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Back porch paint colors


10 colors and designs to boost curb appeal |

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The porch paint ideas you choose will have a big impact on your home's overall appearance and curb appeal. If you have a front porch, it's likely one of the first thing guests and passers-by will notice about your home, so if it is looking worse for the wear, a paint job will be a big upgrade. The back porch, on the other hand, is often the site of warm-weather entertaining, parties, and events. 

Because there's so much riding on the look of your front porch ideas (no pressure!), we went to the pros for advice on creating an inviting, beautiful, and functional porch, all with the help of a little paint. The paint ideas, below, run the gamut from practical advice and insider insight, to color theory and more. 

Porch paint ideas

These porch paint ideas are an effective and cost-efficient way to give your home exterior a facelift, whether they are for front or back porch ideas. Use the expert advice to get this element of the paint colors for the exterior of a house just right.

1. Highlight an architectural element with paint

(Image credit: Swan Architecture)

How you decorate a front porch should highlight its positive attributes. If you're lucky enough to have a front porch with an exciting architectural feature, like the curved entry ceiling, above, paint is the perfect way to give it the attention it deserves. A contrasting color, like a deep, warm gray on a white porch, will set special features apart.

The porch above is from a home by Swan Architecture.

2. Skip the porch floor paint

(Image credit: Benjamin Moore)

If your front porch flooring is looking worse for the wear, it's tempting to just cover it with a coat of paint. Don't do it, says Matt Mosher, co-founder and CEO of Dzinly , a home improvement platform focused on exterior design that helps people visualize what upgrades will look like through online renderings. 

'Installing flooring materials that require any type of painting should be avoided. Even the best paints have a difficult time handling ongoing foot traffic,' he explains. 'Furthermore, flat surfaces are more susceptible to water absorption. As the material absorbs water, it oftentimes causes the paint to peel.' 

3. Embrace Southern tradition

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Have you ever noticed that so many porch ceilings are painted a pale shade of blue? It's not a coincidence, it actually started as a tradition in the southern U.S. There are a few theories about where it originated, including as a way to help repel bugs, to keep bad spirits away, and draw the eye to the sky.

'The quaint blue porch ceiling helps to visually extend daylight,' says Arianna Cesa, color marketing and development specialist at Benjamin Moore . 'To achieve this iconic look, check out Palladian Blue HC-144, Yarmouth Blue HC-150, and Clear Skies 2054-70. These colors often pair best with more neutral hues to let the ceiling be the focal point in the palette.'

4.

Choose a contrasting porch paint color

(Image credit: Dzinly rendering)

When painting a porch, why not highlight it with a color that will help it stand out? Similar to calling attention to an architectural element, painting your entire front porch a different shade than your siding will make it the defining feature of your home's façade. 

5. Camouflage ledges and windowsills

(Image credit: Getty Images)

When considering porch paint ideas, it's important to think functionally, too. 

'Regarding porch design, avoid creating any type of ledges in your trim work. Even the smallest ledges are a bird's paradise,' says Mosher. Instead, paint them the same color as surrounding walls or pillars to help them blend into the background. 

6. Complement the landscape

(Image credit: Benjamin Moore)

If you're having a hard time choosing a color for your front porch, take a hint from your front yard landscaping ideas, and the other materials on your exterior, says Cesa.

'Are there pavers or some sort of stonework? Do you have colorful landscaping? What color is your exterior, trim and any other accents such as outdoor furniture? Be sure to look at the whole picture and all of the colors in your exterior’s palette to ensure color cohesion,' she says. 

7. Test colors to find the right shade

(Image credit: Benjamin Moore)

Just like if you were painting a room in your home, you'll want to test out your top paint color contenders before making a commitment. Even if you have a go-to paint color or your mind is set on a certain hue, the lighting your porch gets during the day will affect how it look. This is of particular importance for small front porches or cottage porch ideas, where the right colors can enhance the feeling of space.

'Your porch is the ultimate “outside room,”' says Cesa. 'Before you start looking for the perfect patio paint color to extend your outdoor spaces, consider how much sun it gets, since light and time of day affect how a paint color casts. The best way to choose a porch paint color is to sample your options and view them throughout the day to choose a color with confidence.'

8. Match the door and ceiling

(Image credit: Jean Stoffer Design / Stoffer Photography Interiors)

For porch ceiling ideas, take a cue from designer Jean Stoffer , and paint the ceiling of your front porch to match your door. In this case, the Michigan-based designer chose a true black to contrast her home's brick façade and white trim. 

