How to Pick the Right Type of Paint for a Playhouse

When choosing a playhouse for your kids, there are a lot of options. You can build one from scratch, buy one pre-assembled or buy a kit and assemble it yourself. If you are building it yourself or buy certain kits, you will also have to paint the playhouse yourself, but you first must pick out the right type of paint.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Decide if the playhouse will be indoors or outdoors. If you are keeping it outside, you need to select paint that's resistant to outside weather, rain and varying temperatures. However, If the dollhouse will be in a playroom inside the house, you can paint your playhouse with any type of lead-free interior paint.

2. Start with a primer. Whether the playhouse will be inside or out, a quality primer will make your paint last longer and go on more evenly. Use a latex primer and if the playhouse will be outside, choose one specifically designated for outdoors.

3. Choose a latex paint over an oil based paint for your playhouse. Latex is easy to use and cleans up with water. Also, latex dries quicker than oil based paint, allowing you to do a second coat in just hours versus waiting a day like you have to with oil based.

4. Go with the best quality paint you can afford. Higher quality paints look better, last longer, offer better coverage and go on easier.

5. Pick an outside paint that is weather-specific for the weather conditions where you will set up your child's playhouse. If you live in an area with severe weather, choose a paint designed for severe weather.

Tips & Warnings

• If you aren't sure what brand of paint is the best, visit your local home improvement or paint store. The experts there can point you in the right direction.
• Invite your child to help you select the paint, and make it a family project to promote togetherness, unless it's a surprise.