Significant innovations in paint over the past 20 years have led to fascinating interior and exterior applications. Today homeowners can use paint to generate solar power, light up a hallway, waterproof a basement and even draw on the walls with no fear.  

If you’re thinking about painting your home, knowing what’s new in paint technology may be helpful in deciding how to move forward with your next project. Here are a few more new and innovative paint products:  

Waterproof Paint
In the future, waterproofing your basement may be as simple as a few strokes of paint. These products are still in their infancy and many are unavailable to consumers. Products that are available now can create a waterproof barrier on most concrete and masonry surfaces, but most are only water-resistant, not entirely waterproof. These paints can be used in bathrooms, water tanks and birdbaths to manage moisture retention and mold and mildew buildup. One day, fully waterproof paint may be the best and least expensive solution to a common problem that many homeowners face: flooding. 

Heat-Sensitive and Solar Power Paints 
Paint that detects and reacts to changes in temperature has been around for a while, but interest in its varied applications is growing. This paint may be used in color-changing interior wall designs, where one or more elements of the motif appear or disappear according to the temperature in the room, or applied on kitchen or bathroom surfaces as a temperature gauge. The paint is also being tested to determine whether it can be used to improve energy efficiency as well -- absorbing heat during winter and deflecting sunlight in warm weather. Other companies are researching new technology that harnesses nanoparticles that absorb light, which may one day enable consumers to very cheaply generate solar energy for their homes. 

Paint that Lights Up a Room - Literally 
Researchers recently developed and patented a new type of paint that will one day enable homeowners to paint lights onto walls and other parts of the home. This new electroluminescent coating technology turns commonly used metal, plastic and wood surfaces into lamps when the paint is energized with an electrical current. One future use of the product could come in handy for those interested in universal design: a painted white hand rail that illuminates at night, lighting your way in the dark. 

Paint has come a long way over the years. It can be used to simply spruce up your home with a touch of color, or you can take it to the next level, using it to create savvy, green and cost-effective design elements throughout your home. The choice is up to you!

For more tips on painting or home maintenance, contact the Central Washington Home Builders Association or visit cwhba.org