Houston's climate is one of the harshest in the country for exterior paint. We get UV nearly year-round, summer humidity over 90%, hurricane-season rain, and the occasional hard freeze. Cheap paint — or correctly priced paint with bad prep — can fail in three summers flat.
The short answer
On wood and fiber-cement (HardiePlank) siding, we default to Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exterior or Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior. On stucco, we use an elastomeric coating like Sherwin-Williams SherLastic. Both systems are warranted for Gulf Coast climates when applied over the right prep.
Why prep matters more than the can
The number-one reason exterior paint fails in Houston isn't the brand — it's prep. Painting over mildew, chalk, or peeling paint guarantees failure no matter what's in the can. Every PaintLux exterior project starts with a soft-wash, scrape-and-sand on failing paint, full caulking, and bonding primer on bare wood or stucco.
Elastomeric vs. acrylic on stucco
Stucco in Houston cracks because our clay soil moves. A flat acrylic paint over a hairline crack will telegraph the crack right back through. Elastomeric coatings are thick enough to bridge hairline cracks and waterproof the wall — two coats typically last 10–15 years.
How often to repaint
A properly prepped wood or fiber-cement exterior in Houston should last 7–12 years. Stucco with elastomeric: 10–15 years. South- and west-facing elevations always fail first because of UV — plan to refresh those one or two cycles before the rest of the house.