# Exterior Paints



## penman77 (Nov 8, 2010)

Taking opinions on what other painters think is the best exterior line of paint now


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## A+HomeWork (Dec 10, 2010)

:surrender:
You should quit now.

TONS of threads on that subject in the recent past...and distant too.

http://www.painttalk.com/f2/pratt-lambert-consistently-better-than-sw-all-products-18984/


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

their are many "best" exterior paints, but it is only "best" on the right surface. for example. SW Duration is a "best" but it is nor best to apply over SW Sherlastic.


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## epretot (Dec 17, 2011)

They are all the same.


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## penman77 (Nov 8, 2010)

I like the Duration but I had a few issues with it , so I am looking to try something different this season. Perhaps a Benjamin Moore product. Will do my homework , but just wanted see what fellow painters are currently happy with.


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

that's what I do when I'm working on a coating system.


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## penman77 (Nov 8, 2010)

I appreciate the input.


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## kdpaint (Aug 14, 2010)

California's 2010 line is awesome, Muralo is badazz, BM Regal Select, Aura are good stuff.


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## penman77 (Nov 8, 2010)

:thumbsup:


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## vividpainting (Aug 14, 2011)

I like BM mooregard and aura. Im looking to try some SW products this season as well.


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## sendit6 (Sep 6, 2008)

I would say Duration or Timeless. It's all we use and it performs as advertised.


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## Builtmany (Dec 5, 2009)

Emerald because it's expensive.


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## cdaniels (Oct 20, 2012)

There are a lot of good paints out there.I won't post my favorite because I don't want to have to defend it against someone who doesn't use it.


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## Northwest_painter (Jan 27, 2012)

talk about a loaded question I have sevral best paints just depends on what I am going to paint and what the bottom line is. there is a standard i will not cross on quality of paints.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

Behr,premium,ultra, plus,super,one coat,stain blocker,fantastic,un-believably good, spectacular,fabulous,primer,hole filler,all around consumer reports #1 paint.

cannot do better than that:whistling2:


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## mpminter (Mar 21, 2011)

for exteriors I use SW oil based exterior wood primer reduced 10%, top coated with Duration (sprayed and back brushed) on the siding, and Emerald brushed on the trim. I find the Emerald is faster and easier to brush out than Duration which is why I went to it for hand work.


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

kdpaint said:


> California's 2010 line is awesome, Muralo is badazz, BM Regal Select, Aura are good stuff.


God we think so much alike! You should see this house I painted multi-colors back in 2005 with both California 2012 and Muralo Ultimate house paint, close to 8 years later it's still perfect. And for all you folks in mild climates with new construction - this is a hundred year old house in the northern snowy climates that was a peeling bastard. 

I think the muralo paint was close to perfection, and yet they've come out with 2 new lines of exterior paint since - I wonder how they can better?


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## kdpaint (Aug 14, 2010)

Yes Plain, I think 2 small paint companies have locked up a lot of my business! At this point, I think the big guys put out pretty good to good paint, and Cali and Muralo concentrate on putting out great paint. It is a bonus that the same store carries both Cali and Muralo. I know Graham and Muralo have a strong connection, and I think Cali uses some similar tech as well.


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

Man, you're lucky. Benjamin Moore conspired to put all the competitors out of business in my area. I am going to have to visit Mr. Stoneham paint in the future for some of that Cali paint. I live real close to the actual factory - I wish they would just install a department for selling paint to local contractors. My last favorite store, which closed up shop in '05 sold Pratt&lambert, California, & Muralo - man it was perfection!


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## Stonehampaintdept (Jan 10, 2013)

plainpainter said:


> Man, you're lucky. Benjamin Moore conspired to put all the competitors out of business in my area. I am going to have to visit Mr. Stoneham paint in the future for some of that Cali paint. I live real close to the actual factory - I wish they would just install a department for selling paint to local contractors. My last favorite store, which closed up shop in '05 sold Pratt&lambert, California, & Muralo - man it was perfection!


Their is an open market in that area for a retailer. Our old rep always mentioned that every once in awhile to put a bug in our ear if their was interest in opening a new store. You don't however want to deal with those warehouse workers. Everytime I go to pick something up I am reminded why they have jobs away from the public. Good at loading trucks and driving forklifts, but zero people skills. The tech and customer service dept are amazing though.


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

Best cheap exterior paint: Benjamin Moore Ultra-spec low sheen. Although it hasn't yet withstood the test of time. It sure does cover well and looks good!


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## kdpaint (Aug 14, 2010)

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> Best cheap exterior paint: Benjamin Moore Ultra-spec low sheen. Although it hasn't yet withstood the test of time. It sure does cover well and looks good!


This is true. It does look and cover good. I am interested to see a job where it was specced in a few years though........maybe I'll be surprised in a good way. For the most part, I will stick to the high test paints for exterior though.


