Painting exterior walls

Is it a bad idea to paint all four sides of the exterior wall different colors?

I don't mean red yellow blue brown, I mean 4 very distinct shades of the same color family. My wife can't decide which ones out of three. I said why not pick four and I will paint each wall one color. You can look at it and in six months tell me which one you like most and I will paint it homogenously, or if no decision is made we keep it as four colors.

Other than cost, or having to deal with whether the wood fascia will follow the color pattern, what would be the disadvantage?

Mc

Reply to
MiamiCuse
Loading thread data ...

That's just it, I don't think they would be able to tell, due to the directions and lighting, the same color walls look different on different times of the day, I bet they could not tell they are different colors, and I bet my wife can't tell either, and may be that's the ultimate reason not to do it is that why do it if one can't tell the difference.

In the house I am in today, last time I painted all the interior walls, I purposely painted all the narrow surfaces that are perpendicular to the wall surface a darker shade, I mean the 4 narrow strips of drywall around the windows, and no one was able to tell.

Reply to
nmbexcuse

The disadvantage would be that in order to visualize each shade in each exposure, you would have to paint on each side the four colors horizontally

Reply to
++

Why horizontally? Vertically would seem more appropriate to negate bounced light and color from the ground.

Reply to
Secretia Green

If your wife can't make up her mind based on two or three 1' square samples painted on the actual walls, then it doesn't matter what color you paint it - she'll still find something to complain about. This is where preemptive complaining enters the picture. It's up to you to start complaining now about her indecision and finickiness. This will negate her after-the-fact-complaint advantage.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

Right orientation, wrong reasoning. The vertical orientation of the paint samples will allow a wider range of viewing angles from a fixed standing position.

The samples should not be touching or the adjoining colors will confuse the perception of paint color.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

Different parts of each exposure. Even so, as you suggest, it isn't perfect, even if the colors are painted on in a different horizontal on each facade. Better to paint some flat panels and move them around to mimic different exposures. Problem with any kind of swatch is that some colors look more or less pleasing by contrast to other painted colors and it is always good to test trim as well. Since everything takes at least two coats, what I've used in the past, exterior and interior, is to paint the darkest of any chosen color, and then if that isn't right, lightening it up with the same base (say, for interiors, titanium white which usually gets tinted) for the second coat, again if necessary for the third coat. All coats are compatible

Reply to
++

Paint 4'x4' splotches of each color on the south wall and give her 1 week to decide. At weeks end if she hasn't decied then just paint the whole thing FlexBon *White-White* and move on. No one can argue with white, it *harmonizes* with everything.

BTW: Do yourself a favor when it comes time to paint the whole thing go rent a commercial sprayer. Halfway into the roller/brush thing you'll be so disgusted with yourself, but with the sprayer you'll just be done. I've done it both ways and I'll never use a roller/brush again. Yes, get all the proper masking materials and plan your work, spend the money, then git-r-dun. This has got to be the longest remodeling project in recorded history.... =3DD

I went to FlexBon to order 55 gallons of white paint and they showed me 300 *versions* of white. I had to jack the salesperson up against the wall before he told me the proper name for plain ol' white paint in FlexBonland is *White- White*. Yes, you want FlexBon, and you know why.

***Stop at the hobby store and pick up a bottle of plain blue acrylic craft paint, and put 5 drops of blue in each gallon of white and mix well. My ol' gray haired pappy taught me this.
Reply to
creative1986

Sounds like good advice.

What's the 5 drops of blue paint for though?

Reply to
Warm Worm

The human eye will tend to add *yellow* to the mix and the blue will change that perception. The blue additive won't turn the white to blue but will prevent the eye from *imagining* the yellow.

This falls under that same category discovered long ago where a row of completly plumb columns will appear as if they are leaning toward one another, but by tapering the columns so they are slightly smaller at the top will alleviate that issue.

Try this: Step into a close, completely white environment if you can find one, perhaps in a bathroom or shower, and just stand there and stare at the walls. Quickly, your eyes will start to form small, light yellow splotches close together in a random manner all over the walls/floor/etc. The first time I saw this I thought there was something wrong with the surfaces, but having observed these surfaces under various light conditions I have come to the conclusion my eyes are perceiving the yellow rather than it actually existing. Quite unnerving to say the least to realize you are seeing things that simply are not there.

Reply to
creative1986

That's interesting, and likewise about the columns too.

Once, while biking, I completely missed a change in level between a curb and parking-lot because the normal depth-cues were missing (the change in level appeared like one continuous surface), and I wiped out. :/

Reply to
Warm Worm

I did that while walking on a deck one time, it had a single step and I didn't see it. Walking along normally and I went right over it. I didn't quite wipe out but I did bend my right knee backwards, hard. That was 20+ years ago and just recently it has started flaring up. Now, in commercial applications, they require visual cues AND, hmmm....I'm searching for the word, well, *feeling* signals as well. Theres a term for it but it escapes me. Its where the two different surfaces are different, so that as you're walking along you'll become tacitly aware that the surface of the floor is changing - a warning that a step is approaching. The surface you are walking on might be carpet for example but then about 8' before you get to the step the floor will change to tile, giving warning that the step is near. Come on arky's whats the term I'm grasping for?

Reply to
creative1986

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.