The Best Exterior Paint for Denver Homes
Painting the exterior of a home in Denver can be a very large project. Many of the homes in downtown Denver are anywhere from 50-100 years old with styles ranging from Queen Anne Victorians down to smaller brick bungalows. These homes are part of the city’s history, so it’s important to honor their design with the right color schemes and paint products. In this article, we’ll be comparing exterior paints and determining which paint product is best for your Denver home.
Painting Denver Homes
As a well seasoned Denver painter we’re very familiar with the wide variety of styles featured in our city. Homes range from small to massive and there are particular styles that we like to focus on. These styles include Denver Squares, Victorians, Bungalows, Tudors, and Mid-Century Modern homes. Most of these particular styles of homes were likely built anywhere from the late 1800’s to the 1980’s. That means the paint products originally used were quite different from the paint we see on homes today. The right exterior paint product can have a huge impact on the overall look of your home.
Painting Lead Positive Homes in Denver
We’ll go into lead paint protocols more in another article, but if your Denver home was built prior to 1978 you need to have it tested for lead before you paint. Lead paint lasts incredibly long, but due to it’s heavy lead content it was deemed unsafe for use. It was more or less discontinued by the end of the 1970s. When you repaint a home that was previously painted with lead paint, your main goal should be to contain any and all lead chips. There are several steps that go into lead safety protocols, but the first step is to have your home tested for lead.
As a lead certified painter, Kind Home Painting Company will test your home for free if it was built before 1978. This lead test is conducted at your paint estimate and the results are available within minutes. You can also purchase a lead test and do this yourself, but keep in mind that not all lead tests are approved by the EPA. If you or your painter tests for lead make sure multiple surface areas are tested. There are some areas that may have been replaced since the late 70s, while others may have pre-existing exposure.
Is Sherwin Williams the Best Exterior Paint for Denver Homes?
One of the most popular exterior paint brands on the market is Sherwin Williams. It’s widely recognized across the globe as a leader within the paint industry and for a good reason. Sherwin Williams has high quality, durable, and vibrant exterior and interior paints. But is it the best brand for painting Denver homes?
Although Sherwin Williams brings a lot to the table and is widely available, it’s not the best exterior paint for your Denver home. On most exterior painting projects painters will use a satin sheen. The satin sheen has a little bit of shine, which helps significantly with durability. However, the shininess can be amplified in direct sunlight. That shine is necessary for exterior products, but it doesn’t fit the historical look and feel of these traditional Denver homes.
If you have to go with Sherwin Williams for budgetary reasons we suggest you make sure you select historically accurate colors and color schemes. Sherwin Williams has done a wonderful job of compiling these colors in their Historical Collection. This collection was curated and carefully categorized to help you select paint colors that are appropriate for Denver Squares, Victorians, Bungalows, etc. If Sherwin Williams is your best paint option then we suggest you begin your color search there.
What’s the Best Exterior Paint for Denver Homes?
To really honor your home’s history, you need to use a paint that features a more “matte” finish. This can be hard to find in Sherwin Williams current options without sacrificing durability. This is where Benjamin Moore comes in. Benjamin Moore has made a name for itself by focusing on first-rate quality, a luxurious finish, and rich paint colors. This commitment to excellence and incredible track record within the industry makes Benjamin Moore our top choice for painting the exterior of your Denver home.
We’ve tested out several Benjamin Moore products and our personal favorite is Aura Exterior. Aura is Benjamin Moore’s highest rated exterior paint product and for a good reason. It has unmatched longevity and exclusive Color Lock technology. These features result in a depth and richness to the paint that is unparalleled within the industry without sacrificing any durability. It also comes in a low luster finish, which is significantly less shiny than other paints like those at Sherwin Williams. This means your home will look and feel much more historically accurate. With this paint product we provide a 12 year, no-exclusions paint warranty.
Exterior Paint for Your Denver Home
When you’re lucky enough to have one of these historic homes here in Denver, it’s your responsibility to maintain and uphold the characteristics that make these homes so beautiful. The right paint product, sheen and historically accurate paint colors are critical to honor the history of these homes. For paint color ideas and historically accurate color schemes that will suit your Denver home, be sure to check out our Instagram and Pinterest page where we post regularly.