Siding over time will begin to get dirty, old, and maybe even outdated. But there's some good news.
Instead of dumping money into new siding, you can just paint the siding.
Of course, this is going to be a very large project, but once it’s done you will have brought warmth back into the home. The best part is that you’ll save loads of money by painting instead of replacing it.
The average homeowner pays between $5,000 to $14,050 to replace their siding.
When painting siding it costs on average only $1,709 to $3,988. When you choose to replace the siding you're just throwing away a great canvas for painting. All it takes is a quick powerwash and you can begin painting immediately.
So.. can you paint siding? If so how can it be done?
Let’s get right into it!
Can You Paint Vinyl Siding?
Absolutely you can paint vinyl siding, it will just take a bit more prep and time than painting.. let’s say an interior wall.
Over the years, the sun beats down on the siding resulting in the color to fade. It can make it look pretty ugly, so instead of replacing it completely, it’s a whole lot more cost-effective to just paint the siding.
Before painting be sure to check that painting the siding won't void its warranty as some companies may not cover that.
When To Paint Vinyl Siding (Best Season)
There are a good time and a bad time to paint your vinyl siding. You'll want to make sure there will be pretty good weather before you start your project, or you might regret it.
But when is the best time to paint siding?
You should paint on a nice hot sunny day, right?
Not so fast, painting on a hot day will actually make the paint fail and not work properly. The same goes for a windy day. It might look good when first applied but during the drying stage, it just won’t look as great as it could.
You will also want to avoid any rainy weather for obvious reasons.
The best time to paint is a warm (not too warm) day that might be even a little overcast. This will allow for the paint to properly apply.
Painting Vinyl Siding Is Cost-Effective
Prices vary for new siding from $200 to $500 per 100 square feet. That really adds up.
Painting instead of replacing will save you about 50 to 60% of how much you’d pay to replace your siding. That's insane considering you can just paint and have the same outcome.
The only benefit to replacing is that you won’t need to do it as often as painting. When you paint siding you’ll need to do it about every 10 years compared to 25-50 years for siding. But it’s still much cheaper to just paint, and it’ll keep you up to date!
Necessary Tools
Garden Nose or Powerwasher
Bucket
Laundry Detergent
Oxygen Bleach
Sponges or rags
Painters Tape
Soft bristle brush
Paintbrushes
Masking material
Paint roller or sprayer
Step 1: Preparation (This Is Key)
Preparing the vinyl has a lot larger effect than it might seem. Doing so properly will set up for success.
By not spraying the siding down all the dirt, dust, and anything else that might be on there will not allow the paint to adhere properly.
Unfortunately, just hosing it down won't cut it. Youll need to properly scrub with soap, water, and a brush.
Here is the recommended solution:
⅓ cup of laundry detergent
⅔ cup of powdered household cleaner
1 gallon of water
1 quart of liquid laundry bleach
Be sure that everything is removed from the siding so that you can move to the next step which would be to choose the correct paint.
Step 2: Choose The Right Paint
For the best results, you’ll want to be sure to grab the best paint for the job.
Painting vinyl isn’t a typical paint job, you’ll need to use a latex urethane paint formulated for exterior use.
The paint also must contain acrylic and urethane resins; this will help the coat stick to the vinyl.
This sounds like a lot but your local hardware store will be able to point you in the right direction!
Another huge tip is to get either the same shade or go a little lighter. This is because darker colors retain more heat and can cause warping in the future.
Step 3: Apply Primer & Paint
Using primer won’t be necessary unless the original color has been completely worn out. If you plan on using primer it won’t take much.. One coat should get the job done!
Before painting be sure everything is taped off such as windows, doors, etc.
The first thing you'll want to start with this the big areas, this means you’ll be using the roller or sprayer if you have one. Be sure to do multiple thin coats rather than one big coat for a better finish.
After the big areas are complete then you’ll go and do the small er work like around windows and doors.
Youll follow these steps again for the second coat and third coat if necessary.
This is a huge project that can take some time, it might even be worth hiring a professional, but that's completely up to you!
Final Thoughts
All in all, this will be a major project, but it’ll totally be worth it for a few reasons.
Forst of all it will look amazing but it will also raise your home’s value because of curb appeal.
Painting versus replacing will save you up to 65% of what you would be paying to replace it all. That is a huge difference and totally worth it.
Whether you decide to get your DIY on or hire a professional is up to you but in the end, your home will look amazing and updated for a great price!