Exterior paint information

Many homeowners may think that hiring a contractor is an alternative to choosing their own paint, but those don't have to be mutually exclusive options. Many contractors allow customers to choose the paint they will use, and some even allow customers to buy the paint. Contractors generally get a wholesale discount. Assume they will make whatever profit they need to make regardless of who buys the paint.

Vinyl siding is an alternative. It comes pre-colored, but if you wish to change the color in the future, it can be painted.

Stain is an alternative to paint. Of course, it requires bare wood, so the preparation work is greater than with paint if the house has been previously painted. Tests show that paint lasts longer than even the best stains.

For interior paint, please see our companion ConsumerSearch report.

The Buzz

Benjamin Moore recently introduced a line of interior paint called Aura. Popular Science selects Benjamin Moore Aura (*est. $55 per gallon) paint as one of the "Best of What's New 2007" products, and it generally receives rave reviews from those who have used it. Aura is a low volatile organic compound (VOC), relatively odorless formulation. No exterior paint is generating this kind of buzz. According to its website, Benjamin Moore is plans to begin selling an exterior version of Aura sometime in 2008.

A December 1, 2007 Washington Post article by Katherine Salant, "Gauging a Paint's Performance Before It Hits the Wall," includes a detailed explanation of paint ingredients and relative quality.

The Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute has many helpful articles.

The National Paint & Coatings Association is a professional association that offers much good advice for consumers. Topics include "Community Paint Exchange Guide," lead information, and how-to guides.

We found a very good article in Family Handyman, "High-Quality Paint".

On the House syndicated columnists James and Morris Carey offer several good articles, including "All You Ever Wanted to Know About Painting," "Comparing Oil and Latex Paint," and "Good Paint Means Good Results".

Paul Bianchina column, "Picking the perfect paint for home exterior" is helpful.

HowStuffWorks.com article: "Selecting Exterior Paint"

Old-House Journal article: "Colorful Issues in Choosing Exterior Paint"

Washington Post article: "No method of removing old paint is perfect"

DoItYourself.com article: "Exterior Repainting Tips and Techniques"

Van Sickle Paints: "Paint FAQ"

and "Exterior Painting Checklist"

Better Homes and Gardens article: "Pick the Right Exterior Paint"

Better Homes and Gardens article: "Picking Exterior Colors"

GreenHomeGuide article: "Selecting Healthy and Environmentally Sound Paints"

Lowe's Exterior Paint Guide can be found here.

The Paint and Decorating Retailers Association provides links to independent local paint dealers.

Check here for an informative U.S. EPA article about lead.

Dated, but still useful is the Today's Homeowner article, "Picking House Paint."

The paint manufacturers have how-to advice, as well as extensive information about their products:

Behr Process Corporation

Benjamin Moore

Cabot (stains)

California Paints

Duron Paints

Dutch Boy

Glidden

Kelly-Moore

M.A.B.

Masterchem Industries, Inc. (Kilz)

Muralo

Olympic

Pittsburgh

PPG Industries

Pratt & Lambert Paint

Sherwin-Williams

Thompson's WaterSeal

Valspar Corporation

Van Sickle Paints

Zinsser (primer)