Paint, especially on the exterior of your home, is more than just decoration. Exterior house paint is a protective covering that keeps the underlying surface, whether it be wood, vinyl, or masonry, from being directly exposed to the elements. It’s this primary purpose behind paint that makes the number of products available on your hardware store’s shelves so confusing.
If it were just all about color, anyone could pick paint easily. Since it’s not, some knowledge of what the different types of exterior paint for your home is a must. Next to surface preparation, the type of paint you choose to cover your house is the most important element of painting. If you want it to last, anyway.
Exterior paints are made up of four basic elements: pigments, binders, additives and solvents. Every finish type has a different blend of these things to make up the paint’s specific properties. Pigments make up the color and the binder is what holds all of the pigments together, acting as a sort of glue to keep them on the surface. The additives and solvents are what make up the properties of the paint iself, such as mildew resistance, paint hardness, protective qualities, and so forth. The solvent is what keeps the paint liquid before being applied and allowed to dry and some solvents have faster or slower drying abilities than others. This can also affect how well the paint adheres and how long it lasts as well.
The two major types of exterior house paint are latex (water-based) and alkyd (oil-based). In the main, latex is most often used by non-professionals and is more environmentally friendly whereas alkyd paints are usually used by contractors and are easier to spread and spray without blemish.
Latex paints tend to be faster drying than alkyds and usually come in a wider variety of options for color and surface types. They are, however, not generally as long-lasting and can often require more labor to put on in an even coat with no lingering marks from brushes, rollers, or over spray.
Alkyd paints, on the other hand, use oil as their base and are generally thicker. This means that they take longer to dry, but give better coating and are generally longer-lasting as well. In the main, quality exterior paints for common surfaces like wood will be alkyd-based.
Other types of paint that are not as common are also worth considering if you can find them. Elastomeric paints get their name from the rubber-like quality they have once applied. Once used mainly on semi-flexible structures to keep the paint from chipping, these are becoming popular exterior house paints as well, especially on masonry and stucco finishes. It is a thick paint that bridges small gaps and will likely hold its finish even if the surface it covers shifts slightly with changes in weather.
Urethane is another exterior finish that is becoming popular. Used mainly on flooring, such as porches, walkways, and so forth, this is meant only for wooden surfaces. It’s very tough, durable, and has a beautiful shine that can set off a wood well. Urethane is not the same as epoxy floor paints, which are interior-only.
Choosing the right paint for your home is important and can save you a lot of effort in the long run by both making the job easier and by extending the time between paintings.
If it were just all about color, anyone could pick paint easily. Since it’s not, some knowledge of what the different types of exterior paint for your home is a must. Next to surface preparation, the type of paint you choose to cover your house is the most important element of painting. If you want it to last, anyway.
Exterior paints are made up of four basic elements: pigments, binders, additives and solvents. Every finish type has a different blend of these things to make up the paint’s specific properties. Pigments make up the color and the binder is what holds all of the pigments together, acting as a sort of glue to keep them on the surface. The additives and solvents are what make up the properties of the paint iself, such as mildew resistance, paint hardness, protective qualities, and so forth. The solvent is what keeps the paint liquid before being applied and allowed to dry and some solvents have faster or slower drying abilities than others. This can also affect how well the paint adheres and how long it lasts as well.
The two major types of exterior house paint are latex (water-based) and alkyd (oil-based). In the main, latex is most often used by non-professionals and is more environmentally friendly whereas alkyd paints are usually used by contractors and are easier to spread and spray without blemish.
Latex paints tend to be faster drying than alkyds and usually come in a wider variety of options for color and surface types. They are, however, not generally as long-lasting and can often require more labor to put on in an even coat with no lingering marks from brushes, rollers, or over spray.
Alkyd paints, on the other hand, use oil as their base and are generally thicker. This means that they take longer to dry, but give better coating and are generally longer-lasting as well. In the main, quality exterior paints for common surfaces like wood will be alkyd-based.
Other types of paint that are not as common are also worth considering if you can find them. Elastomeric paints get their name from the rubber-like quality they have once applied. Once used mainly on semi-flexible structures to keep the paint from chipping, these are becoming popular exterior house paints as well, especially on masonry and stucco finishes. It is a thick paint that bridges small gaps and will likely hold its finish even if the surface it covers shifts slightly with changes in weather.
Urethane is another exterior finish that is becoming popular. Used mainly on flooring, such as porches, walkways, and so forth, this is meant only for wooden surfaces. It’s very tough, durable, and has a beautiful shine that can set off a wood well. Urethane is not the same as epoxy floor paints, which are interior-only.
Choosing the right paint for your home is important and can save you a lot of effort in the long run by both making the job easier and by extending the time between paintings.
