# Choosing Colours That Last in Hard UV > Some exterior paint colours fade fast in Australian sun, others hold for years. How to choose coastal colours that last, and why darks fade first. Salt Coast | Source: https://saltcoast.com.au/guides/exterior-colours-uv-fade/ 1. [Guides](https://saltcoast.com.au/guides/) 2. / 3. [Painting](https://saltcoast.com.au/guides/#painting) 4. / 5. Choosing Colours That Last in Hard UV Painting Some exterior paint colours fade fast in Australian sun, others hold for years. How to choose coastal colours that last, and why darks fade first. Painting 3 min read June 2026 ![A coastal home exterior wall in bright hard UV light](https://saltcoast.com.au/assets/exterior-colours-uv-fade.webp) In this guide [Why do some exterior paint colours fade so fast?](#why-do-some-exterior-paint-colours-fade-so-fast)[How UV fades paint](#how-uv-fades-paint)[Which colours last, and which don't](#which-colours-last-and-which-don-t)[Beyond colour choice: what else affects fade](#beyond-colour-choice-what-else-affects-fade)[Choosing colours for a coastal home](#choosing-colours-for-a-coastal-home) ## Why do some exterior paint colours fade so fast? Some colours fade far faster than others because of how their pigments react to UV. Dark and vivid colours (deep reds, bright blues, charcoals) absorb more UV energy and break down sooner, while lighter, earthier, mineral-pigment colours hold up much longer. In Australia's intense sun, and on the coast where there's little shade and glare off water and sand, that difference is dramatic. ## How UV fades paint Fading is the sun breaking down two things: the **pigments** that give the colour, and the **binder** that holds the paint film together. UV energy literally breaks the chemical bonds. Darker colours absorb more of that energy (rather than reflecting it), so they heat up more and degrade faster. Some pigments are inherently less stable: many bright organic pigments fade quickly, while mineral and inorganic pigments (earthy tones, oxides) are far more UV-stable. On the coast you also get more reflected light off water and pale sand, and usually less tree cover, so surfaces take a heavier UV dose than an equivalent inland home. ![Diagram showing which exterior colours resist UV fade and which fade fastest in harsh coastal sun](https://saltcoast.com.au/assets/exterior-colours-uv-fade-diagram.svg) ## Which colours last, and which don't As a general guide for hard-UV coastal exposure: **Hold up well:** off-whites, creams, light greys, sandy and earthy tones, muted blues and greens. These reflect more UV and tend to use more stable pigments. They're also forgiving as they age, light colours fade *evenly* and subtly, so they look acceptable for longer. **Fade faster:** deep reds and terracottas, bright/saturated blues and greens, strong yellows, and very dark colours including charcoals and near-blacks. Darks have a double problem: they absorb maximum UV *and* show fading badly, because uneven fade is obvious against a dark base. **The charcoal trend, a caution.** Dark charcoal exteriors are popular, but they're the hardest colour to keep looking good in harsh coastal UV: they heat up, fade unevenly, and show every imperfection as they age. They can absolutely be done, but go in knowing they'll likely need refreshing sooner than a lighter scheme. ## Beyond colour choice: what else affects fade Colour is the biggest lever, but not the only one. **Paint quality matters:** premium exterior lines use more UV-stable pigments and binders than budget paint, so the same colour lasts longer in a better product (see [best exterior paint for coastal homes](https://saltcoast.com.au/guides/best-exterior-paint-coastal-australia/)). **Sheen** plays a small role, and **exposure** is huge: the walls facing the western sun and the open sea fade fastest, so a colour might hold beautifully on a sheltered elevation and tire quickly on the exposed one. ## Choosing colours for a coastal home The practical approach: lean toward lighter, earthier, muted tones for the main body (which suit coastal settings aesthetically anyway), and if you want drama, use the fade-prone darks and brights as *accents* (a door, trim, a feature) where they're smaller, easier to refresh, and less catastrophic when they age. Choose a quality paint in whatever colour you land on, and remember the most-exposed walls will always lead the fading. None of this means you can't have the colour you love, it means going in with eyes open about how it'll age, and planning maintenance accordingly. Colour choice and exposure together decide how your home ages. A [Salt Coast site visit](https://saltcoast.com.au/maintenance-plans/) factors in how exposed each elevation is, so your colour and paint choices suit the light your home actually gets, and a maintenance plan keeps the finish fresh between repaints. Written by [The Salt Coast Team](https://saltcoast.com.au/about/) Common questions ## FAQs **Why does my exterior paint fade so quickly?