When it comes to painting the exterior of their home, many people wait until the old paint starts peeling before they start getting quotes. By waiting for irrefutable signs that their house needs some work, however, they are actually waiting too long and leaving their house vulnerable. You should never wait until you see peeling paint to get your house painted. You want to stay ahead of the game and protect your house at all times. How long should you wait? It depends. There are several factors that can affect the life of your home's exterior paint job.
Type of Siding
When it comes to how often you should paint your home, the type of siding you have is the greatest determining factor. If you have wood siding, you should paint your house every 3 to 7 years. Stucco and aluminum siding can go about 5 years. If you have cement fiberboard siding or painted brick, you can wait approximately 15 years between paint jobs.
Location of Home
You may have to repaint your home more often if you live in an area with harsh weather. Intense sun, high humidity, harsh winters and salty ocean breezes all wreak havoc on your home's exterior. You can lengthen the life of your paint by using the proper type of paint for your area. It also helps if your home is protected from the weather by large trees or a wind break of some sort.
New-Build Construction
If your house is brand new, you might want to think about painting it before it turns 5-years-old. Typically, new-build construction is painted with a single coat of paint, which isn't as durable as a professional application. It will get you through a few years, but you should start thinking about getting your home painted soon.
Previous Paint Job
The quality of the previous paint job has a profound effect on your painting schedule. If your house was prepped properly and painted by a talented crew using high-end paint, you will likely be able to go longer between paint jobs. However, if the crew applied new paint over peeling paint, it won't last long at all.
As you can see, there are many factors that can affect the life of your home's exterior paint. If you're not sure when you should paint your home, ask a professional painter, like paintersplus, to inspect it and give you a timeline.
