How to Use Grayish Blue Exterior Paint for a Gorgeous Finish

Grayish blue has become an incredibly popular exterior house color in recent years. Deeper than sky blue yet brighter than navy, grayish blues are versatile neutral colors that complement a wide range of home styles. When well-executed, a grayish blue exterior can look clean, crisp, calming, and even luxurious.

However, picking the perfect grayish blue hue and applying it correctly does require some skill. If you’re considering going grayish blue with your home’s exterior, this guide will walk you through the process. We’ll cover choosing paint colors, prep work, painting tips, and maintenance so you can rock grayish blue exterior paint with confidence.

Choosing Your Grayish Blue Paint Color

Grayish blue encompasses a wide swath of shades, from almost-true grays to bolder steel blues. So step one is pinpointing what hue best suits your vision.

When deciding on a grayish blue paint color, first consider the style and color scheme of your home’s exterior. For example, Craftsman style homes tend to use lighter, airier shades of blue-gray. Mediterranean style landscapes call for more saturated ocean blues to complement the terra cotta tones.

You’ll also want to look at surrounding landscape and architecture. Is your house shaded by green trees that will contrast beautifully with a frosty gray-blue? Or are the neighboring houses painted in warm earth tones that would dull a pale grayish blue?

Finally, view paint swatches at different times of day. Natural and artificial light can really change a color. Make sure to view in morning, midday, and afternoon light to see all facets of the grayish blue.

Once you’ve considered the context and viewed swatches, zero in on the exact shade, brand, and finish of grayish blue paint. Read on for recommendations.

Best Grayish Blue Exterior Paint Colors

While the range of grayish blues is endless, these elegant shades tend to look best on home exteriors:

Blue Haze: A very light sky blue-gray that feels almost powdery or ethereal. Stunning on Victorian style homes.

Cadet Blue: A slightly desaturated medium sky blue, like the blue fabric of traditional military uniforms. Works well on Craftsman exteriors.

Iceberg: An extremely pale blue-gray that nearly borders on white. When the sun hits it just right, it imparts a magical glow. Fits Scandinavian or contemporary houses beautifully.

Stonington Gray: A color created by Benjamin Moore that reads as more gray than blue. It’s slightly warmer than other grayish blues. Suits Tudor style cottages flawlessly.

Rainwashed: Another Benjamin Moore gem, Rainwashed is a pale and pleasantly muted grayish blue. It errs toward the blue side while still reading as a true neutral. Picturesque on Cape Cod style homes.

Gettysburg Gray: Created by Sherwin Williams, this historic grayish blue resembles faded blue denim. It falls between blue and gray equally. Works for casual ranch houses.

Paint Brands, Finishes, and Sheens

Once you’ve decided on a precise hue, considering paint brand, finish, and sheen:

Brand: For exteriors, stick with quality paint brands known for durability like Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, Pittsburg Paints, Behr Premium Plus, or Valspar Duramax. Don’t choose the cheapest paint or it may fade and deteriorate quickly in the elements.

Finish: The paint’s finish refers to its opacity and ability to hide exterior surfaces. For wood and vinyl siding, a paint labeled “satin” offers better coverage and protection than flat finishes. Satin sheens highlight architectural textures nicely. For already-painted brick or stucco, flat paint finishes often suit best since the surfaces are already uniform.

Sheen: The sheen indicates how much light the dried paint reflects. Sheens like matte or eggshell absorb light, resulting in little shine and glare. They work beautifully on exteriors. Higher-sheen paints like satin or semi-gloss reflect more light, causing noticeable shine. They can feel overly slick on home exteriors, actually highlighting imperfections. Stick to matte, eggshell, or at most soft satin sheens.

Now that you’ve selected the exact gray paint for your home, it’s time to prep. Read on to learn how to get your exterior ready for a flawless paint application.

Preparing Your Home Exterior for Painting

Applying grayish blue exterior paint is the fun, pretty finishing stage. But before beautiful color comes necessary prep work. Rushing or skimping on any of these steps could result in peeling, cracking, or fading down the line:

Prep the Landscaping

Start exterior painting prep by clearing plants. Trim back bushes so they don’t touch walls. Check for tree limbs scraping the house and prune if needed. Pull weeds. Edge planting beds. These measures prevent leaves and dirt from ruining fresh paint.

Once the plants are managed, spread drop cloths around the foundation. Protect vulnerable flowers and grasses right up against the house using cardboard shields.

