The best exterior paint is the key to achieving a good appearance for your home. Aside from aesthetic value, exterior paint provides protection for your home against moisture buildup, temperature changes, and fading of the materials. Selecting the right exterior paint is a decision that you must not rush about since it will influence the longevity and appearance of your home—two vital factors in owning a home.
The goal is not just to find the right color for your home but also to choose the paint that it best worth your money. And even with a coat of the finest exterior paint, proper care and maintenance
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What Makes a Fine Exterior Paint?
When selecting an exterior paint for your home, the type of surface to be painted, the look you want to achieve, and the weather that your house will potentially encounter as you paint and as it settles are all factors in need of consideration. With these aspects taken into account, you can start deciding on what paint to purchase. Here are some details on the factors you need to consider:
Water-Based or Oil-Based Paint
Most exterior applications call for water-based paint. However, if you will be applying paint on metal surfaces and bleeding woods, oil-based paint is ideal. Water-based paint is more breathable, such that it would not trap moisture leading to cracking or peeling. If drying time is an issue for you, water-based paint is better since it has a fast drying time for 1 to 6 hours, depending on the size of the surface.
On the other hand, oil-based paint features better adhesion and surface penetration than water-based ones. Though it may need more time of about 8 to 24 hours, it is better at stain blocking and more suitable for metals and some wood types.
Finish
With exterior paint, you can achieve three different types of finish, namely, flat or matte, glossy, and satin.
The flat/matte finish is good at hiding painting imperfections, unlike with glossy finishes. However, they would not clean as well as glossy finishes do. This type of finish is ideally used on sidings.
For the glossy finish, expect a tough and durable painting job that is hassle-free to clean. It expresses the details on the surface painted such as on doors and trims. While this is a strength in some aspects, it can also be a setback, especially when used on sidings and walls where there are many imperfections that can be accentuated.
If you want a glossy appearance but not too much, you can choose the satin finish. It has a slight gloss that can still conceal the imperfections on the surface. It is easier to clean than a matter finish.
Special Formulations
Since the different parts of your home are exposed to different environmental elements, special formulas have been created to be utilized
How to Use Exterior Paint Correctly
Even with the finest exterior paint in the market, it would not work as expected if you do not use it properly. Thus, it is important how to properly apply paint on a surface to ensure that it will provide the aesthetic value and protection for which you bought it.
The most important factor to guarantee good results is surface preparation. If the surface has been previously painted, inspect the entire area for any signs of peeling paint. It must be scraped off properly before the application of a new paint coat. When holes on the surface are observed, they must be cleaned, scraped, then filled. In
After you have cleaned, scraped, filled, and/or sanded the surface, the next step is to prime it using a primer or first coat of paint. Some surfaces such as metal and bare wood need to be thoroughly primed, including any nails that are on it. Priming will encourage better adhesion and longevity of the exterior paint.
As the surface has been completely prepared, the next step is to start painting. Painting in the right weather will help ensure the best results. Consider the current condition in your area before starting to paint. Low temperatures of less than 50 degrees will cause ordinary paint not to dry. Fortunately, there are paint formulas specifically designed for cold climates. On the other hand, if you paint when
Top 5 Best Exterior Paints
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The KILZ Siding, Fence & Barn Paint is an advanced water/oil-based formula that has a mixture of the characteristics of oil and water-based paints. It has the high penetration ability, durability, and fade resistance of oil-based paint while having the easy
It has great color retention along with mildew resistance, UV protection, cracking, blistering, and
Pros
- Durable
- Resistant to many factors affecting its quality such as cracking, peeling, mildew formation, blistering, and fading
- Features high UV protection
- Not harmful to animals
- Combines the positive aspects of both oil and water-based paints
- Goes on easy when applied
- Color is just as good, or even better in person
- Good coverage
- Lives up to the promise of durability—no peeling and fading even after years even without surface preparation
- Price is worth the paint quality
Cons
- Hard to find
The Rust-Oleum 206999 is a marine paint, which is abrasion resistant. It comes in an elegant design, producing a smooth finish. This paint has been manufactured in the USA, which translates to guaranteed quality and safety for use.
