If clothes do make a man, then the facade is the face and the suit of every building. The exterior of your house leaves the strongest impression because it is the first thing an observer sees on your home. Its condition can tell a lot about the maintenance of the construction as well as its residents.
The facade preserves the stability and durability of the walls of each building. Its purpose is not only to obtain external insulation but to prevent unnecessary waste of energy (and money).
Decorating the exterior according to your wishes and capabilities should be left to the professionals. Also, you should consult both the architect and the exterior designer. They can give you helpful tips on how to tidy up your home so that it fits the aesthetic standards and matching the surrounding.
Purpose of Exterior Painting
Every house looks more beautiful with a ‘suit’ than with bare walls. For the exterior of your home to have maximum functionality, quality and durable materials are required, as well as finishing coatings and paint.
After installing the insulation, homeowners can independently choose and arrange the appearance of the front. And while color is a matter of personal preference, attention must also be paid to the protective properties of the final paint.
The last but not least reason why invest in the facades is the value of your property. Attractive exterior with functional insulation can significantly affect the market value of the building. Most buyers usually look for fully-arranged houses, both inside and outside.
Types of Exterior Coatings
It may seem that the decision about the look of the front of your house is easy; you just have to choose the right color. But the truth is that this choice is a bit more complicated. You have to consider factors such as the area, climate, size, and the position of your home.
Most manufacturers offer facade overlays on the silicone, silicate, and acrylic basis. Which one you’ll opt for depends on the characteristics of the surface where you’ll apply it and the weather conditions of the area where you live. If you are not familiar with the painting job, consult the experts when choosing the final coat for your exterior.
Silicone-Based Covering
As the name implies, these paints consist of silicone resins that have mineral properties and give the surfaces a natural look. They are easy for application, have excellent covering power, and are resistant to abrasion, different weather conditions, and sudden changes in temperature.
The silicone adhesive has the ability to repel water from the outside. Elk Horn Painters Littleton suggests these coatings for use on the north side of the house and where the surfaces are exposed to outside moisture. They have high permeability of water vapor as well as increased resistance to mold.
Acrylic Coatings
The combination of oil and acrylate forms the base of acrylic paints. It provides them with durability and high moisture resistance, which is the most significant advantage of these coatings. It is essential to apply it properly, which is why the walls must be completely dry and clean.
These materials give the elasticity to acrylic paints; it fits well to the walls and rarely cracks due to excessive exposure to the sun and moisture. If your walls are made of stone, bricks, cement, and other similar materials, applying an acrylic-based finish will give them extra strength and protection they need.
Silicate Paints
Silicate mixtures consist of adhesive, mineral pigments, and silicone fillers. This blend provides surfaces with complete resistance to sunlight. Silicate paints are acid-resistant and recommended for painting exterior joinery and wooden facades.Click here for more information.
On the other hand, these coatings are quite inelastic so that cracks and abrasion can occur. These are not recommended for uneven surfaces such as concrete and bricks. Also, silicate coatings are not for exteriors exposed to extreme weather conditions and humidity as they absorb a lot of water.
A Few Painting Tips
Before painting the facade, look at your house – its shape, size, and the style in which it was built. Think about what you want to achieve with facade decoration, and match it with what you have. When viewed as a whole, your home must look harmonized, so pick colors that are complementary to the shades of your carpentry, roof, gutters, and fencing.
Match the Environment
You may have an attractive and original and unusual exterior. But if it doesn’t match the environment, the result can be quite disappointing, no matter how much money you invest in it.
Whoever looks at your home from the outside not only sees your house; they perceive the entire surrounding. So make sure that your front is matched with the neighbors’ homes and all other facilities that surround you.
The one-color house looks monotonous and depressing. So look for inspiration to make your façade appealing. Start by choosing the basic paint – you can’t go wrong with neutral shades; then look for complementary colors for details.
Play with Colors
Keep in mind that colors on large surfaces usually look brighter than on small surfaces. You can choose complementary paints from the same palette, and if you like to experiment, you can, for example, opt for borders around openings in darker shades.
On the page below, check some suggestions on combining thecolors for exterior decoration:
Do Trial Painting
Before painting the entire facade, it is crucial to do a test coat. Apply the desired color to the part of the house, and observe it throughout the day. In a different light and at different angles, colors may look different. So you should do this test to see if any paint is suitable for the whole house or part of the facade.
It does matter what kind of facade you have on your home. In a certain way, it represents you, your family, and anyone living in the house.
