When applying exterior house paint, surface preparation is critically important for good adhesion. You should scrape as much old paint off as possible, sand to feather edges of scraped areas, wash the surface with a good detergent solution, repair chips, cracks, splinters, etc., and clean and sealing nail heads.

When it comes to paint for your home exterior you do not want to deal with problems, most major problems encountered with house paints are generally due to:

Failure to completely clean surface of dirt, grease, old paint, etc.
Excessive moisture
Painting damp surfaces
Painting under adverse weather conditions
Failure to use proper primer coat
Failure to follow manufacturer's directions Any of these conditions can cause blistering, peeling, early fading or other similar problems, so when painting your house try to avoid making mistakes that will cause paint failure.

Trim Paints

When picking paint for your trim remember what the purpose of trims is: trim paints should be bright colors chosen to contrast with the house color. You want to pick a trim paint that will dry quickly to a hard finish; also, remember trim paints are primarily for use on window frames, shutters, railings, etc. and are not recommended for large surfaces.

Masonry Pants

Masonry surfaces include stucco, concrete, cement, asbestos shingles, etc. Most masonry paints are latex based; some are acrylic based. Oil-based paint is not recommended for masonry because of the residual alkalinity in the masonry, in other words the components don't mix well and this can cause paint failure.

Latex-based masonry paints require a special pretreatment or bonding primer to "tie down" old chalk and dust before application. They dry to a flat finish.

Rough surfaces should first receive a coat of block filler. This is important because this acrylic elastomeric coating will bridge cracks and pinholes to provide the best waterproofing and make your paint last longer.

Powdered cement paints, which have a shorter exterior life than latex coatings, must be mixed with water. They can be applied only over a porous masonry surface such as brick, stucco or concrete, or over surfaces that have been previously coated with this same kind of paint. For proper adhesion, the old surface must be wetted down thoroughly and the paint applied to the damp surface.

Masonry paint can be waterproof as well as decorative. For best color retention, coat with a good acrylic-Latex paint 30 days after application of a waterproof masonry paint.

Paint For Gutters

Most homes have gutters, and they are necessary for your home, but you should probably paint them as you don't want them to stick out like a sore thumb. Both latex- and oil-based paints adhere well to galvanized steel and aluminum gutters. Oil based works better on tin gutters.

Galvanized gutters require priming both inside and out and should be cleaned with coarse cloth dampened with paint thinner before they are painted, or should be left unpainted for three to six months so the weather can etch the surface for better paint adhesion.

Oil-based paints should never be applied directly to unpainted galvanized metal. They will eventually peel off. A galvanized metal primer must be applied first. Acrylic-Latex paint can be applied directly to unpainted galvanized as long as it has been cleaned thoroughly.

Shingle Paints

Shingles come in many colors, but you may wish to paint or stain them. Many shingle paints/stains are low in pigment content, leave light color on the surface, and are used primarily to provide surface protection for wood shingles.

If the surface of your shingles is badly weathered, you may want to prime them and use a companion primer, undercoater or two finish coats.