4 Things to Know Before You Paint Your Exterior

February 26, 2021 3 min read

Clean, contemporary house exterior with a monochromatic black color palette for the walls, front door, and décor.

We asked three of our female sales representatives to share their best tips for making your exterior home project a beautiful success. I mean, who better to tell us what to use for our exteriors than the top selling women in our organization who work with some of our biggest contractor customers every day?!
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Here are 4 things you must know about painting your house

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Charming, landscaped home exterior with painted white brick, black trim paint and a dark green front door.
  Kelly-Moore Paint KM5072 Jasper Park is a medium forest green color. Interior and exterior rated.  Kelly-Moore Paint KMA89 Black Oak is a dusky gray black. Interior and exterior rated.
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ShannonSonia, thanks so much for taking time with me today to talk about paint! I know a lot of people are getting ready to paint their houses this spring.  Let's start with some really basic advice about what sheen (also called 'finish') we should use on our exteriors.
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1.    Choose the right sheen

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Sonia Martinez, Sales Representative for Kelly-Moore Paints in the Watsonville area of California.   Sonia Martinez, Watsonville:  As a homeowner, you always want to make sure that your exterior paint holds up to weather conditions and UV rays. I recommend low-sheen or eggshell paint for the main body. Unlike flat paint, low-sheen paint can easily be power washed if needed. As for trim, semi-gloss can withstand harsh weather conditions and excess moisture.
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Clean, contemporary house exterior with a monochromatic black color palette for the walls, front door, and décor.
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Shannon: Ok so, UV Rays are Ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation that come from the sun and can fade colors and wear paint surfaces over time. I like knowing that using a low or eggshell sheen can give me more durability and washability for my house.
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Verona, I always love our conversations about the large-scale mural projects you've worked on in the San Francisco community. Tell us, do all exteriors have to be primed before you paint?
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2. Know About Primer

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Verona Collins, Sales Representative for Kelly-Moore Paints in the San Francisco area of California.     Verona Collins, Outside Sales San Francisco: Although all of our premium line paints are self-priming with the correct cleaning and preparation, the majority of painting contractors will include primer in their bids. It promotes the best adhesion to the substrate along with tannin resistance. We've formulated primers for specific surfaces so be sure to check with your paint contractor for recommendations on that.
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Modern house exterior with unique inset entrance. The geographic tile pattern is complemented by a terracotta and black paint color palette.
Kelly-Moore Paint KM4903 Zinc Dust is a dusty medium gray black color. Interior and exterior rated.  Kelly-Moore Paint KM5377 Boot Hill Ghost is a dusty medium range terracotta color. Interior and exterior rated.
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Shannon: Right, tannin is the brownish discoloration that can come through wood surfaces when painted. This is really good to know! 
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Cynthia, you cover a wide territory where there's plenty of sun. What kind of paint product and sheen should we choose for front doorsCan you paint both sides of the frontdoor with the same paint?
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3. The best paint for your front door

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Cynthia Schmidt, Sales Representative for Kelly-Moore Paints in the Antioch area of California.     Cynthia Schmidt, Outside Sales Antioch: Both sides can get heavy use and they're constantly touched, so I prefer a durable coating such as Durapoxy HP (high performance). The semi-gloss sheen will give the most protection. But I prefer the look of the satin Sheen.
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 Colonial Vicotorian Queen Anne style home with a bright exterior color palette of blue exterior walls, white trim and archways with a pink front door.
Kelly-Moore Paint KM4988 Passionate Blueberry is a deep, navy blue color. Interior and exterior rated.  Kelly-Moore Paint KM5482 Pink Bubble Tea is a medium tone pink color. Interior and exterior rated.  
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Shannon: That makes sense. But, I don't think you need to rule out dark and bright paint colors for exteriors. You'll just want to be aware that you may need to paint your house more often.
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Townhouse exterior with a bright and crisp yellow and black color blocking palette with modern entry
Kelly-Moore Paint KM5204 Lemonade Stand is a robust and bright yellow. Interior and exterior rated.  Kelly-Moore Paint KM4911 Desert Shadow is a dark toned black gray. Interior and exterior rated.
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Speaking of color, you all know my favorite question! What is your favorite Kelly-Moore paint color and where's a great place to use it?
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Our Sales Team's Favorite Paint Colors

     Sonia: My top choice at the moment is KM5822 San Francisco Fog. I have seen it everywhere. I used it on my kitchen cabinets and they look beautiful.
Kelly-Moore Paint KM5822 San Francisco Fog is a classic and timeless medium gray. Interior and exterior rated.
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     Cindy: My favorite Kelly-Moore color is KM575 Farmer’s Market. It's just the perfect shade of muted green and looks amazing both inside and outside. I like it paired with light to medium neutrals. I painted my entire office Farmer’s Market with 23 Swiss Coffee trim.
Kelly-Moore Paint KM575 Farmer’s Market is a mid-tone earth green. Interior and exterior rated.
Kelly-Moore Paint KM575 Farmer’s Market is a mid-tone earth green. Interior and exterior rated.
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     Verona: KMA29 Peacock Blue is one of many of my absolute favorite colors. Truly beautiful as an exterior front door and stunning when complimented with 23 Swiss Coffee for larger rooms.
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Kelly-Moore Paint KMA29 Peacock Blue is a rich, brilliant blue. Interior and exterior rated.
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Shannon: Thank you all so much for the time and work you contribute for our company, and for the examples you set for young women looking to us to be fearless in our goals, careers, and passions.

Shop The Story

 

Kelly-Moore Paints DuraPoxy HP acrylic urethane paint for interior and exterior trim, railings, cabinets, and doors.

 Kelly-Moore Paints Kel-Bond universal multi-purpose primer

 

 

 

 

 



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