It would seem that there is no way to invent a problem when all sellers of vinyl siding unanimously assure us that this is a very durable, aesthetic material that requires minimal maintenance. However, the fact remains that the questions “how to paint siding?” regularly appear on our portal. And there are two reasons for this.
- Wear. Over time, as a result of use, PVC panels lose their presentable appearance and become brittle and brittle. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, significant temperature fluctuations and other aggressive environmental factors, as well as due to improper care, vinyl siding fades. Its surface loses its protective layer, microcracks and whitish spots appear on it, and the color fades.
- Aesthetics. What does the owner of, for example, a wooden house do if he wants to change the color of the facade? Simply buy new paint in the desired color and repaint it. What should the owner of a house covered with siding do? Obviously, change the cladding, dismantle the old one, install a new one. Agree, it doesn’t look very budget-friendly. And even here its capabilities will be severely limited by the very meager range of ready-made color solutions for PVC panels.
The whole point of the problems identified is that you cannot simply paint the siding with the paint that comes to hand, because it does not have the necessary elasticity or sufficient adhesion to the smooth surface of the panels. It turns out to be a kind of absurd situation: one of the most popular facing materials, in fact, is not repairable. Meanwhile, world experience suggests the opposite: you can paint siding, you just need to ask the question correctly. The main thing is not “how to paint”, the main thing is “with what”. In our article today, we will look at the main aspects of the problems faced by our users, and also use the experience of siding care specialists.
Can siding be painted?
Thick vinyl will last over 50 years with minimal care. However, over time, ultraviolet rays will do their job and the color of the siding will become tired and pale, which no washing can restore.
Yes, you can do this today! 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago, the answer would have been less encouraging, but with today's high-quality paints, it is entirely possible to refresh and protect your home's vinyl with a coat of good paint.
Today's paints are of higher quality than they were ten years ago, with better binders and more durable pigments. To paint your siding, you'll need a high-quality acrylic latex paint designed for exterior use. Look for a brand that uses vinyl-safe elements.
Please note: Before painting, be sure to check the warranty of your siding. Many brands provide a lifetime warranty, but if you paint vinyl, the warranty will be voided, and some manufacturers believe.
4 Benefits of Repainting Vinyl Siding
- Availability
Painting your siding is a more cost-effective alternative to completely replacing it. Painting allows you to save from 50% to 60%.
- Looks like new
In addition to saving money, a new paint job will give your siding a new look that's much nicer. This not only adds an aesthetic element to your home but also increases its value. A beautiful home will make you happy and will have a higher resale value, and the updated color will make your home appear to be in good condition.
- Change the color of your home
Colors are going out of fashion. You can choose a paint color that is different from your current siding to change the color of your home to match your personal design preferences or current trends. An updated color scheme will increase the curb appeal and beautify your home.
- Adds a layer of protection
Perhaps one of the most important benefits of repainting is the protection it provides. The latest technology has been used to create durable yet flexible paints that will expand and contract with your vinyl, giving it the protection it needs from further damage from UV rays. In addition, the underlying layer will be better protected from moisture and insects.
...and look at the questions more broadly
We all remember Fedya from “Operation “Y””, who issued a phrase that is relevant in our time: “nowadays we need to be more gentle with people, and look at questions more broadly.” So we will not discuss the words of the sellers regarding their reliability, but will simply highlight the reasons that make us think - is it possible to paint the siding and how to do it? And there are only two reasons:
- Appearance. The owner of a wooden house is free to change the color of the facade by purchasing paint of the desired color. Well, even a brick wall can be painted without any problems. What should the owner of a building covered with siding do? Presumably, completely change the cladding, remove the old one, and install a new one. But this option somehow doesn’t look very budget-friendly, does it? And the meager range of colors of PVC panels will not allow your imagination to run wild.
- Wear. Ultraviolet radiation and temperature changes cause the panels to fade, losing their presentable appearance. Over time, the surface loses its protective layer, becomes covered with microcracks and stains, and the color fades.
The essence of the problem
The fact is that you won’t be able to solve the above problems with the first paint you come across. After all, neither its degree of elasticity nor the degree of adhesion to the smooth surface of the cladding is known. Yes, the situation is quite absurd: a popular facing material, but in reality it is beyond repair.
