Painter's hand holding a roller filled with paint to paint an exterior wall
All Products Professional Paint

Dunn-Edwards Acri-Hues: The Four-to-Six Year Paint, and When I Quote It

Dunn-Edwards ACRI-HUES

Professional exterior 100% acrylic paint

Product code ACHS10

Acri-Hues is a very good paint for its price range. I quote it when a job is constrained by budget or only needs to hold for four to six years. Evershield on the same house in a light color is twelve to fourteen. That is the trade you are making.

Acri-Hues is a very good paint for its price range, and for a job that is constrained by budget, or a short-term job, it can be a very good choice. By short term I mean a job that would be expected to last four to six years before needing to be repainted. Evershield on the same house in a light color is twelve to fourteen years. That is the whole trade, laid out plainly.

Two coats should be enough coverage for a color change with Acri-Hues. Three coats would be necessary if you are going from a very dark color to a very light one - that is true of any paint, not just this one.

There is one limit worth knowing about in an Arizona summer. I would never apply paint to a surface that is 120 degrees, and the data sheet sets the same limit. A wall that is too hot will not let the paint cure properly, and no product fixes that. What we do in the heat is quit work when the temperature gets hot, and work the shade side of the house rather than direct sunlight as much as possible.

What it will not do

Acri-Hues fades faster and will not hold color as long as Evershield. If you are staying in the house and want the longest run before you repaint, that difference is what you are paying for when you go up a grade.

Data Sheet

Manufacturer specifications

Coverage 400-475 sq. ft. per gallon
VOC 50 g/L as supplied
Dry to touch 1-2 hours at 77F
Recoat 2-4 hours at 77F
Film build 3.7 mils wet / 1.5 mils dry
Application Brush, roller, or airless at 1800-2500 psi, .015 to .017 inch tip
Temperature 35F minimum, 120F maximum surface temperature
Sheens Flat, Velvet, Eggshell, Semi-Gloss
Substrates Stucco, masonry and brick, wood siding, vinyl siding, aluminum, soffit, fascia, eaves, garage doors, gutters, doors, windows, gates, fences, shutters

Manufacturer figures from the Dunn-Edwards product data sheet. Sources: https://www.dunnedwards.com/product/acri-hues-exterior-paint/ and https://www.dunnedwards.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ACHS10-EN-PDS-1225.pdf. Dunn-Edwards and ACRI-HUES are trademarks of Dunn-Edwards Corporation. We are not affiliated with or sponsored by Dunn-Edwards; we buy this product at retail like anyone else.

We use this on exteriors in Phoenix, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Scottsdale and Tempe and across the valley.

JH
Written by John Horn, owner, John Horn Painting
20+ years painting exteriors in Phoenix, AZ

Last updated: August 24, 2026