Acrylate latexes are described which provide properties of good balance of moderate elongation, low dirt pick up, alkaline resistance, UV light resistance, and efflorescence resistance for masonry coatings. These latexes have a large portion of repeating units from C8-C12 alcohol esters of acrylic acid and/or vinyl versatates along with 5-15 weight percent of repeating units from acrylonitrile. They have a glass transition temperature of -50 to +10.degree. C.