At the same time, world construction experience confirms the opposite: painting panels is not only possible, but necessary, you just need to look at the issue from the right angle. The important thing here is not how to paint, but with what. Now, from this angle, we will analyze the main points of the problem that our homeowners face in full. At the same time, of course, we will summarize the experience and recommendations of specialists.
How to paint vinyl siding
Painting is not a difficult task, but it does require the proper equipment and a lot of preparation. There are no secrets to learn as the paint holds all the secrets. In fact, painting vinyl requires less prep work than painting other types of siding, such as brick, wood or fiberboard.
If you have ever painted a wall, then you are already familiar with painting technology. We'll also outline the vinyl painting specifics you should keep in mind.
Replacing or painting siding - comparison of solutions
When completely replacing old siding with new one, you need to take into account the following types of work costs:
- removing panels;
- purchasing new siding and fittings;
- installation of panels.
Replacing siding
When repainting walls with your own hands, you will only have to spend money on buying the paint itself, which has very little consumption. According to experts, financial expenses in the first case will be 3-4 times higher than in the second, with the same surface area. In any case, painting siding is a job that does not require experience, expensive tools or a lot of free time, but the result with quality preparation and a responsible attitude is always impressive.
What paint to paint PVC siding
You can find cheap siding paint at a hardware store, but your siding needs specially formulated paints to avoid wasting money.
Look for exterior latex paints that contain urethane and acrylic resins. These compounds allow the paint to maintain its elasticity and resist the expansion and contraction of the vinyl as it heats up during the day and cools at night. Other paints may crack and peel over time.
Preparing siding before painting
Fortunately, vinyl siding generally does not require a primer before painting. If the surface is severely damaged, such as pitted and porous, or the original color has worn off, it should be applied.
Cleaning siding before painting
Your choice of paint is critical to the painting process, and the cleaning process is also important. In fact, you'll likely spend more time cleaning than painting.
Simply rinsing the siding with a hose will not solve all problems. You will need to remove all mold, chalk residue, and any debris from the surface and seams of the siding. If you don't do this, the paint will just flake off after it dries.
You don't need to spend money on expensive professional cleaning products. Simply mix laundry detergent, Comet, bleach and water to get clean siding:
If you use a pressure washer, be careful with the pressure settings to avoid damaging the siding or peeling off the paint that is well adhered to the surface. If the siding has been previously painted, you can wash off any loose paint from the surface.
The best way to clean siding for painting is to use a garden sprayer. Point the nozzle down because you don't want to force water under the edges of the siding.
Once you coat the siding with the solution, let it sit for 10 minutes. Then brush it with a soft bristle brush. Rinse the siding thoroughly and let it dry completely.
How to personalize your home
Let's consider the second problem - the limited color options of vinyl siding. An interesting fact, but it is in this regard that most questions arise. The reality is that the traditional assortment of any hardware store contains several of the most popular light shades, and everything that goes beyond the spectrum of “baked milk” or “St. Petersburg morning” is either completely absent or is obscenely expensive and is made to order.
CaretakerUser of the FORUMHOUSE portal
The house was sheathed with siding in 2005-06. For that time it was more or less. Now the house resembles a “dormitory”. The roof is blue metal tiles, color 5005. When redoing the porch, I wanted to make the house more interesting. The price tag for colored elements is considerable, and blue ones are also difficult to find.
In this regard, another not very strong side of the material also appears: partial replacement of panels is a very labor-intensive and problematic process associated with complete disassembly of the facade. That is, if you want, for example, to change the color scheme of the exterior, to add zest to the exterior of the house, by partially replacing the old siding with a new one, then you will literally have to completely remove the entire cladding and reinstall it. Which in itself is very expensive and not at all technologically advanced.
There is another problem here - siding manufacturers periodically change collections and color schemes, and if some part of the facade is damaged or has become unusable, then there is a high risk of not finding the same one on the market, due to the fact that it has been discontinued.
