MATERIALS

Paint & Coatings

Q: What is the best paint for exterior walls?

100% acrylic emulsion paint with weather-resistant additives. Service life 7-12 years. Apply over cement primer. For premium: silicone-modified acrylic — 12-15 year life. Avoid distemper (3-5 year only) and enamel (yellows in UV).

Q: How many coats of paint are required?

Standard: 1 primer + 2 coats finish (interior emulsion). Exterior: 1 primer + 1 intermediate + 1 final. For dark colours: 2-3 finish coats. Each coat must dry fully (4-12 hours) before next.

Q: Why does paint peel off walls?

Common causes: substrate moisture (60% of failures), substrate contamination (15%), inadequate primer (10%), wrong paint for substrate. Prevention: substrate dry (<10% moisture), clean, primed, application in moderate weather.

Wall paint, primer, putty, coatings

Also calledpaintprimercoatingputtywall paint

Related on InfraLens

CODES

IS 2932 IS 5410 IS 15489

Definition

Paint is a pigmented coating applied to surfaces for protection, aesthetic finish, and durability. Indian Standards: IS 156 (ready-mixed paint), IS 102 (lead-based, restricted), IS 5410 (cement primer), IS 8043 (industrial floor coating). Major Indian paint manufacturers: Asian Paints, Berger, Nerolac, Akzo Nobel India (Dulux). Indian paint market is the second-largest in Asia at ~₹85,000 cr annually.

Main categories: (1) Emulsion (water-based) — most common interior wall paint; ₹150-500/L; 5-10 year service life. (2) Enamel (oil-based) — for woodwork, doors, metalwork; ₹250-700/L; 8-15 year life. (3) Distemper (cement-based) — cheap interior; ₹80-200/L; 3-5 year life. (4) Texture paint — decorative finish. (5) Exterior paint — UV-resistant, weather-proof; ₹300-1200/L; 7-12 year life. (6) Industrial — chlorinated rubber (tank lining), epoxy (chemical resistance), polyurethane (UV resistance), zinc-rich primer (anti-corrosion).

Application: substrate preparation (clean, dry, primed); minimum 2 coats finish paint; cure 14 days. The most-overlooked Indian painting issue: substrate moisture — applying paint to damp walls causes blistering within months. Walls should be dry (moisture meter <10%) before painting.

Where used

Interior wall and ceiling finishes
Exterior wall finishes
Woodwork — doors, windows, furniture
Metalwork — railings, gates
Industrial — tanks, equipment, chemical-resistant

Acceptance / threshold

Per IS 156 + manufacturer specification: substrate preparation; primer; minimum 2 coats; service life per system.

Frequently asked

What is the best paint for exterior walls?

100% acrylic emulsion paint with weather-resistant additives. Service life 7-12 years. Apply over cement primer. For premium: silicone-modified acrylic — 12-15 year life. Avoid distemper (3-5 year only) and enamel (yellows in UV).

How many coats of paint are required?

Standard: 1 primer + 2 coats finish (interior emulsion). Exterior: 1 primer + 1 intermediate + 1 final. For dark colours: 2-3 finish coats. Each coat must dry fully (4-12 hours) before next.

Why does paint peel off walls?

Common causes: substrate moisture (60% of failures), substrate contamination (15%), inadequate primer (10%), wrong paint for substrate. Prevention: substrate dry (<10% moisture), clean, primed, application in moderate weather.

Related materials terms

Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)

33/43/53 grade Portland cement. 53 most common for structural use.

Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC)

Cement blended with fly ash. More durable than OPC.

Portland Slag Cement (PSC)

Cement blended with blast furnace slag

Aggregates (Fine & Coarse)

Coarse (10-40mm) and fine (sand) aggregates per IS 383

Sand (River / M-Sand)

Fine aggregate. River sand or manufactured sand.

Brick / Block Masonry