What Sheen to Paint The Exterior of Your Home

Paint sheens can be difficult.  We have mentioned this in other blogs as to what sheen is for what purpose, but as we are here in the Spring of 2020, we thought we would do a refresher course.  

For typical exterior work, wood and or cementious siding, we would recommend using a satin for both body of the house and the trim of the house.  Also, when you have an accent, like the front door, this is a good sheen to use.  

The only time we don't use a satin for the exterior, except when specifically requested, is when we are painting a stucco exterior.  Stucco exterior requires a paint that has elastic properties.  These elastic properties in the paint allow it to move with the stucco as stucco is supposed to do. In this case we will go with a more flat or matte finish for the sheen.

Using the satin sheen provides a level of protection for the exterior of the house. With our harsh winters and hot summers, we can use all the protection we can get in order to get the most life out of the paint.  

Typically paint manufacturers like Behr or Sherwin Williams will rate their exterior products.  The cheaper the paint, the less of a life it will provide. Usually with a mid-grade to more expensive paint, Behr Ultra or Sherwin Williams Duration, you will see a longer life on your paint.  The reason for this is the amount of UV fighting chemicals that are used in the paint which make it more expensive.

If you have any questions about the sheen choice for your exterior paint job, please don't hesitate to get in touch.  We are happy to help.