9. Go for a monochrome porch scheme with a pop of color

(Image credit: Swan Architecture)

If you tend to prefer neutrals or live in an area where most homes are painted a subdued color palette, there's no need to get overly creative with your front porch paint scheme (especially if you're considering a bold paint color as one of your front door ideas).

Instead, continue the color palette of your siding and trim work onto your front porch, and go bold with your front door color.  

The porch of this home, by Swan Architecture, matches the white siding for a seamless look, while letting the red front door shine. 

10. Layer creams on whites on greys 

(Image credit: Future)

'For someone who loves color, I am a major fan of porch paint ideas that use different tones of white and cream alongside grey and black – there's something incredibly soothing about the combination, and it's so easy to accessorize with accent colors when you want to switch up the scheme from spring to summer to fall to winter,' says Lucy Searle, Homes & Gardens' Editor in Chief.

What color is best for a porch? 

The color you choose for your porch should complement the color and style of your home. The hue doesn't need to match your house, but it should be in along the same spectrum (i.e. don't choose a warm white porch for a cool gray house, or a bright blue porch for a sage green home).

The style of your home will also clue you in about the best paint color for your porch. Traditional Victorian or Queen Anne-style homes lend themselves to experimentation with color, while farmhouses can be suited to colors like pale green, butter yellow, and brick red, or simple neutrals like white and gray. Colonial homes are contenders for warm white, blue, and gray, while contemporary homes look best with steely black, bright white, or a small pop of a bold accent color. For a small front porch, try a shade that contrasts the rest of your home to help it stand out. 

Remember, too, the warmth cast by your front porch lighting ideas – this will affect how your porch paint colors look at night.

Looking for a few colors to start with? Arianna Cesa offers these front porch color suggestions from Benjamin Moore.

'For warmer color palettes, some favorite neutral colors to consider for the porch are Opaline OC-33, Simply White OC-117, and Hazy Skies OC-48. If your preference is for cooler hues, check out White Wisp OC-54, Metropolitan AF-690, and Silver Gray 2131-60. To make a statement on your porch floor, opt for more saturated hues like Georgian Brick HC-50, Kennebunkport Green HC-123, Normandy 2129-40 and Iron Mountain 2134-30,' she says. 

What kind of paint do you use for a porch? 

'Generally a flat sheen presents best on the outside of a home because it helps reduce reflection,' says Matt Mosher, co-founder and CEO of Dzinly, a home improvement platform focused on exterior design that helps people visualize what upgrades will look like through online renderings. 'On a front porch though, it is important to consider the wear and tear it will be subject to from use. Therefore, a less absorbent sheen such as satin or eggshell should be considered for items such as pillars and walls around a porch that may be subject to heavy traffic.'

 

Kaitlin Madden Armon is a writer and editor covering all things home. Her work has appeared in Real Homes, Architectural Digest, Martha Stewart Living, Refinery29, Modern Luxury Interiors, Wayfair, The Design Network, and lots more. She graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in journalism and currently lives in Connecticut with her husband, three kids, and black lab.

Best Types of Porch Paint for Your Home

Check out these bright ideas for freshening up your outdoor space

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If your porch looks old, tired, and in need of a makeover, there’s an easy and inexpensive solution: give it a fresh coat of paint. A new hue can totally transform your space and increase your curb appeal. So pick a paint color, grab a roller or brush, and you’ll have the perfect porch just in time for summer.

1. White

Not only does a white porch look crisp and clean—it’s also the perfect canvas for almost any decor, like coastal chairs or vibrant pillows. Classic white pairs especially well with dark blue or gray wood, stone, or brick facades, adding an element of contrast. But white can highlight dirt, so you might need to keep a white porch a little more clean than, say, a black porch.

Recommended colors:

2. Off-White

Photo: Jon Lovette / Stone / Getty Images

For a softer, warmer option, ask your local painting company to coat your porch in an off-white paint. Your space will still contrast with bright and colorful furnishings but in a more subtle way. Off-white can also look classic and beautiful with white furnishings and pastel touches.

Recommended colors:

3. Light Blue

Follow a common Southern tradition and paint your porch ceiling light blue. As you sit back in your rocking chair and look up, you’ll swear you’re outside viewing the sky. For the remainder of your porch, go with a classic neutral, like white, off-white, or light gray.

Recommended colors:

4. Dark Blue

Photo: Joanna McCarthy / The Image Bank / Getty Images

For a rich, nautical look, try navy blue, especially for Cape Cod houses or Craftsman-style homes. Because this is a particularly bold color choice, you might want to only use it for the porch floor and coat the remainder of your porch in gray, white, or a lighter blue. 

