Helpful Tips for Purchasing Paint Online

ECOS Paints 10/15/2021
Helpful Tips for Purchasing Paint Online

Over the course of the last few decades, online shopping has revolutionized the way we buy just about everything. Products we thought we’d always need a brick-and-mortar store for are now accessible to people all over the world.

But as convenient as online shopping is, that doesn’t mean it’s without its challenges. Knowing whether a product would be a good fit is more difficult to do when you only have photos of it. This is especially tricky for buying paint for your home. That’s why we’ve compiled these helpful tips for purchasing paint online.

Be Cautious About Color

Any expert will tell you that choosing a paint color isn’t as simple as glancing at a swatch. How a paint color appears in a room depends on a number of factors, including:

  • The paint color that’s already on the wall
  • The lighting in the room
  • Other colors in the room like flooring, trim, or furniture
  • Adjacent wall colors

It’s not always easy to take these things into consideration when you are looking at a color block on a computer screen. Fortunately, there are a plethora of ways to help you choose the right color online.

Order Samples

The best way to check if a color looks good in a room is to paint a small section of wall in a room. That doesn’t mean you have to buy an entire gallon of paint and risk deciding you don’t like the color. Many paint companies allow you to order a sample of a color at a lower price. That way, you can be completely sure of the color.

Utilize Website Apps

If getting a sample isn’t feasible, many websites have helpful apps that are helpful for choosing colors. One of the most popular is the color match app. These apps allow you to submit either a photograph of a color or the name of a different company’s paint hue. The application will help you identify a paint color that matches that shade.

Other websites have apps that allow you to virtually “try out” a color in a room. The user takes a photograph of the room they want to paint and uploads it to the app. The app will then allow you to virtually superimpose a paint shade on the walls to give you a rough idea of what the project will look when done.

Examine Different Paint Types

Paint color isn’t the only factor at work when it comes to choosing a paint. The type of paint you use will determine how the paint appears in a room, how it impacts your home’s air quality, and more. Knowing this before you shop online will help you make an informed choice.

Paint by Sheen

Paint sheen refers to the durability of a paint as well as how “shiny” it appears. There are five different types of sheen, and the glossier the finish, the more durable the paint, making it easier to clean. On the other hand, less glossy paints are often better at hiding imperfections.

Different types tend to work better in different settings. For instance:

  • Gloss: The highest sheen and durability. Works well for trim, doors, woodwork, and furniture.
  • Semi-gloss: The second highest sheen. Tends to work well in areas exposed to a lot of moisture, like kitchens and bathrooms.
  • Eggshell: The second lowest sheen. Good for high-traffic areas such as kitchens and hallways.
  • Matte: The lowest sheen. Better for private or formal areas of the house, like bedrooms or home offices.

Paint by Ingredients

As far as ingredients go, paints are divided into two categories: oil-based and water-based. Oil-based paints are the more traditional choice and are associated with higher sheen and durability. However, they contain high amounts of VOCs, which can degrade your home’s air quality.

Water-based paints, on the other hand, typically contain low or no VOCs, making them the better choice for those who have health concerns or have chemical sensitivities. They also tend to dry much more quickly than their oil-based counterparts.

Paint by Purpose

There are different types of paints crafted for different purposes. Beyond standard interior wall paint, there is also:

  • Furniture paints
  • Nursery paints
  • Pet-dwelling paint
  • Concrete paint
  • Air-purifying paint

An increasingly popular type of wall paint is EMF-blocking paint, designed to block the prevalence of electromagnetic fields. This is especially beneficial for those who live next to cell phone towers or other sources of electromagnetic fields.

Determine How Much Paint You Need

Another challenge of ordering paint online is the fact you have to wait for it to ship to your door. This makes it difficult to get your hands on more paint if you run out before your project is finished. This is why it’s essential to take advantage of a company’s paint coverage calculator.

Coverage calculators allow you to put in measurements of your room length and width, as well as the doors and windows to help you estimate how much paint you’ll need for a project.

Pro Tip

Keep in mind that some paints may have different coverage than others. For example, our interior, water-based, eggshell paint covers up to 560 square feet per gallon of paint, while chalkboard paint will cover 540 square feet per gallon. Be sure your coverage calculator takes this into consideration.

Be Aware of Company Return Policies

Anything can happen while a product is in transit. In the event of a product being damaged on its way to you, it’s important that companies have policies in place for returning them. Companies should also have a policy for customers who do not receive an order that was shipped.

If you aren’t sure of a company’s return policy, you can usually find it on their store’s website. Otherwise, most stores are more than willing to answer questions if you call and ask.

The world of online shopping can be a hassle, but knowing how to purchase paints online can help you navigate these challenges. And if you’re looking for an online store with a variety of paint options, ECOS Paints is the perfect choice to meet your online shopping needs.


CATEGORIES Tips & Tricks

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