** UV breaks down the pigments and binder in paint, and some colours are far more vulnerable than others. Dark and vivid colours absorb more UV and use less stable pigments, so they fade fast, especially in Australia's intense sun and on the coast where reflected glare and lack of shade increase the UV dose. Lighter, earthier colours and premium paints last much longer. **Which exterior colours last longest in the sun?** Off-whites, creams, light greys, and sandy or earthy muted tones hold up best, they reflect more UV and tend to use more stable mineral pigments, and they fade evenly so they look acceptable for longer. Deep reds, bright blues and greens, and very dark charcoals fade fastest and show it most. **Are dark charcoal exteriors a bad idea on the coast?** They're the hardest colour to keep looking good in harsh coastal UV, they absorb maximum heat and UV, fade unevenly, and show imperfections as they age. They can be done, but expect to refresh them sooner than a lighter scheme. Using dark tones as accents rather than the whole house is a good compromise. **Does paint quality affect fading?** Yes. Premium exterior paints use more UV-stable pigments and binders, so the same colour lasts noticeably longer in a quality product than a budget one. On the coast, where UV exposure is high, paying for the premium line is one of the better ways to slow fading, alongside choosing a more stable colour. **Will all walls of my house fade at the same rate?** No. The walls facing the western sun and the open sea take the heaviest UV and fade fastest, while sheltered elevations hold their colour much longer. This is why a house can look patchy over time, and why the most-exposed walls often need refreshing before the rest. Related services [![Freshly painted rendered exterior of a modern coastal WA home, ocean behind](https://saltcoast.com.au/assets/house-painting-perth-wa.webp) House Painting Painters in Perth for interior and exterior work, specified for the coast. Free site visit, fixed quote, finishes built to last in WA conditions. Read more โ†’](https://saltcoast.com.au/services/house-painting/)[![Freshly painted modern coastal home exterior with a flawless matte finish, ocean behind](https://saltcoast.com.au/assets/exterior-painting-perth-wa.webp) Exterior Painting Coastal exterior painting across Perth and WA. Salt-spec preparation and coatings that hold up to the coast, so your paint lasts instead of peeling. Read more โ†’](https://saltcoast.com.au/services/exterior-painting/) ![Cover of The Coastal Maintenance Guide](https://saltcoast.com.au/assets/guide-cover.webp) 6 pages ยท PDF Free guide ### The Coastal Maintenance Guide Six pages on what salt, sun and driven rain actually do to a coastal home, what to look for on your own walls, and roughly how long you have before each one turns into a repair. - Twelve failure modes, and how to recognise each one - What lasts how long in your corrosivity zone - A season-by-season checklist you can do yourself *(This page carries an interactive enquiry form. Agents and readers without a browser can reach Salt Coast at hello@saltcoast.com.au or 0485 000 558.)* We email the guide, then occasional coastal maintenance reminders, no more than a few times a year. Reply to any of them to stop. See our [privacy policy](https://saltcoast.com.au/privacy/). Sent ### Check your inbox, and here it is in the meantime. [Download the guide](https://saltcoast.com.au/guides/coastal-maintenance-guide.pdf) SALT COAST ## Launching October 2026. Register now and you're first in line when site visits start. No obligation โ€” and we'll keep you posted. [**Call** 0485 000 558](tel:0485000558) [**Text us** 0485 000 558](sms:0485000558?&body=Hi%20Salt%20Coast%2C%20I'd%20like%20to%20book%20a%20free%20walk-through%20and%20quote.%0AName%3A%20%0AAddress%3A%20%0AAbout%20the%20job%3A%20) **Arrange a quote** Use the form and we'll come back with a time Arrange a quote General enquiry *(This page carries an interactive enquiry form. Agents and readers without a browser can reach Salt Coast at hello@saltcoast.com.au or 0485 000 558.)* Thank you. You're on the list. We'll confirm by email, keep you posted as launch approaches, and your property will be among the first contacted when visits begin in October 2026. --- Salt Coast. Built for the coast. Paint and protective maintenance for coastal Western Australian homes: interior and exterior painting, plus washing and cleaning, roof restoration, rust and corrosion protection, salt-damage treatment, deck and timber care, and recurring maintenance plans. Fremantle based, servicing the coast from Dawesville to Two Rocks. Phone 0485 000 558, email hello@saltcoast.com.au, 29 Queen Victoria St, Fremantle, WA 6160, Australia. Machine-readable index: https://saltcoast.com.au/llms.txt | Agent guide: https://saltcoast.com.au/agents.md | Sitemap: https://saltcoast.com.au/sitemap.xml