When it comes to researching paint colors, we’ve got it down to a science. But what about replacing your siding? If you’re researching James Hardie Arctic White, this guide is all you need!
Choosing exterior paint colors can be confusing, but new siding is an even bigger commitment. You’ll want to ensure you’re choosing a color that you’ll love for years to come.
Enter Arctic White, a fresh, clean and bright white that will never go out of style! We’ll take you on a real-life photo tour and include some insight on accent colors and more.
If you’ve followed for long, you know we’ve been sharing our journey of updating our little modern lake house from top to bottom. Check out the full before and after, it’s been quite the transformation!
What you might not realize, however, is that many of these upgrades were from necessity, not just for aesthetics. Our little cottage was plagued with drainage issues, unfortunately.
We’ve renovated the exterior extensively. From a new roof, to new carriage garage doors, new vinyl deck, glass deck railings, and even underdecking to create another patio space, it’s been quite an undertaking. We’ve even added a Dutch door and new landscaping to help with drainage!
We’ve shared our best tips and lessons learned along the way. Today’s guide is no different! While we felt a little nostalgic for the charm of our old yellow siding, it was leaking and causing damage. We also wanted a more modern, fresh style.
James Hardie Arctic White
We chose James Hardie siding for its longevity, style and consistency. (Not a sponsored post!) The color Arctic White best fit the coastal, calm style we’ve wanted to achieve here.
Choosing an exterior color can be tough, right? In fact, we have a complete guide to the best White Exterior Paint Colors, because we’ve been studying paint trends for a long time.
Even “white” isn’t simple – it’s a nuanced decision. That’s why this is a photo-heavy post. We want to give you some authentic insight into this siding choice!
After we chose this color, we learned that it’s actually their most popular shade. It’s easy to see why – it’s a classic, and feels pretty timeless. When you’re making an investment in the exterior of your home, you want it to feel up-to-date for years to come!
Arctic White LRV
We’ve chatted frequently about LRV in our paint guides. That’s because it’s very important! I was surprised to learn that the LRV of Arctic White is rated at a 74.
LRV is an acronym for Light Reflectance Value. This is a measuring scale that shows us the amount of light a color reflects… basically, how bright a color is. On a scale of 0-100, 0 is the deepest black and 100 is a pure white.
While it seems like a very bright, true white on the exterior of our home, Arctic White has a deeper LRV than I would have expected.
That is comparable to the LRV of 76 for Sherwin Williams Zurich White, which is one of my favorite Cream Paint Colors.
Tip
Request Samples! Just like when choosing a paint color, use samples of your siding options. With Hardie siding, you can request paint samples to help make the right decision for your home. Check samples in various lighting at different times of the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! If you can bring a sample into your local paint store, it can be matched. However, the sheen is difficult to mimic, so keep that in mind.
Buy a touch up paint kit. However, there are a variety of siding products in a range of sheens, so your paint kit might not exactly match the sheen of your Arctic White siding.
Yes! We matched our front door and gutters to this color. Take your siding sample to your local paint store and ask for a match. It’s easy to do and makes such a huge difference, as you can see below!
Paint Touch-Ups for Hardie Board Siding
While we chose a siding color that we hope to love for a long time, it’s comforting to know that there are options for touching up our siding if necessary.
Arctic White Touch Up Kit
James Hardie ColorPlus Technology Touch-Up Paint Kit 16 oz. (Arctic White)
Arctic White Accent Colors
If you’d like a distinctive accent color to complement your Arctic White siding, there are so many directions you can go!
- Go bold, with black shutters and doors, like this classic White Brick House.
- See our Tudor Paint makeover, featuring Benjamin Moore Simply White with accents of Benjamin Moore Pale Oak.
- Choose a soft coastal blue accent color.
- Choose one of our favorite sage green paint colors.
- Choose raw wood for contrast – see our tutorial for affordable DIY shutters.
What is the width on the siding planks?
Hi Ryan,
We have 8 1/4″ Cedarmill lap siding and smooth trim.
I hope that helps!
Julie
I would love to know the brand and roof color on this beautiful lake house. I am remodeling my lake house, and using Hardi Arctic White, and really struggling to find the right roof, and this roof is perfect. If you could let me know, I would really appreciate it!
We used Weathered Wood on both homes, but I’m not sure which brand of architectural shingles they were, sorry! Hopefully that’s still helpful.