What You Should Know before You Decide to Paint Your Vinyl Siding
If you aren’t happy with the color of your vinyl siding, consider painting it.
Vinyl siding is meant to last much longer than other siding options, which includes not having to paint it; however, some homeowners want to change the color of their vinyl siding and don’t want to purchase new siding. Instead, you may be able to paint it. Be sure to talk to an experienced siding contractor to determine whether your exterior siding options can be painted.
Proper Preparation
Any surface you intend to paint needs to be properly prepared to ensure it will accept the paint with a lower risk of peeling and other imperfections now and in the future. Vinyl siding is no different, although the preparation process is different than many other materials; however, this siding option requires less prep than other types of siding. A thorough cleaning is often the only step required to ensure the paint will adhere properly. Make sure you use a cleaner that removes mold, mildew and algae because leaving these items under the new coat of paint will cause problems in the future.
Do you want a different color for your vinyl siding?
Choose the Right Color
One of the biggest downfalls of painting vinyl siding is you are limited in the colors you can choose. Siding comes in a variety of colors, allowing homeowners to choose exactly what looks great with the rest of their exterior and landscaping options. When you decide to change the color, you will be limited in your choices to those colors that are the same shade or lighter than the current color. Using a color darker than the original shade will cause the vinyl siding to absorb heat from the sun, which can lead to warping and other damage. This isn’t often a concern with other exterior siding options.
Make Sure It Sticks
Before you take on the painting job, you need to make sure the paint you choose will adhere to the siding and won’t chip, crack or peel. Choose a few small areas and apply the paint there first, allowing it to dry so you can monitor how the paint will react to the siding. Use a utility knife or a razor knife to score the paint into a checkerboard pattern, including several X’s. Apply packing tape firmly over the scored areas and then peel away. If a small amount of paint sticks to the tape, you can continue painting your siding; however, if more than a small dot is removed, you may have to choose another type of paint.
There are many exterior siding options, though vinyl siding is one of the most popular. This siding comes in a variety of colors so homeowners can find one that best fits the way they want their home to look. If you are tired of the color of your home, however, you aren’t limited to keeping the same color or replacing the siding altogether. Instead, you can take the right steps to paint the siding and keep your home beautiful.
If you are looking for assistance painting your vinyl siding, contact us. Our Massachusetts contractors can help you choose the right colors and apply the paint to your home.
