I need to be brought up to date on the better exterior paints. I painted our starter house 6 years ago using SW Super paint. We stayed in the house 5 years and everything still looked great when we moved into our current home that we are looking to have painted. I have what I consider two pretty good bids for the new 2,300 sq ft house with 600 sq ft detached garage for $2,200 and $2,600. Both from reputable, trusted companies. I have used the one for interior painting and have referred them to friends. A third bid came in at $5,000. Whoever I choose will pressure wash, apply stucco sealer, patch/fill cracks, and caulk around windows. Both will use either SW or Benjamin Moore (which I'm not familiar with) paints at my choosing.

I'm looking to see if it's worth the extra money to go with SW Duration, Resilience, or Emerald over the Super or likewise with Benjamin Moore. I've also been told about Rhino Paint but it's about 4-5 times the cost.

Back in the day, I worked for Sherwin-Williams, and Duration had just come out. It was (and likely still is) costly, but supposedly has a lifetime warranty. To get the warranty coverage though, I believe you had to apply two coats, which further increased the cost. I left SW before Duration had been out long enough to know how well it truly stood up, so I can't really speak to if its worth it or not.

I replaced siding on my house about 10 years ago. Used Sherwin Williams. It applied very well and I have yet to repaint. It is starting to fade a touch but I am impressed with how well it is holding up. Don't remember the specific line but it was their top of the line sold through a Sherwin Williams store.

The Sherwin Williams A100 has always performed for me.

Sherwin Williams Duration is what I use.

Valspar Duramax is an excellent exterior paint as well. Memoial day is just around the corner and Lowe's offers great paint offers then. You can also get 10% off for service members.

It's all about preparation.

Had the house resided with Hardi 12 years ago.
I insisted on SW Duration ~ paid more but well worth it. Still looks great.

If we get 5 years out of paint in Florida then we've done good

I have used several brands and painters, not sure the "best" holds up much longer than the good brands meaning you might get another year or two...

Thinking about doing the house myself this time, spray the walls followed by roller and brush, we have a few taller areas that will require me to rent a ladder, but that's just for a day, take a week or so to paint the whole thing...

Probably do it this fall when the temps are down in the 70's

SW - Duration here as well...

Benjamin Moore's Aura is a resin based product, higher end in price and performance. The last place we painted before I retired, we used their Ben exterior. Spraying was not an option, two coats were applied and has held up really well. This is a lower cost paint. Aura would be all I would use any more, several contractors here spec it in all their work.

If you're going with SW, this weekend is likely a good time to buy. They usually have a good (30-40% off everything) sale for Memorial Day weekend.

I have been in my current house for about 28 years now, and repainted the exterior shortly after I moved in. Since then I've just done some minor touch when doing exterior repairs and modifications. I used Sherwin Williams best exterior latex and it looks like it was applied last year!

The original color on the house was a Pepto Bismol looking pink. I covered it with SW that was about the color of the green used as a background here on the forum. That nasty pink has never shown through nor has the new paint shown any aging or visible deterioration. I'm SW all the way.

I've been painting houses since 1971 using SW paints. I can't tell you about any other brand.
But in general unless you have a specific reason to upgrade (there are some related to coverage, priming, application temps etc.) it is unlikely you will get enough extra life from the premium paints to justify the price premium.
In the absence of evidence I would use A-100.
But having said that the price of the paint is a small item in the total cost of the project so if your contractor wants to specify something he likes I'd not casually overrule that. It takes some practice to actually get to know the character of a paint and to learn the dry times, flow rates to spray etc. and it helps to use what you know.
FWIW>

Painted our house 2 years ago with SW Duration. Two coats. Snow piles up on the north and east exterior walls. Very happy so far. Probably spent more time on prep work as spent painting. We'd starve to death if I was a paint contractor!

Silent

SW Duration is good. Ben Moore is good.
Two full coats is a must for mil thickness
and color saturation.
You spray houses to make money, you roll houses
for longevity.

Any thoughts on elastomeric paints / coatings?

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Any thoughts on elastomeric paints / coatings?

For a roof? I see them as a bandaid.....I see 1/3 of the older houses have the tile roofs painted with it.....I did it to mine when I bought it (it already had a coat that was leaking), 14 months later it was leaking in the same spots again.....Put another coat in those area's....then re-roofed it shortly after.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
If we get 5 years out of paint in Florida then we've done good

I have used several brands and painters, not sure the "best" holds up much longer than the good brands meaning you might get another year or two...

Thinking about doing the house myself this time, spray the walls followed by roller and brush, we have a few taller areas that will require me to rent a ladder, but that's just for a day, take a week or so to paint the whole thing...

Probably do it this fall when the temps are down in the 70's

A company in Fort Lauderdale, called Acrilux makes really good paint for down here and it lasts, my mom's house lasted 15 years before it even started fading....it's also pretty reasonable too, like $20-25 a gallon......but 5 years is unheard of even here in Fort Lauderdale.....BM,SW, or Acrilux all will go 10 years or more IF ROLLED. Now if your house was sprayed and they didn't put a lot on....yeah I can see 5 years.