Being a homeowner and a parent, especially of younger children, you know that the walls of your new home are going to take some serious wear-and-tear. From toddler-thrown bowls of spaghetti to crayon masterpieces in your grade schooler’s bedroom, your walls will see a lot of action. Most of it will require the quick application of a sponge. In fact, it’s entirely possible that too many little smudges, scuffs, and doodles on not-so-sturdy paint can require you to completely repaint a wall, if not the entire house.
After buying a home off the market, it’s important to think carefully about your do-it-yourself painting choices. Fortunately, there are tons of clever tricks you can use to spruce up and/or reinforce your home so that messes will be easier to clean up and the surfaces won’t get damaged while your little ones figure out the ins and outs of fork use, bathtime, and pet ownership. For the walls, cabinets, and furniture you’ll need paint that can withstand a mess and can be cleaned a million times while still looking great after each wipe-down. Here’s how any homeowner parent can achieve that dream:
1) Easy to Wash Interior Paint
The first challenge every parent faces when it comes to interior painting is finding the sturdiest, smudge, and sponge-resistant paint brand and type you can source. You need paint that won’t fade in a sunny room and can be washed as many times as necessary to keep the walls clean. In fact, you need paint that can be downright scrubbed. Just in case of spaghetti or more persistent coloring materials.
Conventional wisdom suggests a sturdy Satin for the walls and semi-gloss on the trim, doors, and windowsills as these general categories of paint are easier to wash and more resistant to stains. However, be sure to talk to your local paint expert about what is locally available and industrial-strength resistant to spills and scrubbing.
2) Know Where to Enamel
Enamel is a special term for incredibly sturdy paint that goes on thick and dries hard. Naturally, this is something that should be of incredible interest to parents who, all too often, find wall paint coming up on the sponge.
Enamel is traditionally used in areas that see a lot of traffic like kitchen cabinets, doors, door and window frames, and windowsills because it is very resistant to damage or stains and easy to clean. Consider using enamel for everything that’s not a stretch of wall in your children’s rooms including closet and cabinet doors, windowsills, and wooden furniture to make it super durable.
3) Stick With Lighter Colors
If you’re painting with your kids and give them a vote on what color to paint their personal rooms, it’s important to set a few ground rules. First, don’t let them choose colors that won’t actually look good when combined and second, dark walls are very difficult to paint over if they ever change their minds or you change houses.
Stick with lighter, easier-to-paint-over colors and if your child does have their heart set on something darker, offer them an accent wall or dark-painted trim instead.
4) Always Ask for Non-Toxic
Neither young children nor pets can be trusted not to lick the walls. We know, it sounds crazy, but even teenagers have been known to do it from time to time just to be weird and amuse their friends.
While the vast majority of home paint types are now non-toxic, always double-check to be sure that what you’re bringing into your home won’t become a health problem down the line when paint chips are nibbled by a pet or a sandwich is hastily retrieved after hitting a wall. If you don’t think these things happen in real life, ask a few other parents.
5) Chalkboard and Magnet Paint
Finally, if you’re already repainting the house, you might consider a few fun paint options for kids’ rooms or kitchen walls. A chalkboard wall is made with a special kind of paint that creates an imitation chalkboard surface. Even though it’s not real slate, it can take colorful chalk and be safely washed off time and time again with dry erasers or a wet sponge.
Another option is slightly magnetic paint, possibly under the chalkboard layer, so children can stick their favorite magnets to the play wall or even make their own magnets with glue and toys for the purpose.
Find More Home Painting Tips for Denver Do-It-Yourself Parents
Being a parent means that you have a unique combination of responsibilities to your children and opportunities to turn your house into a playroom. For more tips and tricks for do-it-yourself parents, contact us today!
