way to measure how much a coating might affect air quality.
Lastly, in 2011, Dunn-Edwards opened the world’s first and only
LEED Gold-certified paint manufacturing facility in Phoenix, AZ.
Encompassing manufacturing, product development, quality control and more, the 336,000-sq. ft. facility is designed to be the
greenest in the industry.”
Color Trends
Of course, durability and sustainability are key features when
selecting exterior coatings, but the actual color is the number
one concern for homeowners and business-owners alike.
PPG color experts have identified four of the most popular
residential exterior color combinations. These four color combinations are: Warm Neutrals: natural and authentic colors that are
inviting and gentle; Cool Neutrals: classic and stately colors that
are forever and noble; Gray – Green – Blue: colors of tranquility
and natural harmony that are serene and coasta; and Cream –
Yellow – Russet: warm, joyful colors that are friendly and cozy.
“In addition to these home color trends, exterior glossy finishes are also trending for business owners who want to achieve
a high-end, premium look for their offices, which can be inviting and appealing to potential customers,” said Dee Schlotter,
national color marketing manager, PPG Architectural Coatings,
U.S. and Canada.
Valspar noted its customers are looking for unique ways to
achieve a textured or patterned look by experimenting with dif-
ferent ways to use colors and prints. “One of the ways we’re
meeting their needs is through our Fluropon Effects, specifi-
cally Kameleon and Nova coatings,” said Alexander. “Valspar
Kameleon coatings offer a prismatic, pearlescent finish to a
building’s exterior and appears to shift in color when viewed
from different angles or sunlight. Our Kameleon coatings are
also formulated with our standard 70 percent PVDF resin, en-
suring durability as they dazzle in the sunlight. Similarly, Nova
is a 70 percent PVDF coating but offers a more richly saturated
color with a layer of sparkle in gold or silver. More recently,
we’ve witnessed an increase of roof panels that have patterns
and textures printed on their surface. Architects who want the
durability benefits of metal roofing paired with a particular ap-
pearance, like wood shake, slate, or tile, now have a solution
with Valspar’s printed coatings.”
In residential coatings colors the largest exterior volume col-
ors remain the same, Peterson said. “But more and more build-
ers are taking risks with color and combining materials. In the
Southeast, for example, they are highlighting otherwise disguised
architectural elements, such as gutters, with dark, bold colors
against mid-tone or lighter colors for a contrast. Much of this is
due to a business/competition strategy, but the consumer is also
tired of ‘me too offerings.’ For nonresidential coatings, popular
colors include Hartford green in the Northeast, adobe or brick
red in the Southwest and forest green in the Northwest. Silver
metallic and copper metallic are also popular accent colors.”
“For exteriors, color is coming on strong from front door colors
to full home coloring,” said Sara McLean, color marketing manag-
er at Dunn-Edwards. “Front doors are always great to highlight a
pop of color if a homeowner is too nervous to put a lot of color on
the home,” said McLean. “Other homeowners who have a historic
home such as a mid-century modern find the fun splash of color
on the front door brings added drama to the façade. Front door
colors that are trending this year include cobalt blue, teal blue, deep
cranberry red, brown with a reddish-purple undertone, steel gray,
pumpkin, ivy green and a misty shade of blue-gray.”
New Products
Coatings manufactuerers offers a wide variety of exterior ar-
chitectural coatings, featuring enhanced performance options.
Valspar recently introduced two new lines to the family, Fluropon
Extreme and Fluropon Effects Nova coatings. Fluropon Extreme,
a smooth hard coat, is the most damage resistant coating Valspar
offers to date. “We’ve designed it to withstand the kinds of abra-
sions that occur both before and after installation. Fluropon
Extreme recently tested above and beyond current standards in
withstanding extreme wear conditions,” said Alexander. “It is a
great choice for a wide variety of uses; it’s especially well suited to
tough installation process such as roofing. Our other recent inno-
vation, Fluropon Nova, is a color effect coating that offers richer
and deeper colors with an intense sparkle in gold or silver never
before seen in typical 70 percent PVDF architectural coatings –
a patented pending formulation. Fluropon Nova maintains the
durability and color matching features architects and contractors
have come to depend on, but with an added shimmer and brilliant
finish that is sure to turn heads.”
The PPG Pittsburgh Paints brand recently introduced its re-
formulated, premium line of REGENCY Paint + Primer-In-One
acrylic latex paints, which includes exterior and interior/exterior
formulations. “Regency Exterior provides maximum protection
against weathering and outdoor conditions, while maintaining a
freshly painted appearance through outstanding color retention
and resistance to dirt and dust,” said John Trenta, senior brand
manager, PPG Pittsburgh Paints. “Regency Interior/Exterior de-
livers lasting performance in a glossy finish with outstanding
adhesion, hardness and scrubbability, and it is ideal for painting
trim, cabinets, banisters, doors and molding.”
Sherwin-Williams’ new Kem Aqua Fluor products are tailored for the burgeoning vinyl window market, and combine
a wide array of colors with performance, durability and ease
of application and handling for the manufacturer. Sherwin-Williams SHER-NAR 5000 Architectural Baking Enamel and
Kem-Aqua BP Siding Plus offer unique-to-the-industry benefits
to both building product manufacturers and end users that provide product reliability and sustainable advantages.
Dunn-Edwards recently launched ENDURALASTIC 10
is an ultra-premium specialty 100 percent acrylic elastomeric wall coating designed for use on exterior surfaces.
ENDURALASTIC 10 has exceptional flexibility, chalking and
binder degradation resistance, and provides outstanding waterproofing protection against wind-driven rain by bridging
hairline cracks, the company reports. ENDURALASTIC 10
also provides excellent adhesion and outstanding alkali and
efflorescence resistance on properly prepared masonry. CW
