Your next Orinda house painting project could go sideways fast if you grab a brush and start coating everything in sight. Knowing what not to paint in your home is half the battle when it comes to getting results that actually last. Some surfaces fight back against paintโ€”and others get ruined the moment that first stroke hits them.

A skilled interior house painter learns early which areas to avoid. Understanding what not to paint in your home usually comes from watching paint bubble, peel, or cause damage that costs far more to fix than the original project. Before you start your interior house painting work, read through this list so you don’t repeat the same expensive errors.

Key Takeaways

  • Some surfaces will reject paint no matter how much prep work you do.

  • Painting certain materials can cause long-term damage or safety issues.

  • A professional house painter can help identify problem areas before work begins.

  • Knowing what not to paint in your home protects your investment and your home’s value.

  • When in doubt, consult an interior house painter before making permanent changes.

  • Quality interior house painting means knowing which surfaces to skip.

10 Things You Should Never Paint in Your Home

when to update kitchen cabinets

1. Outlet Covers and Switch Plates

Slapping paint on electrical components invites trouble. Paint blocks proper electrical contact and creates fire hazards when it seeps into outlet slots. During any Orinda house painting job, the smart move is removing these plates entirely. Pop them off, paint the wall behind them, then snap them back on once everything dries.

2. Door Hinges and Knobs

Metal hardware and paint don’t mix well. Painted hinges bind up, grind against themselves, and wear out faster than unpainted ones. The buildup in pivot points makes doors stick and squeak. Any interior house painter worth hiring will take the time to remove or mask hardware rather than paint right over it.

3. Sliding Window Channels

Those grooves where your windows glide? Keep paint far away from them. Coating these tracks seals windows shut or makes them nearly impossible to move. An interior house painting professional masks these channels carefully because painted-shut windows create real problems during emergencies when you need a quick exit.

4. Air Vents and Return Grilles

Metal registers need clear openings to move air through your home. When paint covers them, you choke airflow and reduce your HVAC system’s performance. Temperature changes also cause paint on vents to crack and send flakes into your living space. A professional house painter on your Orinda house painting project tapes these off properly every time.

5. Natural Brick Around Fireplaces

That beautiful brick surround adds character to your room. Paint it, and you permanently alter a surface that can never be fully restored. Brick breathesโ€”paint seals that moisture inside, causing cracks and crumbling over time. The original look disappears forever once that first coat goes on. When considering what not to paint in your home, brick ranks near the top of the list.

6. Laminate or Tile Countertops

Those countertop painting kits at the hardware store? Skip them. Painted counter surfaces start peeling and scratching within weeks of normal kitchen use. Hot pans, knife work, water exposure, and daily cleaning wear through the finish fast. Replacement beats a painted countertop every time for durability.

7. Sealed Hardwood Flooring

Wood floors with existing finish reject new paint. The coating sits on top of the old sealant and flakes off in patches as people walk across it. You end up with a worse-looking floor than you started with. Refinishing by a flooring pro is the only path to a different floor color that holds up.

8. Interior-Exposed Siding Materials

Some rooms have portions of vinyl or aluminum visible from inside. Regular wall paint refuses to bond with these surfaces and peels away in sheets. The expansion and contraction these materials go through with weather changes crack standard paint. An interior house painter recognizes these spots and works around them.

9. Hot Water Radiators and Baseboard Units

Standard wall paint breaks down on heated surfaces. The constant heating cycles cause it to yellow, blister, and chip onto your floors. Fumes can also release when fresh paint gets hot. A professional house painter knows that heat-rated specialty products exist for this jobโ€”and that even those reduce heating output slightly.

10. Tubs, Showers, and Wet-Area Surfaces

Bathroom paint kits promise simple updates but deliver short-term results. Constant moisture and cleaning products destroy painted surfaces in bathrooms within months. What not to paint in your home definitely includes anything that gets wet daily. Reglazing or full replacement outlasts any painted tub or shower.

Why Skipping These Areas Protects Your Investment

living room and kitchen What Not to Paint in Your Home

Every interior house painting project aims to make your space look better and increase your home’s value. Painting the wrong surfaces does the exact opposite. It creates problems and drops resale appeal. Knowing what not to paint in your home isn’t about being lazy. It’s about being smart with your time and money.

Experienced contractors learn what not to paint in your home through trial and error. A professional house painter has already made these mistakes on someone else’s project, not yours. That knowledge saves you from learning these lessons the hard way on your own Orinda house painting work.

Some Surfaces Need Extra Attention, Not Avoidance

Not every tricky surface belongs on the “never paint” list. Cabinets, doors, and trim all accept paint beautifully with proper prep work. The difference between success and failure comes down to correct priming, thorough sanding, and choosing the right products for each material.

Any Orinda house painting job also faces local climate challenges. Bay Area humidity and temperature shifts affect how paint cures and bonds to different surfaces. What works perfectly in Arizona might fail here within a year. An Orinda house painting contractor who knows the area selects products suited to these conditions.

Getting Expert Eyes on Your Project

Questions about whether something should be painted? Ask someone who paints houses every day. A quick walkthrough with an interior house painter identifies problem areas before you buy a single gallon. Most pros happily share what not to paint in your home during a simple consultation.

The math here is simple. Fixing painted-over brick or replacing ruined hardware costs far more than getting advice upfront. What not to paint in your home becomes obvious once someone with experience points out the pitfalls. A professional house painter prevents mistakes that haunt homeowners for years.

Start Your Project the Right Way

Woodiwiss Painting brings Orinda house painting expertise to homeowners who want results without regrets. Our interior house painting team knows exactly what not to paint in your homeโ€”and we protect those surfaces while transforming the rest of your space. Trust your Orinda house painting project to a crew that gets it right.

Reach us at 925-489-0941 for a walkthrough of your project. We’ll show you what’s possible, flag any concerns, and put together a plan that makes your home look incredible.