Building a new home is an exciting experience. You get to finally live in your dream house, and it’s one that you helped design. So you know exactly what you’re getting. However, there are some things about the process of building a new home that might not be as fun. For example, there are decisions to make about treatments for the exterior of your house. Should they be painted or stained? What color should they be?
Are You An Outdoor Or Indoor Person?
Choose the exterior treatment based on how you will use your house. If you plan to be out in the sun a lot, it might not be best to choose stained wood because stains are glossy and could reflect sunlight into your eyes. On the other hand, painted exteriors can weather well. So painting might be better if you spend most of your time indoors but want an outdoor space for entertainment or gardening work. Additionally, paint is easier to clean than stain. Wood that has been sealed with polyurethane also resists water damage much more effectively than unstained wood does. Stains do have their advantages. They tend to look richer and bring out natural figures in the grain of certain woods like cedar while also giving them some color.
Plan Ahead
After choosing your exterior treatment, you need to decide how much paint or other material will be used on the job. This is often determined by which type of construction process was chosen for building a new house. Stick-built versus modular homes or site-built houses with a frame and siding versus one constructed from concrete blocks. These processes use different amounts of materials in their construction methods, so it’s important to think about what kind you want beforehand if cost isn’t too big an issue. If deciding between two types of exterior treatments like stain and paint, plan ahead. Stains might require more coats than paints before the color reaches its full opacity level. On average, expect three coats of water-based latex paint or two coats of oil-based paint. Remember to treat all your wood exterior with a treatment, like Nisus, for pests and termites.
Budget Well
Consider the price difference between stains and paints before deciding on an exterior treatment for your new house, but don’t let cost be the only factor you consider. Stains are more expensive to apply than paint is. If choosing between these treatments at this stage of planning, think carefully. Future costs associated with stain maintenance will likely add up quickly compared to just painting your home instead. You can save some money by choosing a paint treatment that comes with an anti-graffiti additive. Still, this option is more expensive to purchase in the first place.
Fit In Or Stand Out?
Don’t forget to consider the aesthetics of different exterior treatments. Houses with stained wood exteriors can look very traditional. At the same time, homes that are painted tend to stand out more in modern communities. If you’re building a new house for yourself, this might not be an issue. But if you want people living nearby to envy your home instead, carefully think through all design aspects before making final decisions. Make sure the treatment you decide on fits well with any plans for landscaping or other outdoor activities like gardening. Natural materials also often play better than man-made ones. So keep that in mind, too, even though each type has advantages and disadvantages depending on how frequently you use it.
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