NikVik77 FORUMHOUSE portal user
I'll describe the situation. I purchased an unfinished cottage with vinyl siding on the façade. The previous owner did not hesitate and made it all one color - the house is quite large and this color scheme looks pale and uninteresting. I would like to fix this issue by making the corners and frames of windows and doors match the color of the roof. Dismantling the façade to replace these elements with colored ones is wasteful. So the question is - is it possible to paint siding (car bumpers, dashboards, etc. seem to be painted)? The stumbling block is WHAT (type, brand, manufacturer)? And so that it’s reliable and doesn’t peel off in a season or two. Anyone have experience, please share?
The answer to the question “WHAT?” we received in 2015, when we introduced specialized siding paint PRO.SAIDING to the domestic market, which is not only fully adapted to Russian weather conditions, but is also ready, to be honest, for the lower quality of vinyl siding in our country.
Thanks to the coefficient of linear expansion, which exceeds that of PFC panels, and a fairly wide range of unique characteristics, PRO.SAIDING paint fully corresponds to its purpose, and is today perhaps the only specialized professional product for painting siding facades.
PRAPOR777 FORUMHOUSE portal user
Last year I bought paint from an online store. Small dark brown inserts had faded, so I called the store and they offered to try painting it. I bought 1 liter of paint, special name. siding paint pro.siding. As a result, the paint applied and lasted wonderfully.
A distinctive feature of PRO.SAIDING paint is that it does not require preliminary preparation or priming of the surface, which eliminates a significant and very labor-intensive stage of work. It is enough to clean the facade from dust and other contaminants and you can start painting. Using PRO.SAIDING paint you can solve the following problems:
- restoration of faded siding and additional elements and their protective properties;
- a radical change in the existing color of the facade as desired or necessary;
- giving multi-colored buildings finished with siding a single style and color.
Due to its excellent adhesion (the ability to adhere to the surface) and high hiding power, this paint is excellent for painting metal and fiber cement siding, vinyl facade panels, soffits and elements of drainage systems coated with polymer, etc. and so on. PRO.SAIDING paint is available in a format convenient for tinting: base A for light pastel colors and base C for bright, dark and saturated colors. This allows you to realize any design fantasies and give the facade exactly the color that you want, and not the one that is in the store today.
Alexander Skvortsov
The antistatic agent and special ceramic filler included in the paint prevent the accumulation of dirt and dust on the facade, and restore the strength and wear resistance of the siding surface, making it resistant to repeated and intensive washing. PRO.SAIDING paint is extremely economical: 1 liter is enough to paint 7-8 square meters. m. facade in 2 layers. Which, given the frequency of painting every 5-10 years, is many times cheaper, much simpler and more reasonable than replacing the siding with a new one.
If your facade only needs maintenance measures, for example, you need to refresh the color or restore the protective layer, or simply to extend its service life, then the Starling Group product line has a product for these purposes: “Protective agent (impregnant) for siding with color restoration effect PRO.SAIDING.”
Alexander Skvortsov
When applied to the surface, the product forms a protective film visually and to the touch that resembles varnish or wax. Thanks to its composition, the impregnant provides protection for vinyl siding facades for up to three seasons and partially restores the original color of the panels. Just like paint, PRO.SAIDING protective agent contains an antistatic agent that prevents the formation of dust and dirt on the surface, leaving the facade clean for a long time, and the antiseptic protects the siding panels from the formation of mold and mildew. Easy application and super-economical consumption of impregnant - 1 liter of concentrate up to 100 square meters of surface - make it not just useful, but, in principle, an indispensable tool in caring for siding.
What weather is best to paint plastic siding?
The success of any coloring depends largely on the weather. If it's too hot, the paint will dry too quickly, giving it a patchy appearance. If the weather is too windy, it can cause debris to get into the paint or allow the surface to dry too quickly, leaving an uneven finish. Paint applied under these conditions may crack and peel over time.
Look for moderate temperatures and low humidity. Cloudy skies are also good so that the sun doesn't heat up the surface and dry the paint too quickly.
How to paint plastic siding a different color
With the high quality paints available today, you can find a brand that will suit your siding. However, the only way to know for sure is to take a test.
How to do an adhesion test:
Paint several small sections of siding with 100% acrylic paint. It's a good idea to apply this to different sides of the house. Let dry for approximately 48 hours.
