Guide to the Type of Paint to Use for Which Room

Kitchen Walls

In kitchens, look into the general category of interior wall paints, but avoid flat or other types of matte paints, as they can be difficult to wipe down. While satin or eggshell sheens are popular, some homeowners concerned about maintenance even opt for semi-gloss sheen in their kitchen.

• Type: Interior wall paint
• Composition: Latex enamel
• Sheen: Satin, eggshell, or semi-gloss
• Try This Brand: Behr Premium Plus Interior Satin Enamel

Bathroom Walls

Because of bathrooms' moisture, it helps to have a wall surface that you can easily wipe down. Paints with glossier sheens have a tighter molecular structure than flat paints, making it more difficult for moisture to penetrate.

• Type: Interior wall paint. Usually, premium paints or those labeled as bathroom paint are appropriate.
• Composition: Latex enamel
• Sheen: Satin or any glossier type of paint. If you do not mind paints with a higher gloss, these will perform better over the long run.
• Try This Brand: Behr Premium Plus Interior Satin Enamel

Ceilings

​A majority of ceilings are painted flat white, but for a good reason. Lighter colors reflect a majority of ambient light into the room and help rooms feel larger. Flat avoids the space-limiting illusion that glossy paints create.

• Type: On ceilings, you can use any paint that is labeled ceiling paint or any flat white interior latex paint.
• Composition: Latex paint
• Sheen: Flat or matte
• Try This Brand: Glidden EZ Track Ceiling Paint

Trim, Cabinets, Windows, and Doors

While you can use water-soluble latex enamel paint, oil-based paints (only available in quart sizes) provide smoother surfaces. While oil-based paints do emit strong fumes and have extended drying times, the payoff is a rock-solid, glass-smooth surface.

• Type: Paint called cabinet and trim paint or any oil-based paint or acrylic latex paint
• Composition: Alkyd (oil) or acrylic latex (the acrylic additive prevents white-tinted trim paints from yellowing)
• Sheen: Semi-gloss or a glossier sheen
• Try This Brand: Sherwin-Williams ProClassic Interior Acrylic Latex Enamel

Bathtubs or Showers

Often, the best paint for the bathtub or shower walls and bathing surfaces is not a common paint found in the home center's paint aisle. Instead, this is a coating usually found as part of a do-it-yourself refinishing kit.

• Type: Use a coating that is specially designed for bathtubs, sinks, tile, and surrounds.
• Composition: Acrylic resin consisting of two parts, base color, and base hardener
• Sheen: Glossy
• Try This Brand: Munro Products' Bathworks

Drywall (Unpainted)

Drywall's porous outer paper covering soaks up liquids at an uneven and often alarming rate. Primer helps you lay down a more balanced color coat. If you have bare drywall, you can paint directly into it. But you'll achieve far better results if you prime it first.

• Type: Use a primer specially labeled as appropriate for ​drywall. Usually the product literature will incorporate the word drywall or wallboard within the name.
• Composition: 100-percent acrylic latex
• Sheen: You have no sheen choice with drywall primer. All primer comes in flat, or matte sheens.
• Try This Brand: Behr Premium Plus Drywall Primer and Sealer

Living Room and Bedroom Walls

Living rooms and bedrooms are low-impact areas and can use any paint you wish. Since these tend to be very forgiving spaces in terms of impact, you can use flat or matte paint, if you wish. Still, most homeowners go for satin or eggshell sheen latex paints in living rooms and bedrooms.

• Type: Interior wall paint
• Composition: 100-percent acrylic latex
• Sheen: Flat or a greater sheen, though most homeowners choose eggshell or satin

Basement Masonry Walls

Basement masonry walls can often weep water. If your basement walls are dry, consider yourself lucky. If your basement walls do give off water vapor, you'll need to take special measures.

Basement masonry paint seals cracks up to 1/16-inch wide with elastomeric action. Elastomeric means that it expands, and then it resumes its previous shape when the pressure is gone.

• Type: Basement flexible primer and finish
• Composition: Latex acrylic
• Sheen: Glossy
• Try This Brand: Zinsser's Watertite Flexible Primer and Finish