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Don’t run to the local hardware store to pick up some paint for the latest DIY project you have planned just yet. Technological advances and research have led to many new paint types being released. That’s right, in addition to all the types of paint that you’ve always seen at the hardware store, there are a few newcomers to the scene. Imagine being able to write (and erase) directly on a painted wall with dry-erase markers. Think about how much time you could save on your next restoration project if you didn’t have to scrape off all the peeling paint before applying the new paint color. Picture yourself being able to paint designs on glass and then peeling them off to use for other decor needs. While these all seem pretty wild, they are becoming a reality thanks to recent innovations.
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1. Dry-Erase Paint
With the Rust-Oleum Dry-Erase Paint, you can turn nearly any surface into a dry-erase board. The paint is easy to apply—simply mix the two different components together and apply them to the desired surface using a foam roller. Once dry and ready to use, you can write to-do lists, draw doodles, give children a safe place to draw on the wall and more. You’ll just need a little bit of soap and water to return the wall or item back to a clean and white dry-erase surface.
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2. Washable Flat Paint
Many people prefer the look of flat paint over shinier semi-gloss paint. However, because it can be so difficult to clean, flat paint is often not recommended in kitchens, bathrooms, or other rooms where the walls are more likely to get dirty. Well, Sherwin Williams is changing that with their Emerald and Duration home interior acrylic latex paints. Both of these paint lines are easy to clean — even when you choose a flat finish. The two paints are also formulated with mold- and mildew-inhibiting agents to keep your walls cleaner in the first place.
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3. Color-Changing Ceiling Paint
If you’re planning to repaint one or more rooms in your home, one of the most challenging aspects can be painting the ceiling. When you’re painting over old white paint with new white paint, it can be difficult to make sure you don’t miss any spots. Glidden’s EZ Track Ceiling Paint seeks to eliminate that concern. It goes on pink so you can easily confirm that you’ve covered the entire ceiling, but dries white for the ideal ceiling color.
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4. Odor-Reducing Paint
The next time you’re picking up paint for a DIY project, consider grabbing a can of Harmony paint from Sherwin-Williams. It is formulated with special technology that keeps rooms smelling fresh by minimizing odors from pets, smoke, cooking, and other organic causes. The eg-shel and flat sheens can also reduce formaldehyde and other VOCs that can be emitted by carpets, fabrics, and other elements in the home. These features allow the Harmony paint to improve the overall air quality in the space.
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5. Greater-Coverage Spray Paint
Spray paint comes in very handy for many DIY projects, such as repainting metal furniture to give it some new life. However, if you’ve working on a large project, you often blow through several cans. Rust-Oleum’s Painter’s Touch 2X Ultra Cover Paint & Primer seeks to offer a solution to this common problem. Each can of spray paint offers up to twice as much coverage as other standard cans.
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6. Primer to Stop Peeling
If you’re painting old wood, one of the tasks that can consume a lot of your time is sanding off the old peeling paint. The Peel Stop Triple Thick High Building Binding Primer from Zinsser forms a bond with old cracked or peeling surfaces, keeping them in place against the surface being painted. By helping them stay adhered to the wood and filling in any gaps around the old peeling paint, using this primer can save you a lot of time on your next restoration or furniture painting project.
7. Solar Paint
Solar paint isn’t quite available yet, but it is a new invention that is on the horizon. This special type of paint incorporates solar cells into a liquid paint, allowing it to produce electricity. There are a few different types of solar paint that researchers are working to perfect, and hopefully soon one or more of these innovations will help contribute to reducing our environmental footprint by increasing a home’s efficiency or even allowing vehicles to benefit from solar energy.