Siding Painting

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.

Considering the large surface area involved when painting vinyl siding, it’s best to use a sprayer. You’ll save time and energy, and the paint coating will be more even and thorough than with a brush. It’s possible to paint vinyl siding with a brush, but brushes are more useful for touch-ups than the entire project. A paint sprayer can restore or change your house’s appearance faster and cheaper than by replacing the siding.