Interior vs Exterior Paint: Best Products + Top Tips

The Difference Between Exterior and Interior Paint

The primary difference between interior and exterior paint is how they’re formulated. Specifically, we’re talking about 3 things:

1. Binding Resins: Resin is added to paint as a binding agent to hold pigment together and enhance its adhesive quality to the surface you’re painting.
2. Unique Pigments: Pigment provides the color and opacity of your paint. Interior and exterior paint use different pigments.
3. Additives: Specific additives are used to add specific properties to paint, and prevent application defects like foamy and bubbling paint. 

Here’s how interior paint and exterior paint are constructed differently using these 3 components.

Qualities of a Good Interior Paint

Interior paint has rigid binding resins. It’s more important that indoor paint stays firm against dirt and grime — it doesn’t require the elasticity of exterior paint.

Unlike outdoor paint, the need for low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is necessary inside your home. VOCs have high vapor pressure at room temperature and can release harmful gases into the air. Many interior paint pigments are organic, health-conscious and kid-friendly. 

Indoor paint doesn’t need fungicidal and mildewcide additives like many outdoor paints. Instead, interior paint additives focus on fading resistance and stain resistance.

What Makes a Good Exterior Paint?

Exterior paint resins are more flexible and prioritize elasticity. As outdoor temperature changes, your paint must expand and contract to retain its coverage without peeling and chipping.

It’s less important for exterior paint to be low in VOCs, since they aren’t emitted into your home. There are less pigment options in exterior paint, as these products aren’t readily available in matte and eggshell options.

Exterior paint should include additives that fight fungus, mildew and rot. Other additives focus on adhesion and prevent staining.

Our updated guide to exterior paint preparation is a must-read! Learn how to add 3-5 years to your paint’s lifespan in 6 easy steps. 

Why Different Paints Are Used Inside and Outside

So many house painting articles have scary titles. “Can I use exterior paint inside?” “Oh no, I used interior paint on my siding!”

The truth? Using interior paint outside — or exterior paint inside your home — isn’t going to ruin your house. But you’re certainly going to experience failing paint, and repaint your home far sooner than you anticipated.

Let’s talk about why using the wrong paint products for interior and exterior projects is a waste of your time and money.

Why You Shouldn't Use Interior Paint for Outdoor Painting

You applied three coats of white interior matte paint on your brick facade. It rained twice this month, and you’re left with pastel pink brick walls. How did this happen?

Interior paint isn’t formulated to handle exterior moisture, weather and temperature changes. It’s also more susceptible to UV damage — part of the trade-off interior paint makes to achieve lower VOC levels.

Indoor paint products also don’t have fungicidal or mildew-resistant additives. Using them on your outdoor wood surfaces is a recipe for wood rot and mildew.

Why You Shouldn't Use Exterior Paint for Indoor Painting

You used the highest quality exterior acrylic paint in your living room. It’s been days, the paint still isn’t dry, and your walls are picking up dust. What’s going on?

Exterior paint dries much slower than interior paint. You’ll wait a week to use your family room — and when you do, your walls are less resistant to dirt, grime and smudges.

On a more practical level, exterior paint isn’t made in matte or eggshell varieties. There isn’t a great outdoor paint product for painting interior ceilings or any other matte surface.

HOMR reps are live 24/7 with paint contractor recommendations near you!

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Best Interior Paint Products

We rated products from Benjamin Moore and PPG as best interior paint for most homeowners.

🏆 Benjamin Moore Aura

Buy from Benjamin Moore: Aura Interior Paint ($98.99 per gallon at time of writing)

No interior paint we tested covers better after one coat than Benjamin Moore Aura. Yes, you’re paying a premium price — but if you’re using half the paint, are you really losing money?

Aura has excellent, thick consistency and applies smoothly to interior walls. We like the matte and satin options.

🏆 PPG UltraLast

Buy from Home Depot: UltraLast Interior Paint ($68.74 per gallon at time of writing)

PPG UltraLast checks a lot of premium interior paint boxes at a cheaper price than most Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams products. It nailed our UV resistance rankings and is noted for its fade resistance.

UltraLast is easily cleaned and combats dirt and grime well. It’s ideal for painting areas under 500 square feet.

🏆 Benjamin Moore Regal Select

Buy from Benjamin Moore: Regal Select Interior Paint ($74.99 at time of writing)

The go-to “painter’s pick” for quality interior paint. Benjamin Moore Regal Semi-Gloss is smooth, consistent and looks great after 2 coats. It’s noted for durability, and homeowners can wash their walls with gentle soap and warm water.

We asked Dallas interior painters for their top 10 money-saving tips when hiring a house painter or tackling DIY home painting.

Best Exterior Paint Products

We rated products from Sherwin Williams and BEHR as best exterior paint for most homeowners.

🏆 Sherwin Williams Duration

Buy from Sherwin Williams: Duration Exterior Paint ($93.49 per gallon at time of writing)

Sherwin Williams Duration is ideal for vinyl siding and aluminum siding. Duration is created with a mildew-resistant coating, as well as flash rust resistance that greatly benefits metal surfaces and nail heads. It's available in over 100 Sherwin-Williams VinylSafe® paint colors.

🏆 Sherwin Williams Emerald

Buy from Sherwin Williams: Emerald Exterior Paint ($98.99 per gallon at time of writing)

Sherwin Williams Emerald is our top choice for painting wood siding and exterior wood surfaces. We prefer the flat and satin finishes — the gloss finish dries a bit too quickly in the sun, which affects homeowners in hotter climates.

Use Emerald Rain Refresh for high-level protection against moisture damage and wood rot.  

🏆 BEHR Premium Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint

Buy from Home Depot: BEHR Premium Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint ($35.80 per gallon at time of writing)

BEHR Premium Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint topped our rankings for best adhesion to brick and concrete surfaces. It performed well in covering small cracks, and providing the needed elasticity to protect against high winds and rain.

Dallas homeowners: Ready to paint your home’s exterior? Don’t start without our top 10 tips to nail your DFW exterior painting project.

Interior vs Exterior Paint Cost Comparison

To determine the price difference between interior and exterior paint, we compared the average cost of premium acrylic paint and premium latex paint. We found that most homeowners pay 12-14% more per gallon for exterior paint than interior paint.

Table, Premium House Paint Price Per Gallon

Premium exterior house paint costs an average of $12-20 more per gallon than premium interior house paint. As a result, homeowners should budget an extra $1-2 per square foot for exterior paint projects than interior paint projects.

Our trusted professional painters suggest using primer for all paint projects — even if your paint product is self-priming.

“I think projects last a lot longer when we use a primer,” says Zeb Van Pelt, owner of Venture Painting in Dallas. “Paint adheres way better to primed wood than bare wood, and it tends to last longer.”