FAQs – Frequently Answered Questions
IF MARRIED . . . impress your spouse with your knowledge about house paint . . .
Your 15 minutes right now could save you thousands later.
Here are two things most paint manufacturers conveniently forget to mention to homeowners:
1) Every paint has two parts: what stays… and what vanishes
No matter the brand, all house paints contain:
- SOLIDS: the part that actually stays on your home after the paint dries
- EVAPORATES/VAPOR: the part that floats away into the air during the drying process (often within a few hours)
If you’re the homeowner, the only part you truly “keep” is the solids—and that’s what you’re paying for.
Here’s the kicker: some paints have such low volume solids that publishing the number would be… let’s call it “emotionally difficult” for the manufacturer.
- If a paint is 30% volume solids, then 70% of that pail is basically water/evaporates
- If it’s 40% volume solids, then 60% is evaporated
- In general, higher volume solids = thicker, longer-lasting protective film, and usually (yes) a higher price
But would you rather pay a little more for paint… or pay repeatedly for paint and labor?
And remember: the first four letters of paint are PAIN.
So the goal is simple: paint less often.
2) A “great spread rate” can actually be bad news
Some paints brag that they cover 400 sq. ft. per gallon.
Sounds amazing—until you realize what that often means:
more water, fewer solids, thinner protection.
It may look good for 2–3 years, but then you’re right back on the ladder thinking, “Didn’t we just do this?”
Paints with lots of water and low solids are sometimes called “rental paints.”
And unless your house came with a front desk and continental breakfast… You don’t want to rent your paint.
So how do you find the real number that matters?
Manufacturers rarely print the Volume Solids Percentage on the can. You usually have to go hunting.
Here’s where to look:
- Go to the manufacturer’s website
- Find the Technical Data Sheet (TDS) or Technical Data Bulletin (TDB) for the exact product
- Search the document for “Volume Solids.”
You may see two numbers:
- Solids by Volume ✅ (this is the important one)
- Solids by Weight (not nearly as useful for determining film thickness)
Why volume solids matter: it determines DFT (Dry Film Thickness)—how thick your paint film is after it dries.
Think of it like this:
- One coat gives you X dry film thickness
- Two coats give you 2X dry film thickness
And in many cases, Volume Solids Percentage is the single most important number when choosing an exterior paint for your home — more important than what color you will choose.
(Shocking, I know. Your house will survive not being “Castle Beige.”)
One more truth: labor is the real cost
Even if better coatings cost more, labor often costs 10–20x as much as the paint itself.
And here’s the awkward part: some painters aren’t excited about ultra-long-lasting coatings… because it means they won’t be back repainting your house in 3–5 years.
You deserve a coating chosen for your long-term benefit—not their repeat schedule.
Recommendation: Liquid Ceramic Exterior Wall Coat
We are Liquid Ceramic International, Inc., founded in June 2000 and based outside Charlotte, North Carolina. We specialize in high-performance residential coatings.
Our recommendation:
- Two coats, liberally applied, provide approximately a 10-mil dry film thickness (about the thickness of a phone book cover) once dried
- Our experience indicates this can deliver ~25-year performance against cracking, peeling, flaking, and chalking
- We don’t use warranties as a selling gimmick with tricky wording — because performance depends on how the product is applied.
- We tint to your specified color before shipping to your home or the job site
- Sold in 5-gallon pails only
- Liquid Ceramic Exterior Wall Coat is Your Permanent Painting Solution R
Find us at www.LiquidCeramic.com or call 704-962-3500 (Eastern Time).
Liquid Ceramic R is a registered trademark at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.