Using a utility knife, make slits in the paint that will cut through all the paint.
Take pieces of clean, high-quality packing tape and press it firmly against the cut areas. Rub it until it fits snugly and then remove the tape by pulling it at a sharp angle. The goal is to remove any paint that has chipped in the corners.
If there is only a small amount of paint on the tape, then it sticks very well. But if there is a lot of paint sticking to the tape, you need to try a different brand.
Siding production and painting
Traditionally, there are two ways to make siding:
Monoextrusion assumes that all siding components are mixed when heated, and then pass through a special hole - a die.
During coextrusion, two compounders (mixtures of components) with different compositions are mixed in parallel. They are also heated and then forced through a die under pressure. Thanks to this, the layers reliably “grab” each other.
The bottom layer ensures the strength of the panels and resistance to temperature changes. Upper – resistance to ultraviolet radiation, fading, wind, precipitation, etc.
How is siding painted in both cases?
When producing siding using the monoextrusion method, coloring pigments are added directly to the compound during mixing. As a result, such panels are usually less resistant to fading, but have the same color on the outside and inside.
During the coextrusion process, siding is painted using a special dispenser installed on the coextruder. Only the top layer of panels is painted. The back side of the panel may be lighter.
The second important question: how to paint siding. These are powdery, highly concentrated pigments. Their properties and shades depend on the composition. To give the color additional stability, titanium dioxide is added to the panels.
Painting panels using the Cool Color method
Alta-Profile siding is painted using Cool Color technology. For coloring, highly concentrated mineral pigments are used that reflect infrared radiation. This means that the panels heat up significantly less in the sun. Therefore, they don’t burn out.
An additional advantage of the technology is that in summer the house does not overheat in the sun. It is more comfortable and cooler than a home with traditional siding.
Innovative technology "Timber"
Alta-Board foam siding is painted using the new Timber technology. Paints and varnishes are applied in such a way that they exactly imitate the color and texture of natural wood. Moreover, the panels cannot be distinguished from the wooden facade. The collection includes cherry, maple, fir, pine and merbau.
Hunting for the best price
The more advanced technology and high-quality pigments are used in the production of siding, the more stable and brighter the colors. However, this also affects the cost of the panels. High-quality panels that do not fade in the sun and maintain rich color throughout their entire service life are more expensive.
If you want to save money, give preference to panels of light colors and pastel shades. Their burnout will not be so noticeable.
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Source: www.alta-profil.ru
Painting a house with siding
If the vinyl is peeling and cracking, you should apply a primer first. Then you can apply the paint.
For better quality painting, it is recommended to use a sprayer to apply 100% acrylic paint. Use a sprayer to cover the surface, taking care to apply the paint evenly. You can also use a paint roller. Use the brush to paint around the edges around windows and doors and fill in the corners.
It is better to apply one thin coat of paint and let it dry and then apply another thin coat than one thick coat. The second coat needs about 24 to dry completely.
Usually two coats are enough to complete the project, but if you are not satisfied with the appearance, a third coat can be applied after the first two are completely dry.
With proper preparation and good painting conditions, your high quality paint should look good for ten plus years!
Stages of work
The image is for illustrative purposes only. Source: pexels.com
Having figured out how to paint the siding, we move on directly to the process. First you need to prepare the surface. We use a soap and water solution to remove dust and dirt. If the panels are old and begin to crack, you will have to prime the surface. Remember that the attractiveness of the coating and durability depend on the quality of the preparatory work.
By the way, it is not recommended to use pressure machines or even a garden hose to clean walls. It is better to wash the walls with your hands and a rag. This is a guarantee that the casing will not be damaged.
Stir the paint thoroughly before applying and select a tool. The work is standard: we apply the composition, inspect the surface for omissions, and correct errors.
What is the best way to paint siding? Use a wide brush or roller. You need to apply the cladding from the upper corner of the wall; we carry out the process carefully and do not add a lot of paint, otherwise smudges cannot be avoided.
If the original color of the siding is radically different from the new one, you will have to paint it in at least two layers. In this case, the first one must dry completely so that streaks and peeling do not form.
