Making the outside of your house look every bit as beautiful as the inside is quite a task, and most times, unless you get professional help, it will be one of the most daunting tasks you will ever undertake in your projects at home.  Other than a beautiful exterior, another to thing to consider is what particular exterior paint color is predominantly seen when the house is viewed.  Your house may have a truly beautiful exterior, but if the exterior paint color is way off, it could look funny, or even downright ugly.

So how do I pick an exterior paint color that won’t make my house look like it was painted by an absolute amateur?  Here are some things you should really dwell on before you begin painting the exterior of your dwelling.

Location

Houses nowadays have been known to feature almost every color in the rainbow when it comes to exterior paint colors, but this does not necessarily mean that you should indeed paint your house with every color of the rainbow.  The sheer number of color options merely allows you to have a wider selection when it comes to deciding what color the outside of your abode should be.  In this case, consider the location of your house.  In choosing a color for your house, it would be better to pick a color that compliments the surrounding of the house rather than make the house stand out like a sore thumb.  As an example, a house in California, where the weather is bright and sunny most of the time, is best painted in warm and neutral tones, to better compliment the atmosphere and climate of the locale.  Colors such as beige, wheat, soft yellow, and cream will do quite well in this type of weather.  Houses near the southwestern side, meanwhile, tend to take more to the colorful shades, such as those seen during festivities in neighboring Mexico.  Colors such as bright and deep shades of blue and red are well suited here.  Houses near the woodland areas would best be given colors that showcase the best of nature, such as deep shades of brown and green.

Architecture

Another thing to consider is how was the dwelling built?  Houses in different areas vary from the usual fare of modern living, to the more classical and periodic style of houses, and even all the way to the post modern stylings of a growing number of houses today.  Some colors compliment certain architectural styles, while some colors are sure to destroy even the most well-designed of houses.  A period dwelling, for example, will look quite silly if painted in hot, vivid, and pastel colors, while a post-modern house will look definitely drab if colored withe the tame and passive colors reserved for the classically designed houses.  Pick a color that is traditionally deemed appropriate for a certain type of house.

These are just two considerations in picking exterior paint colors for your house.  There are so much more to really ponder, but at the end of the day, all you really need to do is experiment and see which looks best with your house, and if you are pleasantly satisfied with the end product, then what more needs to be said?

Many do-it-yourselfers have asked which particular type of paint is essentially better for their painting project: oil-based or latex? House paint colors available in stores are generally broken down into these two categories, so more often than not, a choice boils down to any of the two. While there may scores of reasons to pick one over the other, here is an intrinsic look at both types of paints, and their particular peculiarities.

Surface adaptability

Oil-based paint can often be used on almost all types of surfaces, with the possible exception of galvanized metal. Also, a sealer or pre-treatment may be required if an oil-based paint is to be applied on surfaces like stucco, new concrete and other masonry. Latex, on the other hand, works quite well with galvanized metal, vinyl and aluminum siding, brick, concrete, stucco and wood.

Cleaning

Paint will always require clean-up, to prevent the settling of stains on the surface, and to generally make it look like the way it look as fresh as when it was first applied. Oil-based paint requires solvents such as paint thinner or turpentine for cleaning, unlike Latex paints, which will require only water for clean-up.

Adhesion

One of the primary considerations in picking out paint is how long can it stick to the wall and remain as good looking as the day it was applied. In this aspect, both oil-based and latex paints have been formulated to stay on where it was applied for a very long time. Oil-based paints have a tendency to adhere better on heavily chalked surfaces, while latex paints adhere better to most substrates, although this type exhibits better elasticity than oil based-paint, making it less prone to cracking.

Application

Depending on your expertise, actually applying the paint may be anywhere from being a pleasurable activity to a downright chore. With this in mind, considering the ease of application of a paint type may be a primary consideration for some. Oil-based paint is formulated to be thicker in consistency, creating a “drag” effect when being applied, although this fact is offset by allowing it to go on heavier, and thus resulting in better one-coat hiding. Latex paint can be applied more evenly and smoothly, producing significantly less brush drag.

Resistance to “habitation”

Mildew is one of the most common problems in most households, since it has a tendency to settle even on painted surfaces, clinging onto the paint itself and sometimes even feeding off on the paint, allowing it to spread even further. Some oil-based paints have components of vegetable oil in it, which has nutrients that allow mildew to grow faster, although some oil-based paints contain chemicals that inhibit mildew growth. Latex paint, not having the oily compounds that promote mildew growth, is less appealing to mildew.

Resistance to Fading

Paints have different formulations, allowing it to retain color longer, despite exposure and weathering. Oil-based paints, having some organic compounds in them, are more prone to fading and chalking when exposed directly to sunlight, while latex paint can stand up better to direct exposure to sunlight and retain colors longer.

These are just some points for comparison, and while one particular paint often has a perk over the other, and vice versa, the end decision should also involve considering the actual area of application, what conditions the area is exposed to, and if the interior paint color or exterior paint color combination you picked is quite suited to this area.