Paint and paper are the most widely used wall finishes. Other finishes include tiles, fabric, cork, carpet, paneling and linoleums. The water-soluble paints, also called latex, acrylic or polyvinyl paints, are easy to apply, fast drying and have little odor and fumes. They touch up easily, will not darken with age, and are simple to clean up. The disadvantages are that one coat may not cover and it may have a dull lifeless look.
Oil base paints, called alkyd paints, are durable and scrubbable.
They have a higher pigment concentration and therefore have good one-coat hiding power. They produce a richer, smoother kind of finish but are more difficult to apply. There is a slight odor and the color may darken in time. Enamels are made with a varnish or resin base and thus are not true paints. They require an undercoat unless the surface has previously been finished.