Painting the exterior of your
home involves a little more effort and preparation than
painting interior surfaces. You have to plan the job on a
good weather day, obtain ladders and other outdoor
materials, and select the right paint for the exterior
surface you want to spruce up. What are the options when it
comes to selecting exterior paint?
Surfaces that must endure outdoor conditions require durable
paint designed to withstand all that Mother Nature dishes
out during the course of a year. Exterior paints cost
anywhere between $20-$25 per gallon and should be selected
for color retention, mildew resistance, and ability to
endure temperature changes. A good exterior paint will stay
glossy and resist chalking, cracking, and peeling.
Acrylic latex paint doesn't absorb water and, therefore,
mildew growth is kept to a minimum. Oil-based paints are
durable even with one coat and can take temperatures below
50 degrees F. At your local paint shop, select the sheen and
formula that works best for you.
It's important to follow sheen guidelines when selecting
exterior paints. On old wood siding, for example, a flat
finish is ideal because it will hide imperfections present
in the wood. Trim, smooth aluminum, and vinyl siding take
semigloss paint well, as satin and semigloss are easy to
keep clean and naturally resist stains.
To bring out the natural beauty of wood grain stock or
custom-mixed stain is a good choice. The cost ranges from $5
to $10 per quart. Oil stains absorb into the wood's pores,
darkening the wood as well as sealing it. Pigmented oil and
wiping stains are the easiest to apply, while powder-in
water stains are easy to clean but have a tendency to raise
wood grain.
Wood siding can be stained to provide coverage that lasts a
long time and breathes, so that you won't have to deal with
blistering, cracking, or peeling in a few years. For more
coverage, which you might expect from paint, consider
applying a solid stain. The texture will still show through,
but you'll achieve a more uniform look. Semitransparent
stains give you a more subtle color without diminishing the
look of the grain.
Exterior woodwork needs an oil-based, alkyd paint because it
dries slowly and can take more abuse. Doors, trim,
banisters, and porches need this type of paint because they
endure a lot more wear than other exterior surfaces. |
