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<0 H h'H O CM CM CD TD o e r LU Clean up iV4 home's exterior with a paint that shines L- - V. DearDebbie; T h is is theyear w epaint DEBBIE our house. Its a bigjob > and w e are calling in a < professional, but w ant o to do our research first. £ o ur house is a 10 yearq O c= old newbuild, w hite sid o CD ing, w ith shutters and JZ CD hats q garage set back. W "w the best paint to use? Does the paint sheen matter? A n y tips on co lour?T hankyou. H o u s e to H o m e Andrea_________________ LU H --1 Dear Andrea; There are some general guidelines that will help you choose how you want your exterior to look. What's around you? Your own neighbourhood is a consideration. No need to match up, but it's wise to stay within a colour range that doesn't jum p out and clash with other houses. The architecture of your house is a good place to start. You'll fi nd information and colour palettes for treating an his toric building, or one with a distinct style such as Victorian, Cape Code and Arts and Crafts on cor responding websites. Choose your paint sheen for its durability as well as its looks. Any colour painted in a high sheen will stand out, and it's the most durable of all finishes. The glossy finish is good for entry doors, shutters, some metal accessories including lanterns, lights, and railings. A hat or matte sheen is very forgiving, it hides small surfaces irregularities and is a good choice for the body of the house. A satin sheen works like hat but is easier to clean, a most popu lar choice for trim, window frames, and shutters. Today we are in a transitional phase; the bold, clean lines of modern design are being softened up with a few rounded edge details and muted co lours. An example from Benjamin Moore's Exterior Collection shows a pleasing contrast of Killarney, which is a soft olive green, against the White Dia mond siding. The porch's ceiling is Harbour Haze, a gentle blue reminiscent of a summer sky. All the sheens are satin or low lustre, Always go with a high-quality paint designed for exteriors. Water-based paint is best for exterior work as it breaths, which is important for durability during climate changes. You save in the end with a superior result that will withstand the elements and clean easily. Make sure that you hire a profes sional who does thorough prep work. If you are unsure of a colour you have chosen, apply a small amount and see how it reacts to the change in light. Make up a colour board if you are going with three or more colours. Enjoy the process. DearDebbie I am restoring a fewweathered w oodsigns. I'm sticking to the original paint colours. O nce Ihave scraped and sanded and filled in cracks, whats thebest prim ertouse?A lso, w hatdoyousuggest for the sheen of thepaint? K urt Dear Kurt; Restoring anything including signage is a great project. Since you are scraping back to the origi nal wood, apply an exterior water-based primer to seal the wood. This makes a perfect base for the new paint. Sheen comes from the last coat that you apply to the surface. The most durable is paint or varnish that has the highest sheen, and if the sign is open to the weather this would be your best choice. You could opt to paint the background in satin and use high gloss paint for the words, deco ration or numbers on the sign. Debbie Travis' H ouse to H om e colum n is pro duced by Debbie T ravis and Barbara D ingle. Please em ail your questions to house2hom e@ debbietravis.com .Y o u can followDebbie on T w it ter at w w w .tw itter.com /debbie_travis, and visit Debbie's neww ebsite, w w w .debbietravis.com . !0I HGI POLLARD, A N A M E YOU CAN TR UST Looking for windows and doors? Choose Pollard for your next project. Pollard offers products of exceptional value with the largest selection of design options. Expert advice, professional installation and nearly 70 years of Canadian manufacturing - that's why Scott chose Pollard for his own home. Call 1.800.585.5561 or visit our D isplay Centre at 1217 K ing R d in B urlington I'm known for making smart investments which is why I chose Pollard for my home. JOIN US at STARBUCKS THIS SATURDAY, MAY 27 at the Cornwall location Call today for a FREE QUOTE SCOTT McGILLIVRAY HOST OF MOVING THE McGILLIVRAYS 905.689.9911 · 1 .8 5 5 .7 6 6 .7 8 2 2 e m a il: info@rubaroc.com P OL L A RD WI ND OWS . C OM www.rubaroc.com