My house has a wide open southern and western exposure up on a ridge top here in N. Calif. I have T1-11 wood siding that takes a beating from the elements. I was disappointed with different exterior paints until I used Benjamin Moore MooreGuard. It has held up the best. Another good paint is Kelly Moore but I don't think it's aavailable in FL. As with any paint, the prep work is crucial for long lasting durability - Good Luck!

Yes, with the new paints, subsequent to the ones that contained lead, paints do not hold up as well in the south as they did at one time. Regardless of what brand we have used, I have had to do exterior painting every two years to prevent that dusty chalk look, and most of our friends say the same.

mikie - It is a beige/tan color, nothing dark. Actually, I painted on both new (hardiplank) and old (absestos) surfaces with the same result. I primed with one coat and finished with 2 coats of 100% acrylic, both Porters.

tommyw - I will look into BM MooreGuard. Thanks for the tip! I think you are right about Kelly paints not being avail in FL.

patricia43 - Paint every two years?!? That news is depressing! I am hoping to find a "miracle" paint! I have always had good luck with Porters - there MUST be something out there that lasts longer than 2 years! Thanks for your response!!

How about Wallcoat? We are in the process of wallcoating
our home now(NY) -it looks like paint but lasts 15-25 years(they claim). I know they have a large business in Fla-all
the crews up here are from Fla.A little pricey (twice as much
as regular painting.

I live in Georgia, so the sun exposure I get is not the same as what you get, but here's my 2-cents worth:

3 words: Duron Weathershield Acrylic

I'm currently in the process of repainting my house now with this paint. 8 years ago, I used this same brand to paint my 8 x 10 yard barn (tool shed). It sits under pine trees plus gets a lot of direct sun, and the paint still looks as good now as it did the day I put it on.

If it's available in your area, be prepared for sticker shock. It's not cheap paint, about $30+ a gallon. But you get what you pay for.

Be sure to consider Coronado Paints. Their home office is in Florida.

Michael

HELLO FROM ST JOHN,
WE USE A PAINT CALLED DIAMOND HARD ACRYLIC BY MAJIC (NOT MISSPELLED). IT IS FANTASTIC. I STARTED USING THE EGGSHELL INSIDE AND THE SATIN OUTSIDE TEN YEARS AGO. THEN AS WE ARE PRIMARILY AN OUTDOOR LIVING ISLAND I NOW USE THE SAME SATIN EVERYWHERE. IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO HAVE DIFFERENT FINISHES. IT TAKES 365 DAYS OF INTENSE CARIBBEAN SUN AND DOESN'T FADE CHIP OR REQUIRE REPAINTING. IT COMES IN SATN, SEMI AND GLOSS FINISHES. I USE GLOSS WHITE ON ALL THE CEILINGS WHICH ARE WOOD BEAM HIP ROOFS OUTDOORS IN GAZEBO'S AND INDOORS AS WELL. I CAN POWERWASH IT TWICE A YEAR WITH NO PROBLEMS.I USE IT TINTED AN AQUA ON OUTDOOR WALLS WHICH ARE SPRAYED AND CLEANED CONSTANTLY AND IT DOESN'T BUDGE.I AM AT WORK AND CAN'T CHECK THE LABEL TILL LATER BUT IT SHOULD COME UP ON GOOGLE.

Michael: Why do you recommend Coronado? How do you think is compares to Muralo or Benjamin Moore? Any recommended Coronado formula for flat (walls) and high gloss (trims)?

wingo - thanks for the tip on the Duron Weathershield.. There is a store nearby - I'll check it out.

alyceusvi - I googled for Majic and found only trim paints (ie. no flat for walls). I will try it though on some outdoor projects I have started. Thanks for the tip.

A friend just did a search for the top rated exterior house paint...and the number 1 in most categories was California Paint..It is a little more expensive, but according to the testing that was done, it came out on top.

We are thinking of going with Duration paint by Shermin William. Also Glidden Duramax semigloss was rated well (one of the top 3) on consumer reports along with Pratt and Lambert accolades eggshell. Trouble with California Velvet was it only comes in a flat and I have heard semi glosses or gloss holds up longer outside and is washable. One more I checked out was Valspar Duramax sold at Lowes'. Says lifetime guarantee, but of course does not cover labor, and is not tranferrable but is a self primer like Duration.

Anyone out there with experience with any of the above?

Thanks!

Mr. Richard: Are you any relation to the Richard's Paint Mfg. Company?

DO NOT USE CALIFORNIA Paints!!!!! BeWare!! I had my house painted by a reputable company. It was pressure washed, calked, sealed and painted. It was built in 2001 and has had a paint job before. I live in sunny florida. I decided to pay extra to have the top line of California paint used. Big mistake. After 3 years my dark brown house which is stucco has faded severely making it look like it has a purple hue. I contacted the company and they sent a rep from the Carolinas to inspect the house. He said it was applied correctly and there was no blistering or any other issues, just fading. I said its not acceptable. They said too bad so sad and thats the last i heard from them. I put a complaint into bbb just to inform others of this poor paint. I called Behr and told them my issue. They said if this happened with their paint that they would at least give me new paint for free. That is what i expected at the least from California Paints.

My vote is for Duron Weathershield.. if you can still get it.

I have used Richard's paints Mfg. Co. for the past 20 years. They have been manufacturing paints and coatings in Florida since 1954. Believe me that there is a big difference in using a regional brand that formulates their products for the specific environment versus national brands. I highly recommend using their Signature Series 100% arylic, or their Eternity high performance arylic coating. I have seen my exterior paint jobs last decades with Richard's paints! They distribute their products through independent dealers, visit www.RichardsPaint.com for locations and products.