Can Seamless Polymer House Siding Be Painted?

What Types of Siding Require Repainting and Maintenance?

Painting is one of the most common home exterior maintenance tasks, and one that comes with the most questions, like “How often do I need to paint my siding?” and “What kind of paint is best?”

Let’s explore the types of house siding that require painting, special considerations for different materials, and, most importantly, whether painting seamless polymer siding is necessary.

What Exterior House Siding Must Be Painted?

Not all types of siding must be painted, but there are some that will look better and last longer with a coat or two of paint.

• Wood or engineered wood exterior house siding, such as LP Smartside, needs regular painting or staining to protect it from the elements. How often you need to repaint will vary, but most professionals recommend repainting every 10 years.
• Fiber cement siding, such as Hardie board, is a popular wood alternative, which benefits from paint to prevent damage and look its best. Some fiber cement siding products come pre-painted. You can expect to repaint fiber cement house siding every 10 to 15 years.

What Siding Requires Special Painting Considerations?

One major exception to painting house siding is stucco. Authentic stucco should instead have pigments added to it before it is applied to your home. Some home improvement companies advise that you can paint stucco, but it’s a polarizing issue.

If your stucco siding has already been painted, and you want to give it a refresh, you can absolutely paint it again. But keep in mind natural stucco only adheres to natural stucco, so if your siding needs patching or refinishing in the future, your layers of paint may interfere, requiring sand blasting and other time-consuming removal techniques.

After you’ve painted your stucco house siding, expect to repaint at least every five years.

Can I Paint Aluminum Siding for Houses?

Aluminum siding is less popular in recent years than in the past, in part because it’s fairly expensive to manufacture, and there are more durable siding options on the market.

If you have aging aluminum siding that looks faded, painting it can refresh your home exterior. Before painting, thoroughly clean your siding and choose a self-etching primer suitable for metal.

Your exterior paint should be 100% acrylic latex, as it adheres well to metal surfaces. Avoid oil-based paints. Unfortunately, metal siding products are prone to dings and dents, and a satin or gloss paint finish will highlight this damage, so choose your paint finish wisely. If you’ve committed to painting your aluminum siding, plan to repaint every 5 to 10 years.

What About Vinyl Siding for Houses?

Vinyl siding is designed to last multiple decades, but over time, it fades and no longer looks its best. It may appear dull and chalky. Painting your vinyl house siding can freshen up your home’s exterior, but you need to go about it the right way.

Just like with aluminum siding, you’ll need to clean your vinyl siding first. Then, apply a primer using a roller or paint sprayer. Use only acrylic latex paint on vinyl siding because it will expand and contract with the weather, just like your vinyl siding is designed to. Oil-based paint is not flexible enough.

Be aware that painting your vinyl siding a darker color can cause warping. This is because dark-colored paint absorbs the heat of the sun, which causes the siding to expand. After such expansion, it is not able to contract to its original shape.

Avoid warping by choosing a paint color that is similar in hue to your existing siding. For example, if your siding is medium gray, choose a light-to-medium gray paint. If your siding is white, you’ll want to stick with white or another very pale shade. It’s unwise to paint your light-yellow vinyl siding navy blue! Then, plan to repaint your house siding every 5 to 10 years.

Do I Need to Paint Seamless Polymer Siding?

Although it’s possible to paint seamless polymer siding by following the same instructions as painting vinyl siding, there is virtually no need to paint seamless polymer siding!

Seamless polymer siding doesn’t fade more than 2% over a 10-year period, which means any fading isn’t noticeable. Because it doesn’t fade, you won’t need to repaint. Your home will look as good as it did the day it was installed, even years later, thanks to the Rich-Lock Color System™.

In fact, painting seamless polymer siding can interfere with its performance, leading to problems like peeling, cracking, or warping. If for some reason you think your siding needs painted, check your manufacturer’s warranty first.

Enjoy a Maintenance-Free Lifestyle With Seamless Polymer Siding!

Common siding maintenance includes painting, caulking, and cleaning. And most traditional siding for houses requires all three at some point. There’s one exception: seamless polymer siding from Continental Siding.

• It doesn’t fade, so you won’t need to paint it.
• It doesn’t need caulking because it’s already seamless.
• It resists mold and mildew, so you don’t need to scrub it.

Experience the freedom of maintenance-free exterior house siding, and LOVE YOUR HOME with help from Continental Siding. Click or call NOW to get started with a FREE estimate.