Recommended colors: 

5. Light Green

By painting your porch green, you’ll help it mesh with the surrounding trees and bushes. A light shade will provide a more subtle look. Among different hues, a seafoam green, with its mix of green, blue, and gray, is particularly calming.

Recommended colors:

6. Dark Green

Photo: maciek / Adobe Stock

A darker green lends your home a more dramatic, formal effect and complement surrounding dark green foliage, like evergreen trees. A dark green porch really pops against a home with a brown or gray façade, such as stained cedar, and gives it a Western, lodge-like feel. 

Recommended colors: 

7. Gray

This sophisticated neutral works beautifully with modern and contemporary homes. For something a little more different and fun, paint your porch floor in white and gray stripes.

Recommended colors:

8.

Black and White

Photo: Ursula Page / Adobe Stock

Try painting your railings and ceiling in black and the other elements on your porch white. Or, paint your floor and shutters black against a white backdrop. To add dynamism, make your porch steps white and the risers black or even try a geometric pattern on your floor. 

Recommended colors: 

9. Brown

For a classic and formal look, ideal for Colonial or Federal-style homes, use rich dark brown paint for your porch. To complement this hue, stain your balusters, front door, and wood floors in a similar shade. 

Recommended colors: 

10. Vibrant Shades

Photo: spiritofamerica / Adobe Stock

If your home is in a tropical location, surrounded by buildings in bold colors, try following suit. You can also experiment with more eye-catching shades if the design of your house is Queen Anne houses or Victorian homes. To avoid an overwhelming effect, paint the porch railing and floor in bright shades (like butter yellow or eggplant) and the remainder in white or another neutral.

Recommended colors: 

90,000 paint for the porch on the street

Content

The house porch is not only steps and railings for easy entry into the interior. This is, in its own way, the face of the house, on the appearance of which the attitude of the owner himself to the building, as well as his many guests, will depend. Therefore, it is worth taking care of the appearance of the porch. Of course, if it is built of concrete, brick or blocks, then there are a lot of cladding options. These are different types of tiles, and sheathing with wooden products, and laying breccia, stone, someone manages to lay laminate or linoleum on the porch floor, since both materials are now available in water-repellent versions. nine0003

But when it comes to a wooden porch, there are few options for finishing. In principle, there are two of them: it is to cover the surface with varnish or paint. By the way, paints for concrete are also produced today, so this possibility cannot be discounted.

Wood Porch Paints

Let's take a look at all the paints and varnishes available that can be used for finishing.

Lacquers for the porch

Let's start with them, as with materials that have a small variety. The choice of lacquer for the porch is based on the raw materials. These are synthetic fillers or natural. Colorless and colored varnishes can also be added here. The first option is usually used for parquet floors, but they will also look great on the porch, emphasizing the texture and structure of wood. nine0003

Most often epoxy varnishes are used for finishing the porch. They can be one-component, that is, ready for work, and two-component, that is, they will have to be prepared by mixing the two ingredients with your hands. Currently, manufacturers offer a coating that will create a glossy or matte finish. In principle, the choice is small. As practice shows, varnishes are not always used to process the porch of a house, especially when the building is not under a roof or canopy. nine0003

Oil paints

Until recently, oil paints were widely used for painting wood products. They include drying oil, vegetable oils and pigments. This is a 100% natural material, but with a suffocating smell that hurts the eyes. In principle, even today oil paints are often used to paint the porch, but they dry for a very long time, which is not always acceptable. In addition, it should be noted that such a coating has practically no gloss, plus a not very long service life. Especially on the porch, the floor of which is the most accessible plane in the whole house. It was these shortcomings that pushed oil coatings to the rear positions. nine0003

Acrylic paints

The main advantage of this variety is one hundred percent safety for humans. And the thing is that there are no natural solvents (organic) in acrylic paints. Therefore, their toxicity is reduced to almost zero.

Pluses include:

Enamels

Another type of wood porch paint, which includes varnish, solvents, pigments and fillers. According to the filling method, this type is divided into acrylic, polyurethane and nitro enamels. Each type has its own characteristics. For example:

Attention! In some European countries, the last two options are prohibited for use.

Comparative analysis

Let's return to the question of how to paint the porch, meaning the wooden one. In this case, it is necessary to take into account three main positions: cost, service life and the required quantity.

Let's just say that varnishes are the most expensive of all of the above, but they also have the lowest consumption per square meter of surface, it is 50-80 g. At the same time, the service life of a varnished porch floor is 6-8 years. nine0003

Enamels are in second place, they are two times cheaper than varnishes. But these are the most consumable materials: 130-170 g / m². Service life up to 6 years.

