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.
Benjamin Moore Stone House 1083 is a warm soft greige at HEX #D6CFC0, LRV 64, and the stucco body color we recommend first in the Benjamin Moore range.
Behr Polar Bear 75 is the #1 Behr exterior white in 2026, a clean cool-warm balanced white at HEX #EAEAE0, LRV 84. See it on your actual house in 30 seconds, no signup.
Behr Cracked Pepper PPU18-01 complete 2026 exterior guide: real LRV 5, hex #1D1D1F, deep matte black undertone, 4-orientation NIR considerations, 18-month Phoenix south-facing field test, trim vs full-facade applications, vs SW Iron Ore, vs SW Tricorn Black, vs BM Wrought Iron, Home Depot sourcing, 8-Q FAQ.
Behr Sculptor Clay PPU5-08 is a warm clay-beige with HEX #B5A187 and LRV 36, the Behr terracotta-warm pick. Ideal for Mediterranean Revival, Spanish Colonial, and Pueblo Revival exteriors. See it on your home with a free AI preview in 30 seconds.
Behr Pewter Mug PPU18-05 complete 2026 exterior guide: verified LRV 9, hex #4F5152, deep charcoal-gray undertone, NIR cool-paint considerations, Denver CO 14-month high-altitude UV field test, vs SW Iron Ore, vs BM Wrought Iron, vs Behr Cracked Pepper, modern farmhouse and mountain modern fit, 8-Q FAQ.
The 8 authentic Greek Revival exterior paint colors for 2026: Linen White, Antique White, Mansard Brown, Buff, Boxwood Green, Iron Mountain. Tested across Charleston, Savannah, and the Lower Mississippi.
American Foursquare paint colors 2026: 8 authentic Midwest heritage palettes for 1900s Foursquare exteriors in Chicago, Indianapolis, and the Twin Cities, with Stickley restoration vs modern revival schemes.
Pueblo Revival paint colors 2026: 8 authentic earth-tone picks (DE Tundra, BM Audubon Russet, SW Cavern Clay, Behr Sculptor Clay) plus viga, canal, and Santa Fe Heritage Code rules.
8 historically authentic Tudor Revival exterior paint colors for Connecticut homes (Fairfield, Greenwich, Westport, Wilton, West Hartford): Branchport Brown HC-72 half-timbering, Antique White stucco, Country Squire SW 6195 doors. Tested CT codes inside.
Mesa AZ exterior house painting costs $3.10-$5.50 per sq ft in 2026. Sonoran UV at 115F+, Las Sendas and Eastmark HOA rules, monsoon timing, NIR cool paint for dark colors.
Exterior painting Virginia Beach VA runs $3.30-$5.70/sq ft in 2026. Atlantic salt-air, hurricane scheduling, Cavalier Park colonial palettes and Hampton Roads HOA rules inside.
Exterior painting Toledo OH costs $3.10-$5.40/sqft in 2026. Old West End Italianate Victorian, Glass City industrial brick, lake-effect freeze-thaw window, Hungarian-Polish heritage palettes.
Fresno exterior painting costs $3.40-$5.80 per sq ft in 2026 ($3,400-$8,700 typical). 110F Central Valley UV, drought water rules, Tower District Mission Revival, Old Fig Garden Craftsman, Dunn-Edwards picks.
Paint stripping cost 2026: $1.50 to $8 per sq ft to remove old exterior paint. Compare chemical strippers, heat guns, sandblasting, and scrapers. Lead paint EPA RRP premium, disposal rules, DIY vs pro math, and a free AI color preview.
Latex or oil for your exterior in 2026? Acrylic latex wins on 95% of modern siding. Oil still beats it on two specific surfaces. Real test data inside.
Best exterior primer 2026: acrylic, alkyd, bonding and shellac primers compared on the makers' own dry times, recoat windows and coverage per gallon.
Satin or semi-gloss outdoors, surface by surface: gloss units, scrub resistance, glare at scale, cost and brand name equivalents for 2026.
Airless vs HVLP vs AAA vs pneumatic paint sprayers compared for 2026 exterior projects, with Graco, Wagner, Titan and Ridgid battery models ranked by price and use case.
Exterior pressure wash cost 2026 in the US: $0.15 to $0.40 per sqft, $250 to $700 typical 2-story house. DIY rental vs pro pricing, soft wash vs pressure wash, risks, and pre-paint drying times.
Painting a 150 ft fence runs $225 to $600 DIY in materials and $750 to $2,400 with a pro. Staining costs slightly less at $150 to $525 DIY. Cedar and redwood almost always want stain. Pressure-treated pine handles paint or solid stain. Vinyl needs vinyl-safe paint only. Test any color on your fence photo free in 30 seconds.
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