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Ask the Experts at Sherwin-Williams: Summer Edition

Summer is the perfect time to take care of any exterior projects in your home. Most areas of North America are seasonally-limited in their ability to paint the exterior of a home – for most paints, the temperature has to be above 50° F and the paint should be applied when the weather will be dry for several days – no rain or heavy dew. Newer developments in paint, such as Sherwin-Williams exterior acrylic latex products like DurationResilience, and SuperPaint allow painting in temperatures as low as 30° but still require dry conditions. Because of these restrictions, the “window” to paint your home often ends up being reduced to just a couple months in the summer and early fall.

Make the right decision this season to protect your home and porch. We sat down with the experts at Sherwin-Williams to answer all your summer-related paint questions. We’re proud to partner with Sherwin-Williams to be able to bring the best paints and stains to your home or business. From now through August 31st, 2019, you can take advantage of special pricing on Emerald Acrylic Latex Paint, read more here!

Summer can be hot! Is there a paint that is best for places with a high heat index? Something that can protect homes from the relentless sun?

A good choice is going to be the most durable paint! One example is the Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exterior Acrylic Latex Paint that offers exceptional durability, a mildew-resistant coating, and delivers extreme resistance to blistering, peeling, and color fade. This product is often recommended for areas with high heat or lots of moisture such as properties near large bodies of water.

What is the difference between a stain and a paint? Should you stain or paint a porch?

Well, stains tend to be penetrating products, meaning they soak into the pores of the wood while paints are film builders sitting on top of the wood. If the porch is mostly covered – not exposed to the elements – painting would make most sense. Sherwin-Williams offers a product called Porch and Floor Enamel that can be applied to clean, dull, and dry wood and concrete surfaces. This is a two-coat system and does not require a primer.

If the porch will be exposed to a lot of UV or rain or snow, staining might be a better choice. Sherwin-Williams offers a stain product line called the SuperDeck® Deck Care System. There are four different stains that you can choose from:

  • Clear: While offering the least UV protection, clear stains provide an optimum view of natural wood grain.
  • Toners: Toners provide a light color that highlights wood grain and provides good durability.
  • Semi-Transparent Stains: Semi-transparent stains provides very good durability as well as a rich, pigmented color that allows the natural wood grain to show through. For severely weathered natural wood, Sherwin-Williams recommends that you apply two coats of semi-transparent stain.
  • Solid Color Stains: Solid color stains help cover up wood blemishes or unsightly grain while offering maximum durability. Advanced technology makes Solid Color Stain a perfect choice for composite decking.

Keep in mind, the more pigment (color) of the stain, the longer lasting and more protection it will have against the elements, specifically UV.

(Note: We just wrote a whole article on stains and paints for your porch or patio – check out the full post here!)

How do you protect wood that is around a pool? This area sees so much moisture that it can often be difficult to protect.

For porches and decks that surround a pool, Sherwin-Williams carries a product called H&C Acryla-Deck® Water-Based Deck Coating. This is a solid water-based stain for both concrete and wooden horizontal exterior surfaces. It is highly resistant to pool chemicals and many other household chemicals for long-lasting beauty and protection. It has excellent color retention and chalk resistance, outstanding resistance to blistering, and can be tinted in various custom color options.

We’re also like the H&C Cool Feel concrete stain & sealer. Its advanced technology actually keeps concrete cooler to the touch and stain resistant. It’s the perfect addition to concrete exposed to sun and to pool water — its composition is resistant to the chemicals found in pools so it won’t degrade and will keep working summer after summer.

Thanks to our national partner Sherwin-Williams for this expert advice on the best ways to prepare your home this summer. Call 360° Painting for your free consultation today while the weather is warm and your porch is begging to be stained!

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