When painting the exterior of your house, it can be overwhelming. But how often should you take on painting the exterior of your home? Some people think that waiting until the paint starts to peel off should be the time to do it, however, it is better to not wait that long. Why, may you ask? Painting is an investment on your biggest asset, your home. Not only does painting your home makes it look fantastic, but it also can help protect your home from the elements. With that being said, you should be painting your house every 5-10 years, depending on a few things such as the quality of paint used prior and surface type.
Telling When It Is Time:
- Time to sell
- You want your house to look good to sell so a fresh coat would look great to any buyer
- Fading
- If the color is fading or just looks dirty, it may be time to put that fresh coat on
- Hardened or Cracked Caulking
- The caulking starting to get hard, and crack may indicate that it cannot stand up to the elements much longer and it is time to reapply
- Signs of Wear and Tear
- Normal signs of wear and tear getting to be bigger signs of wear and tear, such as paint peeling away or places where the elements take a toll on your home is starting to make the paint fade, caulk crack, or just look dirty
- Patching Stucco
- Stucco will sometimes crack and patching it creates sometimes different shades of paint, you may want to just repaint the entire house to avoid the patching look
- New Look
- If it is time for a change, a new color, or just to freshen up, then it is time to repaint the exterior of your home
How long does paint last?
The exterior part of your home is subject to weather conditions all the time, so the paint you use on your house should last through those conditions. You should repaint your house every 5-10 years depending on those conditions and the ones mentioned above.
- Repaint stucco every 5-6 years
- Wood surfaces every 4-7 years
- Aluminum siding every 5 or so years
What paints to consider?
The type of paint to use on the exterior of your house should be based on the surface that is being painted. Also, you should take into consideration of how you want the finish to look. Then consider the use of latex or oil/alkyd paints, they are the two categories of exterior house paints, and each have different characteristics.
- Latex is the longest-lasting finish with the best gloss retention. Plus, latex paints clean up easily with soap and water.
- Oil/alkyd has good adhesion, wonderful durability, and stain resistance.
Colors?
When picking the right color, it is all about what feels right to you. There are several paint color selections to choose from. Though when picking a color for the exterior of your home you might want to consider if you have a homeowner’s association (HOA), and what their guidelines are in color selections. Otherwise, you can paint your house any color combination you see fit.
Don’t wait to paint!
Your house uses paint as an extra barrier against the elements and it should be maintained to keep your house protected.
