Paint Additives to Consider for Exterior Painting In Warsaw, Indiana

What we’ve observed at Matthews’ Painting is that when most homeowners in Warsaw, Columbia City, and other surrounding Indiana cities choose exterior paint, they’re often fixated on one; color. However, there are many different paint properties and qualities that can be enhanced using some additives.

There are several paint additives out there that can transform your paint job into more than just a fantastic finish. For instance, some additives can help further insulate your siding, protect against bugs and mildew, and improve paint adhesion. With the latest developments in paint technology, you can find paint for just about any surface in any color.

There are many paints with different additives on the market today. Depending on where you live, your home’s needs, or the type of additives in the paint, you may even be able to save your home and property in case of accidental fires. Let’s take a quick look at some of the most common paint additives.

Insulation Additives

This type of additive has the ability to insulate temperature and can save you money with cooling and heating costs. This additive usually comes in a powder and can be added to primers, interior, and exterior paints. You can also find paints that already have this additive straight from the shelf, which might save you some money compared to buying separately.

Paints that have insulation additives also tend to save time when applying due to their enhanced coverage. However, it’s important to note that this additive might cause the paint to lose a little bit of sheen. If you don’t want to lose the sheen, you should consider mixing the insulation additive into the primer instead of the paint.

Mildew Resistance Additives

This type of additive is ideal for areas with moist climates. These areas often encourage the proliferation of mold and mildew, commonly on shaded walls, along the bottom of the exterior or under the eaves. There are numerous mildew resistance additives in the market, but you need to look specifically for those designed for the exterior.

There are many mildew additives as well designed for the interior, especially in areas like the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room. Generally, mildew additives will save you the time, hassles, and cost of regularly clearing and treating mildew, as well as repainting your exterior.

Insecticidal Additives

There are some paints on the market that contain insecticides meant to deter the invasion of common insects such as ants, termites, wood beetles, and so on. Some versions are for exterior coatings only, and there are some “safer” ones you can use indoors or out. This can come in handy if your home is located in the ‘hot spots’ of bugs.

The safer additives usually use plant oils as the insecticide. Most of them are contact insecticides. But there are a few formulations that deter insect invasion by smell.

Fireproofing Additives

This additive is ideal if you live in an area where wildfires occur frequently. These fireproofing additives may be able to save your home if there is a fire, or at least slow the fire down and complement your firefighting efforts. These kinds of additives are available for both exteriors as well as interior paints. Note, however, that fireproofing paints additives are not a guarantee that your house will be immune from fire damage.

The Bottom Line

Depending on what you’re trying to achieve or what your challenge is, paint additives can enhance your paint job, increase its durability, and better protect your home’s exterior. If you need professional assistance figuring out which paints and paint additives to use, as well and repainting your home’s exterior, Matthews’ Painting can help.

We have over 20 years of residential painting serving the areas of Warsaw, Syracuse, Lake Tippecanoe area, Winona Lake area, Columbia City, Indiana, and surrounding Indiana cities. To get started with us, give us a call on (574) 834-3575 today to book our services or ask any questions.