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Old 02-13-2017, 01:26 PM
 
338 posts, read 306,929 times
Reputation: 767

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Hi everyone,

I have a toddler, and she is messy. Dirty hands on the walls, smudges, crayons, finger paint, etc.

Our house came painted with cheap, white, flat paint. Even without taking the toddler into account, it would be time for a new paint job.

I know I'm not the first person to go through this. So, for those of you who have been in this situation, what suggestions can you offer for wall coverings - or specific types of paint - that are most durable to destructible toddlers?

Preferences:
scrubbable
affordable
attractive to future buyers when the house is sold

Thanks for your ideas.
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Old 02-13-2017, 02:48 PM
 
16 posts, read 36,553 times
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I used Sherwin Williams Harmony (no VOC) in my toddlers room and then tried Valspar signature in the hallways (zero VOC). I chose these for the no and zero VOC claims. Valspar is cheaper and I liked it better. I preferred the way the Valspar paint went on the wall with both the brush and roller. The finishes of the two paints look the same to me. Use semi-gloss since you're worried about your toddler.
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Old 02-13-2017, 03:34 PM
 
Location: Denver CO
24,204 posts, read 19,018,050 times
Reputation: 38265
Ben Moore survived my toddler. Not necessarily affordable I guess, since it's not one of the cheapest out there, but very scrubbable and durable and to the extent a buyer cares about paint brands, it's considered a good brand.

I stored the cans inside the hall closet so they were temperature regulated and was able to do touch ups 7 years later when I sold that were completely undetectable.
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Old 02-13-2017, 04:09 PM
 
Location: Tricity, PL
61,037 posts, read 85,858,261 times
Reputation: 130683
Quote:
Originally Posted by English Ivy View Post
Hi everyone,

I have a toddler, and she is messy. Dirty hands on the walls, smudges, crayons, finger paint, etc.

Our house came painted with cheap, white, flat paint. Even without taking the toddler into account, it would be time for a new paint job.

I know I'm not the first person to go through this. So, for those of you who have been in this situation, what suggestions can you offer for wall coverings - or specific types of paint - that are most durable to destructible toddlers?

Preferences:
scrubbable
affordable
attractive to future buyers when the house is sold

Thanks for your ideas.
Destructible toddlers?? Are they unattended when they play?

Behr Premium Plus Ultra is a good choice - it will resist moisture, fading, and stains, making it a fantastic choice for children’s rooms, crafting areas, or any other space where children will be spending a lot of time.
Other options:
Washable Interior Paints For Kids' Rooms
You could create a big chalkboard/dry erase wall, and train your kids to use it.
You could use plastic protectors:
Plastic Wall Protection Sheets (acrylic plastic sheets)
http://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-...s/N-5yc1vZc9x2
etc.

Last edited by elnina; 02-13-2017 at 04:24 PM..
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Old 02-13-2017, 10:14 PM
 
Location: Finally the house is done and we are in Port St. Lucie!
3,488 posts, read 3,302,990 times
Reputation: 9913
Magic eraser will be your best friend until you teach them to not write on walls and other things.

Semi-gloss and high gloss are the easiest as far as washable surfaces.
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Old 02-13-2017, 10:29 PM
 
Location: Southwest Washington State
30,585 posts, read 24,917,855 times
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Flat wall paint is not your friend. Paint with a low gloss enamel or a paint with a low luster. Get advice from your local paint dealer, such as a local Benjamin Moore dealer. Another option is a scrubbable wallpaper. Wallpaper is very on trend now, so if you choose wisely, you might add appeal to your home.

I had three little ones, and I did have problems with them marking my walls a few times. I also had one kid mark up my dining room table, but luckily I took off the marks with a little rubbing alcohol.

I believe we used a product called Vandal, which takes anything off a wall. I do not know if this product is made any longer. We got the product on the advice of our neighborhood hardware store. If you have access to one of these, get acquainted and tell them what you need to get off your wall, and they might have a product for you.

If you have to get crayons off the wall, you will have have to seal them first with shellac, and then paint over. Otherwise they will bleed through the new paint.
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Old 02-14-2017, 06:11 AM
 
3,613 posts, read 4,088,625 times
Reputation: 5008
Eggshell finish and watching our kids keep our walls in great shape. About the only place we really needed to clean the walls was down the stairway when they were little because they were not tall enough to reach the railing. That was a simple soap and water clean up every once in a while.
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Old 02-14-2017, 07:04 AM
 
Location: Brooklyn New York
18,357 posts, read 31,432,361 times
Reputation: 27753
and dont forget to conatsntly keep repeating over and over, do not touch the walls.


agreed, flat paint is NOT your friend.

^, and yes, other than a stair way, where kids do touch the walls while walking down, kids really shouldnt be going over to walls in regular rooms to touch or mess the walls.

id go with eggshell, where you can wipe it....

now, fingerprints happen, crayon marks, no, that shouldnt happen, thats where parenting comes into play,
we dont crayon the walls, over and over and over.

i had 3 boys, it can be done.
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Old 02-14-2017, 12:59 PM
 
338 posts, read 306,929 times
Reputation: 767
Thanks for the tips, everyone!

About the only thing I know about the different types of paint is that flat paint is great to hide imperfections in the walls, and semi-gloss is great for places the walls need to be wiped down/cleaned. This thread has been very helpful.

As mentioned above, the stairway is the worst because she isn't tall enough to reach the railing yet. And I don't want to tell her not to touch the walls there, until she's taller. Thankfully there is only one crayon mark on the wall, and I really appreciate silibran's tip about sealing it first so it won't bleed. Good to know.
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Old 02-14-2017, 01:33 PM
 
Location: Finally the house is done and we are in Port St. Lucie!
3,488 posts, read 3,302,990 times
Reputation: 9913
Magic eraser will get that crayon off. It may take off the flat paint but only if you rub too hard and keep going after the crayon is off.

Once you get the crayon off, you won't need to seal it to touch up that spot.
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