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## cdaniels (Oct 20, 2012)

I started an exterior today,HO supplied the paint.Valspar 2000 series contractor paint.I don't know how it will last but it went on good and dried to a nice eggshell finish.I don't see anything wrong with it.....yet.I tried to talk them out of it but they were determined to use it.They are getting what they want.


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## Builtmany (Dec 5, 2009)

Muralo Ultimate is a great product. As with most Muralo products they are getting harder to find. The company just has no marketing.

My Ben Moore dealer is phasing Muralo out because everyone comes through the door asking for BM and never heard of Muralo. IMO Muralo has products that can compete if not do better than BM.


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## Toolnut (Nov 23, 2012)

The best paint is the one that works for you. I know sounds like a snide remark but really if you have a paint that works for you that means you have confidence in that paint and what it will do. Just don't close your mind to other brands. By trying others it will either boost your confidence in your brand or let you see other possibilities. What may be my go to brand in one situation may not be my go to brand in another.


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## Stonehampaintdept (Jan 10, 2013)

Builtmany said:


> Muralo Ultimate is a great product. As with most Muralo products they are getting harder to find. The company just has no marketing.
> 
> My Ben Moore dealer is phasing Muralo out because everyone comes through the door asking for BM and never heard of Muralo. IMO Muralo has products that can compete if not do better than BM.


Agree. A big marketing budget doesn't a quality product make. Having worked in neighborhood hardware stores for the last 19 years I have come to see a lot of quality products you'll never see in a home depot Lowes or walmart. Ex: everyone knows Scotts lawn care products. They're everywhere. Johnathan Green makes products that have more R&D & retailer training at a lower cost.
My question is if that retailer educates their customers about Muralo? It's something I constantly because I don't have a 100,000 sq ft store to fit everything want. But more often than not I'll have something they don't know about or will do the job just the same. It's easy to hand over widget X when asked for it. Takes effort and time to tell what the widget can or can't do.


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

The reason why I use Muralo is because my retailer educated me about the paint - but I think that's because they didn't have a BM dealership and had to fight hard to bring in customers. Where as Ben Moore dealers are like, yeah we got the paint, how much do you need? And that's it, ben moore dealers don't have to 'sell' as much, since Ben Moore does all the marketing for them. All they have to do is follow through and deliver good/excellent service. To be honest, if I was a small independent dealer, I'd want to buddy up with the company that does the selling for me.


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

I also think Ben Moore paints are set up to be more 'production' paints. The thing is with the highest quality paints out there, pratt&lambert, california, or muralo - a lot of times they will sacrifice ease of use for quality. Many of the finishes you can't get on more than a coat in a day or strange things happen. Ben moore might not have the nicest semigloss latex paint - but it's good enough and can be double coated. Their regal wall paint can sometimes recoated in as little as 20 minutes. I've screwed many a p&l finish by trying to recoat it too quickly. I think that's where a lot of guys get messed up using these products, I know there are contractor lines of paint - but I am talking about paints that a contractor can use fairly efficiently and give high end finishes - and I think Ben Moore really has done their homework well in this department.


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

ExcelPaintingCo said:


> Best cheap exterior paint: Benjamin Moore Ultra-spec low sheen. Although it hasn't yet withstood the test of time. It sure does cover well and looks good!


George you mean the satin? Haven't used that on siding yet. Not too shiny?


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## ExcelPaintingCo (Apr 16, 2011)

Damon T said:


> George you mean the satin? Haven't used that on siding yet. Not too shiny?


 
Thank you for the correction Damon! Yes I did mean satin. I've only used it a couple of times, and it's been a while since the exterior season.

It does have a higher sheen level than Low-luster, but just a little bit higher. I was mostly impressed with the coverage, hide, and fast dry times with dark colors. They could have called it Aura-Spec!


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## GrantsPainting (Feb 4, 2013)

*Paint Manufacturers*

Why did nobody mention PPG. I love their products!

Sometime the best paint is not the most expensive. Usually these TOP line paints cover very few square feet and are only thickened by the cheapest materials out there. Therefore your just buying into one of the biggest scams of paint EVER. 2 IN 1 paint . 

Plus these 2 in 1 paints also use crosslinked technology. Which is great for bonding except if paint is already starting to peel in some places because the way it dries will make the paint peel more. Plus it is horrible for Hardy Plank. The best all around exterior paint is a 100 percent Acrylic primer and paint. We use mostly Acri-Shield from PPG Paints.


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## Builtmany (Dec 5, 2009)

GrantsPainting said:


> Why did nobody mention PPG. I love their products!


PPG is pretty much obsolete in this part of NJ. Only one dealer sold it and now most of their stores have all closed up. The store that is still open replaced it with P&L.


