What Are The Pros And Cons Of Painting Vinyl Siding?

Things to Consider When Repainting Vinyl Siding

Choosing to repaint existing vinyl siding instead of replacing it depends on several factors. These elements are key when determining the best choice for improving the home exterior. Any one or more than one of these aspects make the difference between resurfacing and replacing.

Siding Age and Cost of Painting vs. Replacing Siding

The age of your home’s siding plays a huge role in whether you paint or replace your vinyl siding. Newer siding with minimal wear and tear is likely to take a coat of paint better than older, damaged siding.

Extensive damage isn’t worth the effort to repaint; save your time, money, and energy and replace it with new siding.

Aesthetic Appearance

Curb appeal is a big deal in a neighborhood, and a beautiful facade carries most of that weight. Worn siding makes a house look older, dirtier, and neglected, so repainting it can quickly perk up its appearance.

Preserve or Increase Home Value

There’s a second and possibly more important benefit to refreshing or replacing worn vinyl: the assessment of property values. A well-kept looking house projects a higher property value while maintaining or even raising the assessment value.

Manufacturer’s Warranty

A crucial element in deciding which option to take lies in your paperwork. Some siding manufacturers will write product warranties with specific care and maintenance instructions. Any improvement action not in line with the stated warranty can void it if the refresh turns out badly.

Pros of Repainting Vinyl Siding

1. Painting Siding Is More Cost-Effective Than Replacing

Repainting vinyl siding can cost less than replacing it, particularly if the homeowner is willing to do it themselves.

2. Painting Gives the Siding a New and Fresh Look

A fresh coat of paint covers any wear and tear and can give your house a renewed or updated look.

3. Painting Provides Siding with an Added Layer Of Protection

Time and weather can wear down the protective finish of vinyl siding and make it look dull. Painting the siding hides that aging and adds a new, less penetrable layer to the home exterior.

4. Painting Increases the Lifespan of the Siding

Choosing to repaint instead of replacing is not just a short term cost difference for the homeowner. The extra protective layer means the existing siding lasts longer and delays the need for total replacement. The homeowner gets the biggest bang for their buck on the initial installation, with less cash coming out of pocket.

Cons of Repainting Vinyl Siding

1. Painting Won’t Work Well on Damaged Siding

Harsh weather can cause more than simple time-based wear and tear to vinyl siding. You must repair any damage beyond basic scratches before you can even prep the siding for painting. An uneven patch job will not cover well with paint and will negatively impact the siding’s appearance.

2. Repainting Siding Could Void the Warranty

One big reason to go the replacement route is the manufacturer’s warranty on the vinyl siding. Check your warranty for any specific language regarding the siding’s care, maintenance, or alteration. A do-it-yourself siding refresher might void the warranty if you do it wrong …(or at all), depending on the warranty language.

3. Painting Won’t Improve the Siding’s Appearance

Even with careful cleaning, preparation, and painting, your vinyl siding may look the same or worse than before. Spending money on materials that don’t make an improvement may as well have gone toward brand new siding. Look over the old siding carefully to determine if a replacement is a more prudent and less expensive option.

4. A Paint Job on Siding Might Not Last Very Long

In deciding to repaint vinyl siding, you have to ask yourself if it’s worth the time, cost, and effort. How many more years will you get out of repainted vinyl siding versus installing brand new siding? If it’s less than three years, getting new siding will likely cost less in the long run.

5. Paint Might Not Even Work on Your Siding

Your efforts to refurbish your existing siding over replacing it could be thwarted before you even get started. There’s a possibility your siding can’t even take a fresh coat of paint to give it a new look. Deciding to repaint may be all for naught, leaving replacing your siding as your only viable option.

6. Preparation for Painting Existing Siding Is an Involved Process

Repainting existing vinyl siding is a simple process, but it is also very involved. Careful preparation is crucial to a successful paint touch-up; unpatched damage haphazardly cleaned siding could result in an uneven finish. Additionally, you can cause further damage or unwanted moisture if you’re not careful when power washing the vinyl siding.

7. Damaged Siding Panels Might Be Harder to Replace in the Future

Another caveat of refreshing siding over replacing it with a newer product is obsolescence. Eventually, you’ll need to replace your existing siding because patching won’t be enough for a good repair. The panels you need may be discontinued by that time, which will force you to replace your siding.

8. Errors and Unpredictable Results

Any do-it-yourself project can, and often will, fall victim to rookie mistakes and unexpected outcomes. Mismatched patching materials, paints, and half-done processes can cause the siding to look worse than before. The possibility of bad results and homeowner frustrations could prove replacement is a more acceptable and less maddening option.

New Product Developments for Siding

Siding manufacturers are always coming up with improvements and innovations in style and energy efficiency. A newer siding could be more energy efficient than the existing siding or could have a completely different look. If you’re interested in more than a basic facelift or lowering your energy costs, a complete replacement might be better.

Helpful Hints to Consider When Repainting Vinyl Siding

Use the Proper Materials and Techniques

Choose the Right Time of Day

In addition to cleaning preparation and setup, a good time management plan makes all the difference in a successful job. You’ll achieve better results by painting in the shade instead of in direct sunlight. The paint won’t dry too fast and achieve an even paint surface when dry.

Select the Right Color

Dark paint colors pull more warmth and forgive fewer sins than lighter paint colors, so light colors work best. Furthermore, use a paint color that’s the same shade or lighter than your siding’s current color. Finally, using a primer will allow the paint to adhere to the siding surface better.

Perform Proper Maintenance

Once you’ve painted your siding and cleaned up, it’s a smart idea to maintain your hard work. If you inspect it often, you can do smaller touch-ups instead of a large scale repair job. These touch-ups and annual cleaning help keep the siding looking nice and prolong the paint life.

What Have We Learned?