it to grow on glass. You can slow it down, but if it’s in a bad enough environment I don’t think there’s anything that will totally stop it.”"""


----------



## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

ron45 said:


> Since we are making things clear.
> 
> http://www.paintpro.net/Articles/PP706/PP706_Mold-Mildew.cfm


Did you catch this part? 

"many of the premium exterior products on the market today already contain the highest level of mildewcides approved by the EPA. And adding more to an interior product, which has a lower approved amount, may not comply with the law. It also may be harmful to your clients’ health."

You're arguing with science.


----------



## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

,


> the tighter the paint film and the lower the chance of mildew growth.



Not sure I buy that, oil base coatings are ground finer than latex yet they are more prone to mildew.


IMO any mildew that appears inside is usually a problem not associated with the paint [leaks or no ventilation] Depending on the job at hand I might add extra mildewcide to exterior paint.


----------



## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

woodco said:


> Did you catch this part?
> 
> "many of the premium exterior products on the market today already contain the highest level of mildewcides approved by the EPA. And adding more to an interior product, which has a lower approved amount, may not comply with the law. It also may be harmful to your clients’ health."
> 
> You're arguing with science.


That's not of the manufacturers doing ( EPA compliant ), and nobody here suggested adding anything to paint. If the manufacturer added more then the safe amount they would have to register it as a pesticide.


----------



## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

ron45 said:


> That's not of the manufacturers doing ( EPA compliant ), and nobody here suggested adding anything to paint. If the manufacturer added more then the safe amount they would have to register it as a pesticide.


It says right in that paragraph that 'safe' levels of mildecide are different for interior and exterior, as in, exterior paints might contain a level of mildecide from the factory, unsafe for interior use. This isnt about controlling mildew, its about why you shouldnt use exterior paint indoors. I've only recently realized this myself. 

Yes, chances are, it wont hurt anyone, but why the hell even take that chance?

Do whatever you want, its your company, but I wont be silent when people tell DIYer's to do potentially unsafe paint practices.

At the very least, you might want to consider using an interior/exterior paint in your garages, rather than a straight exterior.


----------



## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

mark sr said:


> ,
> 
> 
> Not sure I buy that, oil base coatings are ground finer than latex yet they are more prone to mildew.
> ...


Cheap flat paint is far more prone to mildew growth than anything with a sheen. Im sure you've seen plenty of bathrooms painted with cheap flat with mildew on the ceiling over the shower. Its pretty rare to see a sheen paint with mildew indoors, due to bad ventilation, not that it doesnt happen. 

My understanding is that oil is prone to mildew because of the linseed oil in it. This mostly refers to exterior oil stains on wood though. Linseed oil is like mildew food.


----------

