How to paint a house outside: choosing the right paint

One of the best ways to preserve and update the look of your home is to paint the outside. The correct paint not only makes your house look better from the outside but also protects it from the weather, guaranteeing long-term durability. However, with so many options available, selecting the appropriate paint for the job can be overwhelming.

This guide will take you through the key elements to take into account when choosing paint for the outside of your house. We’ll assist you in making an informed choice that complements your needs and style, from comprehending the various paint kinds to knowing which colors and finishes work best.

You’ll know exactly how to select the ideal paint by the time this article is through, and it will keep your house looking fantastic for many years to come.

Selecting the appropriate paint for painting your home’s exterior is essential for both longevity and aesthetic appeal. In addition to improving the curb appeal of your house, the right paint shields it from inclement weather and environmental deterioration. This post will help you choose the ideal paint type for various surfaces while taking your climate, the type of surface, and the desired finish into account. This will guarantee that your house remains attractive and safe for many years to come.

What kind of paint should be used for the facade

Generally speaking, standards place more of an emphasis on the decorative films that paints form than they do on the paints themselves.

What matters most to them? The ability of the coating to retain its integrity and original color under atmospheric influence for an extended period of time is the primary indicator of a good facade paint.

Main indicators

Indicators like moisture resistance and vapor permeability are crucial for facade paints, and it can be difficult to get both from a single material. In addition, without this combination, moisture will attack the coating from the outside as well as through the wall itself, causing it to become less durable. This moisture comes in the form of steam.

Kindly take note! Steam condenses and moistens the inner surface of the paint film when it has nowhere else to go. This moisture expands and peels off the paint when it thaws after freezing in the winter. Remember that this indicator for the facade paint should be higher the higher the vapor permeability of the wall’s structural material and interior decoration.

• Paints with good vapor permeability are called "breathing", and this characteristic is improved by introducing pore-forming additives into the paintwork. But in order for the coating to be resistant to ultraviolet radiation, manufacturers have to use light-resistant film formers and pigments.

• Peeling of paint from the base occurs not only due to its poor vapor permeability. The quality of the coating is largely determined by the properties of the primer, which must also be selected correctly. The main rule here is that the primer composition should be made based on the same components as the paint.

When someone asks, "How can I paint the outside of a timber house?," we can confidently say that self-priming paint—which doubles as a primer and paint—is the best choice.

In short, the surface is primed and the first layer is applied after being diluted with a solvent to a more liquid state. As usual, the second layer has already been applied.

The choice of colors

Factors like hiding power and consumption per square meter must be considered when selecting paint for the facade. These are essentially two related ideas: the more thoroughly the paint covers the base, the fewer layers that need to be applied, which reduces the paint’s consumption.

Counseling! Compare the consumption indicators rather than the price tags to determine which paint is more cost-effective. Using a more costly paint will probably yield the highest financial returns if it proves to be more cost-effective in terms of consumption.

Lime-based paints

Lime and silicate paints are the most eco-friendly types. Lime whitewashes appear to be obsolete with the introduction of modern paints and tinting impregnations. Nevertheless, they are painted on the facades of historic structures that are undergoing restoration.

What makes this preference the way it is?

• And the fact is that lime paint does not contain polymers and does not form a film, which, in fact, is alien to the walls. It conducts steam best of all, and is even a kind of antiseptic – remember at least the trees whose trunks are still treated with lime to this day. But, of course, this does not mean that a lime-based composition can be used to paint wooden walls.

Kindly take note! Plasters and base bases containing lime, as well as walls constructed of concrete and natural stone, are suitable substrates for applying lime paints. All gypsum-based bases (plaster, panels, gypsum boards, and gypsum fiber boards), ceramic bricks, and outdated paint and varnish coatings that don’t fall under the lime category are among the things that shouldn’t be used with them.

• The only disadvantage of lime paints is that they are not very well tinted (see. How to tint paint: choosing an option), and when painting it is almost impossible to achieve a uniform shade of the surface. In addition, over time it crumbles, and the facade quite often has to be repainted. Therefore, when we are talking not about a modest country house, but about a city residential building with a facade claim to design, you will have to choose something else for exterior painting.
• If you are going to paint a newly plastered house for the first time, or you need to repaint a facade previously painted with lime or cement paint, you can give preference to silicate compositions. They also contain lime, but along with it there are 13-15% of organic compounds, due to which the durability of the coating increases.

• Indications and contraindications for the use of silicate paints are exactly the same as for lime paints – we have already drawn your attention to this. This type of paint is produced either in the form of a powder that needs to be mixed with liquid glass, or, as shown in the photo above, in a finished form.
• As a rule, it is just white paint. Before use, it is tinted as desired, but the tones are mostly pastel. Silicate compounds are quite caustic, and when applying such paint with your own hands, you must be especially careful, use protective equipment.

It is applied with a roller rather than a spray gun for the same reason and due to its relatively quick hardening (see Painting rollers: let’s take a closer look). Watching the video in this post will provide you with more specific instructions on how to complete this task.

Water dispersions

It’s common knowledge that interior painting is the primary application for water-based paints. However, consider the fact that they ought to be chosen over facades in many instances. For instance, using oil and alkyd compounds on cement plaster—which is typically used for outdoor work—is generally not advised.

• The reason for this is the presence of fatty acids in the ether state in these paints, which, when they enter the alkaline environment of the plaster, begin to deteriorate. So here is the palm of the championship behind the dyes of the dispersion type.

Be mindful! We will respond to the query, "Is it better to paint the house from the beam from the outside?" It is best to choose tinted antiseptics, also known as colored impregnations, if you want a color that complements the wood range. They are wood tinting and bioprotection. Well, we suggest using the same dispersion paints to achieve any other color.

• Given such a wide range of applications, we will dwell on water-soluble paints in more detail. Many people do not understand the difference between the concepts “water-emulsion” and “water-dispersion”. And this is the same thing. An emulsion is a mixture of water and substances that do not dissolve in it.
• And a dispersion is a suspension of the smallest solid particles that are present in the same emulsion. Usually, its role is played by cellulose, chalk or talc, which are included in the paint in order to obtain the desired density. Water-dispersed paints are also called water-soluble paints, since in a liquid state they are diluted with water.
• Old generation paints, made mainly on the basis of butadiene styrene or polyvinyl acetate, were not only easily diluted, but also easily removed from the surface. Naturally, they were not used for facades. In contrast, coatings of modern paints made on the basis of acrylic resins, latex, and silicone have ideal mechanical strength.

Similar to how cement sets when it is first diluted with water without creating any issues, the film polymerizes when they dry, forming an impenetrable stone. Although the color as rich as in the image is achieved by adding concentrated tinting pastes to the paint prior to application, these compositions are offered in white.

Painting your home’s exterior is not only a great way to give it a new look, but it’s also an essential part of keeping it weatherproof. You can make sure that the outside of your house will withstand the elements, not fade, and continue to look great for many years to come by carefully choosing the appropriate paint type.

Take into account your home’s particular requirements, including its materials, the climate where you live, and your own taste in design. The ideal paint for your project depends on each of these factors in a big way. Whether you prefer muted hues or bold ones, the correct paint will improve the curb appeal and long-term durability of your house.

Recall that preparation is essential. Before painting, give your surfaces a thorough cleaning, repair, and priming. This will have a significant impact on the outcome. Long-term savings of time, money, and effort can be achieved by investing in high-quality paint and applying it correctly, guaranteeing that your home will look fantastic for many years to come.

Video on the topic

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