It’s a sad fact – any exterior paint is going to fade over time. That doesn’t mean you have to accept this reality. There are things you can do to keep exterior paint from fading on your house or office building.
What Causes Exterior Paint to Fade?
Painters in Philly note that there are many reasons why the paint on the exterior of your house fades.
There is a natural fading process. Paint wears or fades over time. The pigments in the paint responsible for holding the color break down over time. Fade-inducing factors include heat, oxygen, light, and ozone.
Colorado is blessed with nearly three hundred days of sunshine. While this is one of the state’s most appealing features, it is very hard on painted surfaces. High temperatures of summer heat and exposure to sunlight are hard on exterior paint.
Exterior paints have an even greater challenge. The sun’s powerful ultraviolet rays fade objects it hits. The sun burns grass, trees, and skin. These same rays fade the color pigment by leaching the chemical bonds in the paint.
Other harsh weather conditions also present a challenge for exterior paint. Just as Colorado experiences many days of sunlight and high temperatures in the summer, the state also has cold temperatures, rain, wind, and winter ice, and snow.
Why Worry About Fading Exterior Paint?
If you are getting ready to sell your home or business, there is a lot you can do to increase its value with some paint notes HGTV.
Curb appeal gives buyers the first impression of your property whether you are selling the building or you want to attract potential customers to your place of business. How your building looks is the buyers’ first impression. It tells them what to expect when they go inside.
Curb appeal is a powerful marketing tool. Prospective customers are 90% more likely to look inside your home or business if the Wow factor of the exterior is high. Faded exterior paint can seriously affect first impressions. Studies show that a well-maintained exterior adds to its resale value and increases interest by buyers.
Even if you aren’t trying to sell your home, you want your neighbors to value your presence in the community. Keeping the exterior well maintained, clean, and tidy can go a long way toward neighborhood goodwill.
There are several reasons besides curb appeal to protect the exterior surface of your home or office.
Painted surfaces with a fresh look make your home or office look great. This makes a positive impression on neighbors who will strive to make their own homes look good, too. A well-maintained home makes the homeowner and the other residents in that home feel good about themselves and their home. When your home or office looks sharp, you feel more confident and optimistic.
Fresh quality exterior paint provides an added layer of protection from weather, insects, and dust. It can prevent exterior wood from rotting. This cuts down on home repair costs and protects your investment.
A good coat of paint allows the building owner to see repair issues like mold, mildew, rotting wood, water stains, bubbling or peeling paint. You can then catch these while they are still easy to repair.
How to Keep Exterior Paint From Fading
Given factors like the amount of sunshine and temperature extremes, there will always be some fading of the paint on the exterior of your home or commercial property.
Oxygen, ozone, heat, and light are a natural part of our atmosphere. That said, there are ways to slow the fading process.
Paint Quality
The type and quality of the paint you use is a contributing factor to fading. How the paint is mixed also affects fading.
Select high-quality paint that best repels those UV rays. Make sure you are using paint specifically intended for exterior surfaces. Exterior paints are of higher quality than those intended for indoor painting. They contain chemicals that reduce fading from the sun’s UV rays.
Paint Sheen
Writer, Lee Wallender of The Spruce recommends you pay attention to paint sheen.
Sheen refers to both the appearance and the quality of the paint on the exterior of your home. There are four basic paint sheen categories: flat or matte, satin or eggshell, semi-gloss, and high-glass. Because of a high sheen is glossy. Think of it as a mirror. The higher the gloss, the more sunlight reflects off it. Flat or matte finish paint absorbs light. So what does this mean? Choose higher gloss paints because they reflect the sun’s rays. Matte or low-sheen paints absorb those UV rays. This hastens fading.
However, there is another issue to consider regarding high-gloss paints. Usually, painting professionals use the highest gloss paints only for around windows and doors. These areas are washed frequently whereas the larger exterior surfaces are not. For those large areas, painters most often choose semi-gloss. High-gloss paints show imperfections. On metal or wood siding, high-gloss paints show every bump and imperfection.
Bottom line? The quick answer regarding sheen is to choose satin or eggshell for your home’s exterior. It is easier to maintain and presents an esthetically pleasing appearance.
Paint Color
Now, let’s talk color. You may think it doesn’t affect fading. You’d be wrong. The color you choose is important. Yellow, orange, red, dark green, and dark blue paints absorb more light. This speeds up fading. Choose lighter colors. They do not fade as fast. Spearpaint explains
Don’t mess with the manufacturer’s shades. When you add tint to the paint, you increase the likelihood of its fading. Don’t darken colors.
Choose inorganic colors like earth tones. Beige, brown, and tan are less likely to fade like organic colors including shades of reds, blues, greens, and yellows. Learn more about color choices from our guide on the best exterior paints for your home.
Improved Technology
If you had painted the exterior of your home or business a decade ago, the paint would have most likely have faded by 79% in that ten-year period. On average, the exterior paints of ten years ago held their elasticity for only seven to ten years. Paint faded about 7% a year.
However, today’s exterior paints are more fade-resistant. Their chemical makeup has improved. Primers are an important part of the fading reduction. Using paint with built-in UV protection has cut the 7% annual fade rate to somewhere between one and three percent.
There are paint choices today that combat fading. Satin, lifetime coatings resist fading. Selecting an exterior paint that protects from fading and resists dirt is a good start. Products like BEHR Marquee exterior paint and primer protect from fading and resist dirt.
How Can Colorado Painting Help?
For years, the experienced, skilled professionals at Colorado Painting have proudly provided high-quality painting services in the Denver Metro Area. As a local business, we know the challenges of Colorado weather.
We are eager to work with our residential and commercial clients to meet unique customer needs.
For a free estimate and to discuss your paint needs, give us a call at (303) 574-1740.
