Exterior House Painting Project Introduction
This home sits at the end of a long driveway, surrounded by bush. It was a quiet base for an active outdoor family, but years of wind, rain, sun and bush growth had worn it down, and it needed exterior house painting in Auckland.
When the house painters arrived to give a free quote, the job was obvious. We chose products that would protect the house and keep it looking good for years. The before and after photos and full details are below.
The short answer
Why does dark exterior house painting need a specialist paint?
Dark colours absorb heat, and that heat stresses older weatherboards and the paint already on them. Rāwene has an LRV of 7, so it absorbs most of the sun’s energy. Paint stripping is not an option on this rough sawn cladding, so we washed and sanitised the house, then used Dulux Weathershield® ColourGuard™, a paint made for dark colours.
Hannah Doherty
It was a pleasant change to have tradesmen turn up when they say they are going to and get the job done within the time they specify – with good service and a great result – many thanks.
Our Exterior House Painting Process
Because the home sits in the bush, it had a lot of moss, lichen and dirt growth. Our first step in this exterior house painting project was a house wash, which removed all the organic growth and years of dirt and grime. We then sanitised the whole surface to kill any spores we couldn’t see.
The cladding is rough sawn, so it needs very little sanding and preparation.
With the prep done, the house painters used a specialist Dulux product called Weathershield® ColourGuard™ in the colour Rāwene. The reasons we chose it are below.
Product Selection for This Exterior House Painting Project
The colour for this exterior house painting project was Rāwene, a popular dark charcoal with a subtle bluish undertone. See Rāwene on the Dulux website
Older weatherboards can only tolerate so much when you go dark. Darker colours stress the wood and the existing paint more, which leads to failure.
Every colour has an LRV, or Light Reflective Value. It tells you how much light and heat that colour reflects.
Black has an LRV of zero and absorbs all light and heat. Very dark surfaces get very hot, like the black leather seats in a car.
White has an LRV of nearly 100 and keeps a building light and cool. Every other colour sits between the two.
A colour with an LRV of 60 reflects 60% of the light that hits it, so it reflects more than a colour with an LRV of 30, which reflects 30%.
Rāwene has an LRV of 7. For a colour like this, the house painters would normally recommend paint stripping, then use the latest paint technology from primer to colour to get the required finish.
This cladding is rough sawn, so paint stripping is not an option.
Fortunately Dulux make a specialty product for this situation, Weathershield® ColourGuard™, which is batch made for dark colours.
Why does this matter? Less experienced companies doing exterior house painting would have used standard paint, and it would have failed. By choosing the right paint for the right cladding, the house painters were confidently able to achieve a finish that will last…guaranteed!
Weathershield® ColourGuard™
For this exterior house painting job, the house painters used the Dulux® Weathershield® ColourGuard™ system. It is designed for darker colours and gives superior colour fade resistance.
Dulux® Weathershield® ColourGuard™ uses specially formulated heavy duty reflective pigments for better colour durability. When sunlight hits the painted surface, a share of the visible and infrared rays is reflected, so even the darkest colours stay truer for longer. Because of this formulation, Dulux® Weathershield® ColourGuard™ is limited to just 28 colours.
Colours Used
Whole House
Rāwene
Whole House
Rāwene
Whole House
Rāwene
Hover over the target to reveal the actual colours used on this home. These colours are representations only and may vary from actual paint colours.
Rāwene
Rāwene is a popular dark charcoal with a subtle bluish undertone. It works well as a contemporary feature colour on exteriors such as a front door. It pairs well with whites such as Mt Aspiring and Ōkārito as well as soft browns and grieges such as Ōpononi.
Exterior House Painting Before & After Gallery
FAQs: Exterior House Painting and Weatherboard Protection
What is LRV and why does it matter when choosing dark exterior paint colours?
Light Reflective Value (LRV) measures how much visible light a colour bounces back, on a scale from zero (pure black) to 100 (pure white). Lower values mean more heat absorbed. On dark exterior timber that puts more stress on the wood and the existing paint, and can lead to cracking or early paint breakdown.
Colours below an LRV of about 20 count as dark and need a paint made to handle the extra heat. Rāwene, the colour on this project, has an LRV of just 7, so it absorbs most of the sun’s energy. To prevent heat damage and fading, we used the Dulux Weathershield® ColourGuard™ system, which is made to keep deep colours stable for years. For exterior house painting in a dark colour like Rāwene, check the LRV before you pick the paint.
How does Dulux Weathershield® ColourGuard™ prevent dark colours from fading?
Weathershield® ColourGuard™ contains heavy duty reflective pigments not found in traditional exterior paints. They reflect visible and infrared rays from the sun and lower the surface temperature, even on the darkest colours. Less heat absorbed means slower thermal degradation, which prevents common dark colour problems like chalking, blistering and colour fade.
This lets dark colours last up to twice as long as conventional premium exterior paints, so your home looks fresh for longer. That suits exterior house painting on a shaded, bush-covered site like this one.
How does Weathershield® ColourGuard™ compare to standard exterior paints for timber weatherboards?
Weathershield® ColourGuard™ is batch made for high-risk dark colour jobs where standard paints would fail. It includes MaxiFlex Technology, which expands and contracts with the timber and prevents peeling, flaking and blistering. Standard exterior paints work well for lighter colours, but they lack the reflective pigment technology you need for colours with an LRV below 20.
Dulux guarantees Weathershield® ColourGuard™ won’t peel, flake or blister for as long as you live in your home, when applied to specification. Conventional dark exterior paints can’t match that. For exterior house painting in dark colours, we use the system built for it.
Can any weatherboards handle extremely dark colours or are there limitations?
Older weatherboards, or boards with worn paint, are hard to finish in deep colours. Dark shades absorb far more sunlight, and the trapped heat puts extra pressure on the timber and any existing paint, which can speed up movement, cracking and other failure.
On heritage homes, or properties where several coats have built up over time, professionals usually suggest one of two options. One is stripping everything back to bare timber and rebuilding the paint system with high quality primers and finishes. The other is choosing a lighter colour with an LRV above 20 (typically), which reflects more heat and reduces stress on the surface.
Why can't you paint strip rough sawn weatherboards?
Paint stripping is not an option for rough sawn cladding because of its deeply textured surface. The irregular grain and deep grooves make it impossible to strip paint without damaging the timber fibres.
On smooth weatherboards, paint stripping gives a clean surface. Rough sawn timber needs other preparation: treating moss and mould, a thorough wash and proper priming. The rough texture also works in your favour with the right paint system, because it gives excellent adhesion for products like Weathershield® ColourGuard™ without extensive preparation.
Exterior House Painting in Auckland
Thinking about exterior house painting for your Auckland home? Chris quotes and manages every project himself, so you deal with the person doing the work. Organise a free quote and he will tell you what your home needs.
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