US exterior painting trends, color guides, costs per sq ft and HOA-friendly palettes. Articles written by US-based contractors covering Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore and Behr, with region-specific tips for Sun Belt, Pacific Northwest and New England climates.
Exterior painting & siding: cost per square foot across Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, Denver and Seattle. Hardie board vs vinyl siding vs stucco repaint comparisons.
US paint brands in depth: Sherwin-Williams Emerald, Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior, Behr Marquee, PPG Timeless - paint sheen guides and climate durability from Sun Belt heat to Pacific Northwest rain.
HOA, permits & climate: HOA-approved palettes, city permit requirements, and picking exterior colors that hold up in Florida humidity, Arizona sun, or New England winters.
James Hardie color options 2026: ColorPlus Technology (15-year warranty), Statement Collection 24 curated colors, Dream Collection 700+ custom shades, top 12 popular Hardie colors, ColorPlus vs primed-and-painted decision. Preview free.
Vinyl siding color options for 2026 are governed by the LRV 55+ rule (the lighter, the safer for thermal warping). Top 12 popular colors include Sandstone, Light Gray, Cream, Linen, Pebble Clay, and a small group of darker shades engineered with heat-resistant pigments like Forest Green and Brick Red. Mastic, CertainTeed, and Alside each anchor a slightly different palette, and accent colors go on shutters and doors, not the field. Test any vinyl siding color on your house photo free in 30 seconds.
Board and batten paint guide 2026: top 8 modern farmhouse colors, Hardie and LP SmartSide options, vertical-line accent strategy, application steps, and FAQ.
LP SmartSide is engineered wood, not fiber cement, so the paint rules are different: only 100% acrylic latex (never oil), all six sides primed before install, and 7 to 10 year repaint cycles in the field. Top 12 LP-friendly colors for 2026 include SW Iron Ore, BM Hale Navy, SW Repose Gray, and BM Revere Pewter. Installed cost runs $7 to $12 per square foot in 2026. Test any LP SmartSide color on your own house photo free in 30 seconds.
Lime wash brick guide 2026: Romabio Classico, Vasari and Pure Original products, DIY step-by-step application, white/cream/gray finishes, $2-$5/sqft cost, 5-7 year maintenance.
Washington State HOA-approved exterior paint colors for 2026, RCW 64.34 and RCW 64.38 compliance, Pacific Northwest earth-tone palettes, and committee guidance for Seattle, Redmond, Bellevue, Tacoma, and Spokane.
HOA-approved exterior paint colors for South Carolina in 2026: top 8 palettes (Hilton Head Sea Pines approved, Charleston BAR coordinated, Greenville traditional Upstate), South Carolina Code Title 27 Chapter 30 Homeowners Association Act rules, coastal vs Upstate climate priorities, and the step-by-step approval path.
Maryland HOA-approved exterior paint colors for 2026, MD Code Real Property Title 11B and Condominium Act compliance, Colonial Federal heritage and Chesapeake Bay coastal palettes, and committee guidance for Bethesda, Annapolis, Baltimore, and Columbia.
Utah HOA-approved exterior paint colors for 2026: 8 mountain-modern and Mormon Heritage palettes, UT Code 57-8a (Community Association Act), Daybreak and Park City community guidelines, Salt Lake to St George.
Hawaii HOA exterior paint approval under HRS Chapter 421J: top 8 approved palettes (Plantation Heritage white, Hawaiian native red and blue, coastal modern sea salt), Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, and Big Island variations, plus Pacific salt-air and tropical UV product specs.
Queen Anne Victorian paint colors across the US 2026: authentic national palette for turrets, fish-scale shingles and spindlework from San Francisco and Cape May to Saratoga Springs, Boston and Chicago.
The 8 best Dutch Colonial Revival paint colors for 2026: BM Wedding Veil OC-128 body with Bracken Brown shutters, SW Antique White SW 6119 with Heritage Red, BM Hawthorne Yellow HC-4. Gambrel roof and dormer strategy for NY, NJ, and PA Hudson Valley homes.
California Spanish Colonial paint colors for 2026: top 8 CA-specific bodies and accents for Santa Barbara red tile, San Diego stucco, Mission Revival LA and SF, and the Hollywood Hills, plus HOA review playbook, Mediterranean integration, and tile-roof harmony.
Prairie Style paint colors 2026: 8 Frank Lloyd Wright earth tones for 1900-1920 Prairie School homes in Oak Park, Mason City, and Buffalo, with horizontal-line trim emphasis and stained glass integration.
Lead paint testing and removal 2026: DIY swabs ($25 to $50), pro inspection ($300 to $700), certified contractor surcharge ($600 to $3,000), encapsulation $1 to $3 per sq ft, full abatement $8 to $15 per sq ft. EPA RRP Rule 40 CFR Part 745 explained.
Paint disposal 2026: PaintCare runs free drop-off in 10 states (CA, OR, CT, MA, MN, RI, VT, WA, CO, NY). Latex dried with kitty litter goes in regular trash in most states; oil-based paint and lead waste require HHW facilities. Disposal cost, free locations, and an 8-question FAQ.
Exterior caulk types 2026: siliconized acrylic, pure silicone, elastomeric, and acrylic latex. Top products (GE Advanced Silicone 2, Sashco Big Stretch, DAP Alex Plus, OSI Quad) plus application, tooling, and when each is required.
Best app to change house color from photo 2026: 8 downloadable house paint apps ranked on iPhone and Android. FacadeColorizer #1 on photo-realism, plus Behr, SW ColorSnap, BM, Houzz, Magicplan, Dulux, and Valspar mobile reviewed.
A wood stain deck color visualizer lets you upload your deck photo and preview transparent, semi-transparent, and solid stains before you buy. FacadeColorizer renders any Behr ST code, Cabot Australian Timber Oil, SW Woodscapes, and Olympic shade on your boards in seconds, free, no signup.
Best app to match paint color from photo 2026: 6 color match apps tested side-by-side. NIX Mini 2, Pantone Studio, Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap Match, Benjamin Moore Paint Color Match, Dulux PaintGenius, Adobe Capture. Hardware vs smartphone-only, accuracy, and free vs paid.
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