Oil paints are almost half the price of enamels. Consumption - 100-170 g / m². The service life is within 5-7 years.

And the cheapest wood porch paints are acrylics. The surfaces of the wooden porch painted by them will last up to 10 years, while their consumption is 120-150 g / m².

Of course, it must be noted that these are manufacturer's data. They are inaccurate, because a lot will depend on the number of layers applied, the temperature and humidity outside, what requirements are placed on the porch finish, and so on. nine0003

Warnings

It is understandable that when a home is being renovated, the porch is left to the last minute. Therefore, the remains of all the paints that were used during the repair process are mixed and the porch is painted with this composition. Be careful when mixing different types of paints. A chemical reaction may occur that will reduce the technical characteristics of the resulting mixture to a minimum. So it’s better not to save on painting the porch.

Some people often add petrol instead of thinner to enamel. In principle, there is nothing wrong here, just the applied coating will not shine as much as if a solvent was added to the paint. This must be borne in mind, and not blame the manufacturer for the poor quality of the material. nine0003

Do not buy damaged cans of paint, pay attention to the expiration date so that it does not expire.

Experts recommend buying a large can of paint rather than two or three small ones. There is always a chance that paint with shades lower or higher will be packaged in different banks. In addition, the price of a large jar is always less than the cost of several small ones.

How to paint a wooden porch

So, having dealt with the question of what paint to paint a wooden porch, let's move on to the very technology of its application. In principle, there is nothing complicated about this, standard tools are used here: a brush, a roller, a spatula. In addition to the paint, you will have to purchase putty to seal small cracks and gaps between the elements of the porch, as well as a wood primer, which will ensure high adhesion of the construction planes. Since we are talking about a wooden porch, you will also need to buy an antiseptic solution that will help fight mold and fungi. nine0003

First, the porch is treated with an antiseptic, for which a fluffy roller and a wide brush are used. It is necessary to apply the solution on all surfaces (floor, railings, sidewalls, racks and even the bottom of the floor). The best option is if the processing is carried out not on the finished porch, but on the elements that have not yet been assembled.

As soon as the antiseptic is dry, wood flooring can be puttied. This is not necessary at all if high-quality lumber was used in the construction process. They are usually flawless and fit together without visible gaps. But it is necessary to prime the extension, because the primer not only makes the surfaces of the porch adhesive, but also penetrates inside, making the top layer of wood more durable. Typically, the primer is made on a polymer basis, and so the polymer, penetrating into the wood, polymerizes (hardens) and becomes very durable. And this is an increase in the service life of the building. nine0003

The last step is painting. At this stage, there are only two recommendations.

  1. Apply the paint along the grain of the wood.
  2. If painting is carried out in several layers, the previous layer must be well dried before applying the next one.

Concrete Porch Paints

As mentioned above, finishing a concrete porch is much easier, because a fairly wide range of different finishing materials can be used for this. But more recently, paints with a high degree of wear resistance have also been included in this list. They are produced today by many manufacturers using different technologies, but the main requirement for them is the same for everyone. They should serve for a long time in the most abraded areas, basically here we mean the floor when we talk about the porch. nine0003

So, what are paints for concrete. There are two varieties here: one- or two-component. It is clear that the first option is better for one simple reason, it is already ready for use. Both materials are almost the same price, so the choice is obvious.

What can be said positively about these species.

Concrete Floor Application Technology

A very important point is the grinding of the concrete surface. This is how the layer of cement laitance is removed, which is the most unreliable layer in a concrete structure. Therefore, after grinding, the floor becomes stronger, and, of course, smoother. In this case, it must be taken into account that the concrete floor must be sufficiently dry (not higher than 4%). Therefore, it is recommended to paint the concrete porch one month after pouring the mortar, although it will be necessary to take into account the temperature and humidity of the air outside. nine0003

There is one thing that concerns the strength of the applied material. Manufacturers recommend that before applying paint, treat the concrete floor with a primer that is specially produced for it. Although this is an optional procedure, because the paint itself perfectly adheres to the concrete surface and keeps well on it during the entire period of operation.

But if the primer has been carried out, then the floor can be painted only after 8-12 hours. Usually such paints are applied in two layers, less often in three. Therefore, each layer will have to dry well, in normal weather it can take 10-12 hours. You can load the concrete structure, that is, walk on it, one day after the end of painting. But the final strength will be achieved only after 4-5 days. nine0003

Conclusion

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