ICI Paints is a leading provider of world-class paint brands such as Glidden, Ralph Lauren and the newly introduced This Old House paint. With more than 100 years of technological paint expertise, ICI Paints offers these five suggestions for selecting exterior paint.

Durability: Paint should withstand harsh weather conditions without fading. Selecting a 100 percent acrylic latex formula that resists peeling, cracking and fading in all weather conditions is ideal.

Mildew and Algae Resistant Coating: It’s important to select a paint that protects against both mildew and algae as is found in This Old House paint. Folks tend to assume that these are the same organisms, when they are not. Algae can grow on an inert surface because it only needs water and sunlight to grow (it can even grow on glass), while mildew needs organic food such as sugar from wood or oil from paint to develop. Read labels carefully. Many paints offer only mildew protection.

Ease of Application: Look for a paint that can save you time and deliver a professional-looking appearance. An ideal solution would be a thick, one-coat paint that delivers the same quality finish as two or more coats.

This Old House paint is formulated to ensure that the paint applies smoothly over rough surfaces by providing the perfect balance of flow and sag resistance. This paint resists dripping both on the brush and on the surface, which saves paint, overall paint strokes and time.

High-hiding Pure White Finish: Select a paint that provides exceptional hiding. Hiding refers to the paint’s ability to obscure the surface over which it has been applied, and it is achieved by the paint’s pigment, binder properties and thickness. Many paints use gray toning to achieve hide which can create a dull and gray finish. Choosing a paint with a pure white base ensures that you can achieve advanced hide without visible gray tinting. A brilliant white finish achieved via hide is especially important when painting your house white or a light color such as yellow.

Color: Choosing a color should reflect your style and make the most of your home’s features. Begin the selection process by thinking about what type of house you own. Certain architectural styles demand different color palettes, tones and schemes. Think about the color of homes that neighbor yours. Also consider the natural elements that surround your house and how they look year-round. Nearby foliage might help you choose accent or trim colors. This Old House paint provides regional color cards as a tool that offers inspiration and up-to-date color schemes that reflect different regions of the country, from Urban Eclectic to Southwest Adventure.

If you are interested in matching a historic hue consider This Old House paint. The paint line’s color palette includes 320 colors, 33 of which are marked as “historical” to reflect hues that closely match colors that were popular in the early 20th century.

Courtesy of ARA Content