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## Stonehampaintdept (Jan 10, 2013)

PPG makes a good can, I agree. Their manor Hall line works great. Been a couple years since I was exposed to it, but that was the top line then.:thumbsup:

I really hate the term "Paint and Primer in one". The technology is nothing new. I don't _think_ of any one company who actually takes 50/50 primer and paint and puts it into a can. I think "Self Priming" is a lot more accurate. It is simply 100% acrylic technology which has better adhesion, durability, hiding ect. over vinyl acrylics.
Every day I have someone asking "Do you have that paint and primer in one stuff?" I usually follow up at some point with "You saw those Home Depot commercials right?. To me they are portraying this one can as a cure all for all your problems, and you have to have it. I remember seeing a glidden commercial wich claimed "paint, primer, filler in one." Are they going to start adding spackle in the can? Or a mechanical arm that pops out with a roller? When does it end? To me, the more you add, the less it will cover. 1 gallon per 50sq ft, really? Yea but it will fix the crack in your wall or glue re-attach the fence post to the support while you watch TV!
I realize it's just good marketing but having half of the information about anything is worse that knowing nothing sometimes. Such is the way of technology and improving I guess.


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

The way 'paint + primer' technology was explained to me at ACE hardware was it's property of coverage, like you would have gotten with a coat of primer and then a coat of paint in the past. Past that, they make no more claims of having other 'primer' qualities. 

@stonehampaint, I disagree with the coverage aspect of 100% acrylics, California paints was the first company on the market to introduce 100% acrylics to the home market and it had a reputation back then of being thin and streaky. Vinyl Acrylics always had better hiding power without having to modify 100% acrylics like heck.


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## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

Dan paint technology has changed since you have been in the game buddy:jester:


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

Dave Mac said:


> Dan paint technology has changed since you have been in the game buddy:jester:


technology has changed, and I have kept up with it. My point is that 100% acrylics don't have intrinsic hiding power like vinyl acrylics do, without tons of modification and other technologies.


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## Stonehampaintdept (Jan 10, 2013)

plainpainter said:


> The way 'paint + primer' technology was explained to me at ACE hardware was it's property of coverage, like you would have gotten with a coat of primer and then a coat of paint in the past. Past that, they make no more claims of having other 'primer' qualities.
> 
> @stonehampaint, I disagree with the coverage aspect of 100% acrylics, California paints was the first company on the market to introduce 100% acrylics to the home market and it had a reputation back then of being thin and streaky. Vinyl Acrylics always had better hiding power without having to modify 100% acrylics like heck.


I've had very good results with the vinyls, they do do a good job, am not disputing that at all. Previous to the change in colorant technology with the high intensity waterborne colorants hiding for deep colors was multiple coats, deep reds, blue, green, yellow needed 2-5 coats. High hiding whites premixed generally has a drop of gray to give hiding power. Maybe I have never used any of the first generation 100% acrylics, but the ones I have used in the past say, 5-8 years I haven't found streaky at all. Whether it was Regal when they first re-formulated about 8-ish years ago to 100%'s or California's Elements or Super Scrub 2 years ago. 

I really do like this forum, so many different views.:thumbup:


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

Reason you never found Ben Moore to be 'streaky' is because those guys held out for as long as possible before releasing a 100% acrylic. It was a vinyl acrylic paint back in '02-'03, at some point around '05'-'06 it became a an 'acrylic blend'. And then finally in '07 it became 100% acrylic - they were years behind in terms of technology - I guess they waited until they knew they could put an acceptable product out. 

California Freshcoat paint back in the late 90s was thought to be thick and streaky among painters. And it was hell to cut with. That was the initial 100% acrylic technology on the market. It took years to make 100% acrylic useable and have hiding power of the vinyl acrylics.


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## GrantsPainting (Feb 4, 2013)

Interesting fact about the vinyl acrylics hiding better. I guess thats why they use in products like Speed *Hide*. I always though of it as a cost saving measure.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

GrantsPainting said:


> Why did nobody mention PPG. I love their products!
> 
> Sometime the best paint is not the most expensive. Usually these TOP line paints cover very few square feet and are only thickened by the cheapest materials out there. Therefore your just buying into one of the biggest scams of paint EVER. 2 IN 1 paint .
> 
> Plus these 2 in 1 paints also use crosslinked technology. Which is great for bonding except if paint is already starting to peel in some places because the way it dries will make the paint peel more. Plus it is horrible for Hardy Plank. The best all around exterior paint is a 100 percent Acrylic primer and paint. We use mostly Acri-Shield from PPG Paints.


 
In you're humble opinion


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## GrantsPainting (Feb 4, 2013)

chrisn said:


> In you're humble opinion


About the Acrylic paints or the Acri-Shield?

There's certainly other paints that are as good, just not in my area. Our BM's are few and far between. Mainly just SW and PPG. PPG wins hands down for the higher line paints, Yes in my humble opinion...
Nobody has a vast line of water mixtures like SW though.

Notice the smileys. Thats mine beating on yours that rolled his eyes.

PS. In second thought you may not be understanding that when I say 100% Acrylic. That I mean having no crosslinking technology. Nothing worse than your new coat of paint causing peeling or pulling on the previous paint job.


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