It features UV resistance and gloss retention. This paint can be used for spray as well as paintbrush applications. This paint is a modified alkyd suitable for painting on surfaces uses above the waterline. This paint is designed to withstand different weather conditions, eve extreme ones.
Pros
- Resistant to different elements such as UV and abrasion
- Retains gloss with its brilliant finish
- Can be used on metal, fiberglass, or wood surfaces, as long as these are above the water
- Flexible
- Waterproof
- Does not require any surface preparation
- Does self-leveling for the paint strokes made, but still does not compensate for insane drips
- Can be used with sprayers or paintbrushes
- Good coverage
Cons
- Has a foul smell when not yet dry
- Hard to remove splatters on the skin
- Not non skid
- Long drying time
- Minor brush marks are left in the painted surface
- When used frequently, longevity is affected so chipping and peeling start to appear
The Modern Masters ME195-GAL has a metallic finish for its water-based formulation. This is perfect as a house paint. Included in the Metallic Paint Collection, the Modern Masters ME195-GAL is ideal even for exterior applications since it will not tarnish.
This paint is manufactured in the US. Its manufacturer is known as a world leader in producing metallic paints. This paint is composed of real metal particles along with customary color and pearlescent pigments to produce its shimmering color. This paint is perfect for creating high-end decorative finishes on a DIY project or huge architectural qualifications.
Pros
- Textured and smooth surfaces both glisten with the application of this paint
- Can be layered to produce different glowing colors
- Fast drying
- Easy cleanup
- Resulting finish really looks like copper metal
- Provides different coverage once the right number of coats is achieved
- Ideal for touchups
- Worth its price point
Cons
- Metallic finish is not everyone’s preference
- Needs several coats for quality results, top few coats will reduce the richness of the color
- The ending color is hard to gauge
- A bit pricey for some customers
The Rust-Oleum 254101 produces a metallic finish, which is one of the hottest trends
This paint can be applied onto different surfaces including metal, wood, and so much more. It is also fast drying so you can touch the painted surface in just a short amount of time. The resulting product will have a rich metallic tone, perfect for those who want to add a tinge of elegance to the inside or outside of their homes.
Pros
- Metallic finish is subtle, not too shiny
- Smooth application
- Nice levelling
- Results in a smooth and glossy surface
- No brush marks
- Durability is expected since it comes from a reliable manufacturer
Cons
- Can get tacky
- Runs easily
- Does not conceal surface imperfections
- Can be tricky to achieve the finish needed
- Can be a bit too pricey for the preference of some customers
The Rust-Oleum 7792504 is a protective paint that produces
It also features chip resistance while ensures that it will not fade easily even if takes longer to re-apply another painting application. This paint is designed to create lasting protection for surfaces.
Pros
- Durable, even more than latex-based paints
- Shiny gloss
- Easy to apply
- Good coverage after only 2 coats
- Can be used on a variety of surfaces aside from metal—wood (painted or bare), masonry, and PVC
- Suitable for both interior and exterior applications
- Quick drying formula (under 6 hours on normal weather and just 3 hours on hot weather)
- Does not require surface preparation to produce good coverage
- Offered at a reasonable price
Cons
- Custom colors are not offered for this paint
- Can be sticky even when wearing gloves
- When compared to latex paint, this takes longer to dry
- Clean up necessitates the use of solvents such as thinners along with soap and water
- Bad odor lasts for days, especially if used in closed area
Conclusion
The best paint will depend on your preferences and surface requirements. Different surfaces require different paint types. However, based on the overall features of the paint products reviewed in this guide, the KILZ 1-gal. Siding, Fence & Barn Paint stood out. Its combination of water and oil-based formulation make it suitable for application whether on metal, wood, or any other material.
This paint
The ultimate goal is to find the paint that will provide the aesthetic appearance and protection that one wants for his property. Take into account all the characteristics of the paint you use that will affect the application results such as the paint formulation and finish. If you have through about all of these, the KILZ Siding, Fence & Barn Paint is one to consider. Still, proper application of the pain is important to warrant quality results.
