Siding Painting

Painting faded siding is more budget-friendly than replacing it, but depending on how old your siding is and whether it’s sustained damage beyond fading, it may be a better idea to replace old, faded siding. Vinyl siding that’s 20 years old or more is nearing the end of its lifespan, and painting may freshen up its appearance, but it won’t buy you much more time before the siding needs to be replaced.

While painting vinyl siding is never necessary, people who paint vinyl to update the look of their homes can potentially get the secondary benefit of giving siding a protective seal. However, the wrong paint can actually promote vinyl siding melting or warping by attracting sunlight and heat. It's important to choose a vinyl-safe paint color that is either equal to or lighter than the current shade to prevent attracting heat to a darker color. Most homeowners who choose to paint vinyl siding need to repaint every five to 10 years.

The cost to paint different types of siding varies. The most common types of siding to paint and their price ranges include:

• Wood: $1–$3 per square foot

• Vinyl: $1.25–$3 per square foot

• Brick: $1.50–$4.50 per square foot

• Metal: $1.50–$2.50 per square foot

• Stucco: $1.50–$4 per square foot

• Concrete: $1–$3.50 per square foot

You should repaint clapboard siding when you notice paint is starting to flake, wear off, or peel. This timing depends on your climate and how harsh it is on wood siding paint. A harsh coastal climate with lots of wind and salt air may wear down paint quickly, so you have to paint every few years. A mild, warm climate that’s friendly to paint can allow clapboard colors to last for ten years before you have to think about repainting. Wood stain for natural wood is usually somewhere in between.