Designing a Nursery

An advantage of hiring a professional painting service to paint the exterior of your home is that you can be sure the right type of paint is used in the right places. While you'll select the paint colors yourself, a professional knows the right type of paints to choose from the wide selection on the market. Still, it helps to know about the paint options available in case you want to tackle a DIY paint job or touch up a professional job in the coming years. These are some choices you have.

Latex Paint

Latex paint is needed for vinyl siding since the paint will expand and contract along with the siding as the temperatures change. Latex paint is easy to clean, which is important for siding. You can clean it with a hose and remove stains with a soft brush and soapy water. This type of paint resists cracking and it doesn't trap moisture, so it won't bubble up and peel as easily as other types of paint.

Solvent-Based Paint

An oil-based type of paint is better at penetrating surfaces, so it can cover stains more readily. This paint is suitable for wood siding and metal siding that gets chalky or rusty. In addition to the two basic types of exterior paint, oil-based and water-based, there are different formulations of each depending on the conditions under which the paint is applied. It's always important to read the labels on a paint can to understand the climate conditions that are necessary for using the paint.

Concrete Paint

If you have stucco siding or want to paint a concrete porch, then look for masonry or concrete paint. You don't want to use regular house paint on concrete. Similar to vinyl, concrete expands and contracts along with the outdoor temperature, so you need paint that will tolerate this movement without cracking and peeling.

Matte Finish Paint

Matte finish paint has a flat look. It's often used when it's necessary to hide imperfections. Since the paint doesn't reflect light as much as glossy paints, imperfections aren't as visible. The drawback to flat paint is that it isn't as easy to clean. Its best use is on siding that doesn't get as dirty as doors and windows.

Glossy Finish Paints

You can buy paints with different levels of gloss. Satin has the least amount of gloss, so it is the glossy choice with the best coverage of imperfections. You can also choose semi-gloss and glossy. The glossy paints are used on entry doors and window sills since these get dirty easily and need to be cleaned more often than siding. Glossy paint is much easier to wipe clean so you can maintain your home's appearance. A gloss finish will also make the door or window less vulnerable to scuffing.

In addition to all this, the quality of paint you use in exterior home painting is important. You can judge the quality by reading the information on the can that lets you know how well the paint will hide stains, how many solids are in the paint, and how thick the paint is. The information helps you or your painter judge how well the paint will cover your home and how long the paint will last without flaking or fading.