Homes
Exterior colours that stand up to Vidarbha heat and dust
3 min read
How to choose outside wall colours for a house in Vidarbha, where summers are harsh and dust is constant.
Lighter shades for the heat
In Amravati the summer sun beats on the walls for hours. Dark exterior colours soak up that heat and pass it inside, and they also fade faster. Lighter shades such as off-white, light cream, pale yellow and soft grey reflect more of the sun. Your rooms stay a little cooler and the colour keeps its look longer.
Dust-friendly mid tones
Pure white looks lovely on day one, but Vidarbha dust settles on it within weeks and the wall looks tired. Mid tones hide dust far better. Think sand, warm beige, light brown, khaki, or a soft brick shade. They stay presentable between washes, and a quick hose-down after summer brings them back without repainting.
Trims in one dark colour
Give the house one dark colour for all the trims: window borders, the parapet band, the gate, the grills and the pipe covers. Dark brown, charcoal or deep maroon all work. One dark trim colour makes a plain light wall look finished and planned. It also hides the dust streaks that collect under windows and ledges.
Prepare the surface first
Outside walls take a beating from sun, dust and rain, so the paint only lasts if the surface is ready. Wash off old dust and loose paint with water and a stiff brush. Fill cracks with exterior putty or crack filler. Then apply an exterior primer before the colour. Skipping these steps is the main reason exterior paint peels early.
Repaint cycle
Do not wait for the walls to look bad. Walk around the house once a year after the monsoon and look for chalky patches, hairline cracks and dark damp marks. Small touch-ups done on time cost little. A full exterior repaint is best planned for the dry months after Diwali, when the walls are dry and the rain is far away.
Ask us at the shop
Stand across the road, take a photo of the whole front of your house, and bring it to our shop in Amravati or send it on WhatsApp. We will suggest a wall shade and a trim colour from the Birla Opus exterior emulsion range, and tell you which primer and putty to use. The colour advice is free.