Identify Problem Areas

Walk around the entire exterior and inspect all surfaces closely. Search for cracks, damaged wood, mold, mildew, rust spots, and peeling previous paint. Identify every issue needing repair.

If you spot multiple areas needing assistance, consider hiring a painting pro. Some repairs like sealing gaps, replacing boards, or removing lead paint require expertise. Get these handled before applying new paint anywhere.

Wash the Surface

Next thoroughly clean the entire exterior—vinyl, wood, brick, concrete, stucco and all. Pay special attention to oily or frequently touched spots around doors and handles. These accumulate grease that resists fresh paint.

Use an exterior-approved detergent (never indoor dish soap) and thoroughly rinse. On brick or stucco, switch to low-pressure rinsing only. Power washing can damage the surfaces by forcing moisture into tiny cracks.

Let all areas dry fully over a sunny stretch of a few days. Look closely for remaining dark mildew patches or shiny grease spots needing recleaning.

Sand and Scrape

Once sparkling clean and bone dry, it’s time to sand and scrape. Lightly sand glossy finishes to help the new paint adhere properly. Use detail sandpaper to rough up extra shiny areas like window trim.

Check corners, cracks, and edges again for loose, curled paint, and scrape off. The fresh coat will last much longer over a sound surface.

Sweep up all dust and flakes thoroughly after sanding and scraping. Wipe with tack cloth for a spotless finish.

Caulk Lines and Gaps

Outdoor caulking is essential prep before painting any home exterior. Look for gaps where siding boards meet, around windows, bordering trim, and surrounding penetrations like pipes or wires even hairline cracks in stucco or mortar lines.

Use exterior-grade caulk to carefully seal all these potential failing points. Smoothing caulking not only smartly prevents future leaks and drafts but also gives your paint job a seamless polished look.

Cover Surfaces

Every external surface ready for beautiful new grayish blue paint? Excellent! Now protect all the adjoining areas you don’t intend to paint like roof shingles, windows, outdoor lighting, pathways, patios, and landscaping. Consider covering yourself too.

Use painter’s tape for simpler shielding jobs. Drop cloths, plastic sheets, masking paper, or cardboard better protect irregular shapes like railings. Drape tarps over vulnerable patio furniture. Tape plastic over windows and outdoor fixtures, slicing x’s so you can see out.

Wear paint clothes, gloves, and shoe covers too. Trust me, grayish blue looks better on your home exterior than your fresh white sneakers!

Okay, time for the fun stuff—that stunning grayish blue paint! Let’s talk the best practices for applying.

Application Tips for Flawless Grayish Blue Exterior Paint

Avoid brush and roller frustration by following these handy application tips:

Pay Attention to Temperatures and Conditions

Spring and fall bring the best exterior painting temps, hovering around 50-70°F during application and drying. Summer heat risks blistering the fresh paint. Bitter cold prevents proper adhesion. So watch forecasts closely and pick mild days only.

Avoid painting on humid days too—moisture prevents thorough drying between coats. Wait for a sunny, dry spell instead with humidity under 85 percent. And never apply exterior paint if rain might hit freshly painted surfaces within 48 hours.

Divide the Structure Logically

Tackle smaller, organized painting jobs instead of getting overwhelmed taking the entire exterior on all at once. Systematically divide up your house into logical work sections.

Start with an easier back corner perhaps, like a secluded chimney. Then build confidence addressing entire surfaces uniformly, like the left sunlit side of the home. Check off left wall, then left trim, left window accents, etc before moving clockwise around the structure.

Use Quality Application Tools

Don’t sabotage that first perfect brush stroke with junky hardware. Invest in quality brushes with soft, tapered tips and sturdy roller setups suitable for the textures you’re painting. Extension poles assist with safely reaching the roofline. Consider an exterior paint sprayer for rapid efficiency on expansive vinyl siding too.

Set up a few roller pans instead of constantly dipping into one communal tray. This prevents flecks drying between layers. Pour paint generously to fully cover the roller with each pass. An uneven finish or color between batches alerts you it’s time to refresh the tray.

Nail Primer and First Coat

Use exterior primer formulated specifically for each surface you’re painting—wood, stucco, aluminum, etc. Grayish blue paint pops beautifully against white primer but tints nicely over gray primers too. Always apply the same day as priming for ideal adhesion.

