I've been enjoying the GardenWeb forums for a couple of years now, getting lots of good info, and now want to share my own experience with a product called Eco from Fine Paints of Europe.

Before retiring in 2005, I decided to re-side my 200-year-old home in Virginia. Although I must admit that I was initially considering vinyl or aluminum, knowledgeable friends and research all indicated that I would reduce the value of my vintage house and so, after more consultation and research, my contractor and I decided to go with red cedar siding.

My paint research then led me to discover a small, cutting-edge company up in Woodstock, Vermont, offering an environmentally-friendly yet traditional oil paint without solvents called Eco. We decided to go with it and never looked back. It absolutely has the look of traditional oil - but it cleans up with soap and water!

It has now been on my house for five summers and winters, and looks like it was painted just last week. The only maintenance we do is a hose-down once a year to remove the dust. Fine Paints' literature says I can expect another ten years of beauty before needing to repaint. Last year we used the same paint on my kitchen cabinets with equally great results. To quote my painter, 'I've discovered my new favorite paint.'

To top things off, I happened to visit Mount Vernon last week and felt very smart after discovering that the home of George Washington is currently being painted inside and out with Fine Paints of Europe.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fine Paints of Europe