There are a number of benefits to vinyl siding replacement for your Quad Cities home. Vinyl siding is more affordable than most competing materials, and high quality vinyl siding looks beautiful while resisting warping, rotting, or swelling. It’s an energy efficient siding material, and considerably lower maintenance than wood siding.
But what maintenance does need to be done on vinyl siding? In particular, can you paint vinyl siding once installed? The answer is yes, though it might be a different process than painting other siding materials.
Does Vinyl Siding Need To Be Painted?
Vinyl siding is noted for its low maintenance qualities. Among those are promises from contractors that vinyl siding never needs to be painted. But is that true?
The PVC used to make vinyl siding replacement is mixed with a color when the siding boards are created to give the siding its own color from the start. That color will last for as long as the siding. It can, however, begin to fade as it stands up to prolonged sunlight exposure day-in and day-out. For this reason, some Quad Cities homeowners prefer to be able to paint their siding. You might also want to paint your siding as your tastes or siding trends change over time.
How To Paint Vinyl Siding
First, you’ll need the right paint. Acrylic or urethane paints have an easier time adhering to vinyl siding and all the expanding and contracting that can go along with it. You also want to choose a lighter color, ideally lighter than the existing color, as dark colors can lead the siding to warp. Choose a day with mild temperatures and a cloudy sky rather than a hot and humid day. Clean your siding thoroughly. Bob Vila recommends a combination of laundry detergent, household cleaner, laundry bleach, and water.
From there, apply primer if the original color is completely faded followed by two coats of paint. Make sure that the paint has time to dry completely before applying the next layer. After the second layer has been applied, the paint requires 24 hours to dry before the job is finished.
When To Paint And When To Replace
Your siding stands up to the elements all year long, so a little bit of fading is understandable. If the siding is older, however, in addition to faded, you may have problems other than simply the paint color. Siding isn’t meant to last forever, so if your siding is more than 20 years old, maybe it’s time to schedule a siding replacement. If you’re just painting because your personal tastes have changed, however, feel free to simply repaint.
Are you in need of a siding replacement in the Quad Cities? Let Mainstream Home Improvements help. Contact us today for more information or to get started ordering your siding replacement with a free estimate.