When the recommended drying time passes, carefully apply the first color coat using your dividing system. Work top to bottom methodically. Allow proper dry time again.

Inspect Before Adding Topcoats

After one coat fully dries, walk around the entire section with strong lighting. Check to ensure the paint has adhered smoothly everywhere with full, even coverage. Look for thin spots allowing old color to show through or excess brush marks marring the consistency. Circle areas needing touch ups.

Only once happy with the coverage after inspection should you add second and third coats as needed. This avoids wasting time and paint topping less-than-stellar applications.

Cut In Carefully

Use an angled trim brush for tidy, careful paint lines along edges and borders. Instead of just slapping adjacent coats up to trim or corners, precisely “cut in” borders to prep those defined lines for roller work next.

Take it slow for super sharp edges along moldings and ceilings. Clean up drips or smudges immediately with a damp rag before continuing.

Caring for Your New Grayish Blue Exterior

Your spiffy new grayish blue paint needs proper ongoing care to retain its freshly painted glory for years:

Let It Fully Cure

Even once dry to the touch, exterior paint requires weeks fully drying and curing before it achieves maximum strength, durability, and water resistance. Avoid scuffing the surfaces or rubbing against walls right after painting. Prevent damage until thoroughly cured by keeping kids and pets away.

Clean Gently

When washing down your exterior post-paint job, stick to low-pressure water methods avoiding abrasives. A simple garden hose nozzle works better than aggressively spinning brushes that wear down the protective finish prematurely.

Limit scrubbing force around the painted exterior too. Use mild cleaners and soft brushes for occasional deeper cleans instead of anything harshly chemical or abrasive.

Watch For Fallout and Fading

As seasons pass, routinely check your beautiful grayish blue exterior paint for signs of trouble. Look out for glossy “fallout” drips along the base where dirt sticks to excess chalk washout. Also monitor paint fade severity, especially on the most weather-exposed sunlit sides.

Catch issues early before extensive flaking or peeling occur. Spot clean stains right away. Plan to repaint eventually when fading dims the calming blue-grays too significantly. Aim for every 4-7 years pending wear.

Now that you’re a grayish blue exterior paint pro, think you have what it takes to transform your home’s façade? With the right prep work and application techniques, you can certainly rock this trending cool-tone shade. Just take your time choosing that perfect tranquil hue and painting carefully. Before you know it, you’ll have the best-looking grayish blue house on the block!

Last Words

Dreaming of a soothing, sophisticated grayish blue exterior on your own home? With the right prep work and painting technique, you can totally rock this trending neutral color beautifully. Just start by determining the precise shade of calming blue-gray flattering your architectural style and environment. Prep all surfaces diligently, divide logically into doable paint sections, and apply with care. Maintain your freshly painted facade properly and a breathtaking grayish blue exterior can grace your property for years on end!

FAQs

What is the most popular grayish blue exterior house color?

Currently the most sought-after grayish blue exterior paint color is Sherwin Williams’ Repose Gray. This calming, slightly desaturated steel blue resembles a stormy blue hour. It works equally well on modern and traditional home styles.

How do I pick a grayish blue exterior paint color?

View exterior paint swatches at different times of day first. Then match a grayish blue hue flattering your home’s style and surrounding environment—landscape colors, architectural styles nearby, etc. For foolproof pairings consider historic grayish blues like Stonington Gray or classic sky blues akin to Cadet.

Can I paint exterior brick grayish blue?

Absolutely! Just ensure the brick is fully prepped by pressure cleaning, repointing any failing mortar cracks, and applying proper masonry primer first. Use flat finish masonry paint for a subtle grayish blue wash over brick. Limit darker shades to lighter mortar lines by carefully cutting in with an angled trim brush.

What colors go well with grayish blue exteriors?

Grayish blues beautifully complement warm white trim and accents along with black rooflines and charcoal gutters. Earth tones like sandstone enhance grayish blue houses nicely too. For pops of contrasting color try a buttery yellow front door, Terra Cotta potted plants, and even metallic finishes on exterior lighting and hardware against cool grayish blue siding.

How much does it cost to paint a house exterior grayish blue?

Expect to spend around $2,500 to hire professional painters to transform your home’s exterior to grayish blue. This factors in power washing, priming bare wood, applying two quality coats of paint, precise trim work, materials, cleanup and debris removal. Diy painting may cost closer to $1,200 when accounting for equipment rentals, painter’s insurance, high-end paint, and accessories.