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1. Homeowner Paints, Stains & Supplies
2. Painting Tips & Advice
3. Painting How-To's
4. Interior
5. Planning
6. Matching Paint to Surfaces

Matching Paint to Surfaces

Choosing the right paint for the surface will help ensure that you achieve a quality paint job that will last.

Ceilings - Use specially formulated flat ceiling paint. The flat finish hides irregularities and lap marks. Ceiling paint rolls on with minimal spatter and won't yellow over time.

Browse paints recommended for ceilings

Woodwork - Use either latex or oil/alkyd paint. Always prime bare wood. Easy-to-clean semi-gloss finishes are first choice, but when wear-and-tear is modest, flat or satin finishes are fine selections.

Browse paints recommended for doors and trim

Walls - Because it's easy to work with, latex paint is an excellent choice for do-it-yourself projects. Latex paints can be applied over properly primed drywall, wood or masonry.

Browse paints recommended for walls

Metal - Use either latex or oil/alkyd paint on properly primed iron or steel. You can apply latex directly on aluminum and galvanized metal. However, these metals need to be properly primed if you're using oil/alkyd-based paint.

Browse primers recommended for metal

Masonry - For cement, concrete block and brick surfaces, acrylic latex wall paint designed for masonry surfaces is an excellent choice.

Browse primers recommended for masonry

Floors - Use a product specifically designed for floor to stand up to abrasion, traffic and heavy scrubbing.

Browse paints recommended for floors

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