Paint chemists are always hard at work trying to develop the next latest, greatest coating. And the goal is always the same: make a paint that lasts longer, is more stain resistant, goes on smoother, and dries to a tough, impenetrable film.

High-quality 100% latex acrylic paints have performed beyond expectations, but there’s a new kid in town: ceramic paints. These aren’t used to paint pottery and china plates, but instead, are latex paints that contain something called, ceramic microspheres.

Courtesy of the Paint Quality Institute

Ceramic microspheres are very tiny, round particles that get distributed throughout the dried paint film. The result, according to exhaustive lab tests, is a paint that outperforms all other house and wall paints.

Here are just of few of the benefits of ceramic paints:

• A smoother, more continuous paint film that resists cracking.
• Superior stain resistance—stains don’t get absorbed, so they can be wiped off.
• The ceramics produce a less tacky paint surface, which reduces dirt accumulation.
• Round spheres roll past each other in the paint, greatly enhancing flow and leveling.
• And microspheres help hide the underlying substrate and reduce the luster of the paint.

You can learn more about ceramic paint at the Paint Quality Institute website.

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3 Comments on “Ceramic Paint: A Better, Tougher Paint”

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1. Ann Says:
   May 28th, 2009 at 10:10 am

   I would like to know if painting over vinyl is a good idea and what kind of paint, acrylic latex with urethane or ceramic paint.

2. 

   joe t. Says:
   June 2nd, 2009 at 12:23 pm

   Hey Ann, You should check on the website of the vinyl siding manufacturer, but I’m almost positive you’ll find that you need to use a 100% acrylic latex paint. Information is also available at paintquality.com; click on the Do-It-Yourself tab and type “Vinyl Siding” in the search box.

   However, the most important step, as with any paint job, is prepping the surface. You’ll have to first scrub or power-wash the siding to remove all dirt and mildew. Good luck!

3. Lori Says:
   October 23rd, 2009 at 5:45 am

   I am purchasing a house that has been painted in the last three years with ceramic paint. I do not like the color. Is the process the same to paint over ceramic paint or the regular types or would it need to be stripped off? The paint appears to be in great shape and is not flaking at all.
   What is the life expectancy of ceramic paint? I am trying to determine if I would want to use that again on this house. Thanks!

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