There is no doubt about it, of all of the materials you can use to improve the appearance of your house; paint has to be the most inexpensive and effective of them all. Choosing the best exterior paint is going to involve considering the type of material used on the outside of your home, as well as listening to what your contractor recommends. As far as the color of paint is concerned, that is going to be a matter of personal preference, though home improvement experts do suggest paying special attention to the architecture of the home when you make your final decision. Here is look at the kinds of exterior paint to use on the different types of home finishes.
The best exterior paint, as mentioned, depends on the kind of surface you and your contractor are painting. Take a plain, bare wood home for example. This project is going to look best and last the longest when you choose an acrylic latex primer and an acrylic latex paint with stain blocker included. Woods like cedar and redwood are going to need a bit of extra attention to ensure that the oils in these woods don't bleed through your new paint job. When you are dealing with older, chalky wood, your best exterior paint option is going to be an oil based paint. It helps with adhesion and looks much better.
Of course, there are other types of wood construction out there as well, but it's time to take a look at other types of siding. If your home is of vinyl siding construction, your best bet for paint will be 100% acrylic latex paint. You won't need any primer with this application. If you are dealing with steel siding, start with a primer for metals and finish with a coat or two of alkyd paint. Aluminum siding doesn't need any primer at all and only needs alkyd paint as well. With concrete or stucco finish, simply paint with two coats of 100% acrylic paint for the best look.
By: Gregg Hicks
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