If you’re like most homeowners, you want your home to look its best at all times. One way to achieve this is by painting the exterior of your house every few years. How long the exterior paint will last depends on a number of factors, such as the type of paint used, weather conditions, and how well it’s maintained. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how long exterior paint can last and ways to maintain its quality over time!
Home Exterior Painting is All About Preparation
When it comes to painting the outside of your property, preparation is crucial. Here are some pointers, methods, and ideas for achieving a long-lasting exterior paint job. You can extend the life of your home’s exterior significantly by putting this advice into practice.
Think About Exterior Paint Choice
The quality of the paint you choose for your home’s exterior is one of the most crucial factors affecting the durability of your paint job. Acrylic latex paint is typically the best choice for outdoor applications because it can be used over both water- and oil-based primers.
What’s more, they don’t harden with time, which makes them less prone to blistering. They also don’t mildew as frequently as oil-based paints, and they produce fewer VOCs, making them a more environmentally responsible option.
However, if you live in a region that gets a lot of rain or thunderstorms, an oil-based paint may be the better option. Oil-based paints repel water and resist wear and abrasion better than acrylic paint can. Oil-based paint is also ideal for steel and iron railings with a lot of foot traffic.
Lifespan Differs Greatly Depending on the Surface of Your Home Exterior
It’s impossible to say how long your outside paint job will last since each home is unique. Most painting professionals recommend that most structures be painted every five to ten years. However, depending on where you live, the climate, and the quality of your last paint job, this timetable may fluctuate a lot!
Based on the surface type, here is a list of how often you’ll have to paint your home’s exterior:
- Wood siding: every 3 – 7 years
- Aluminum siding: every 5 years
- Stucco: every 5 – 12 years
- Brick: every 8 – 17 years
- Other Materials: every 7 – 12 years
How to Ruin Your Paint Job
It’s worth noting, however, that the timeframes mentioned above are based on best-case scenarios. Certain circumstances may have a significant effect on the overall longevity of your paint job. Here are some of the most important factors and how they influence how long your paint job will endure.
The Weather
The weather and climate in your region will have a significant impact on the duration of your exterior paint film. If your house is in a sunny location all summer, the paint will bubble and fade more quickly than if it were in a shaded location. In contrast, if you reside in an area with long, harsh winters, high humidity, or severe weather conditions, your paint will also not last as long.
Wherever you live in North Carolina, it’s essential to keep an eye on the forecast before starting any exterior painting project and to be mindful of extreme conditions that might affect the quality of your paint job.
Exterior Maintenance
Paint jobs may last for years if properly maintained, but other factors such as the quality of the paint itself, how you maintain it, and how quickly you do so may also influence their longevity. Mold, dampness, and rot are all examples of signs of wear and tear that should be looked for in your house on a regular basis. You should also repair any cracks, holes, or other damage to your home’s exterior as soon as possible.
Failing to do so will result in a lower lifespan for your paint job, as well as other potential problems such as pests, water damage, and more.
How to Extend the Life of Your Exterior Paint Job
As you can see, many factors can impact how long your exterior paint job will last. The good thing is that there are easy ways to maintain your paint job so you can maximize its lifespan. Here are some tips on expert exterior house painting applications, allowing you to enjoy that beautiful home for years to come.
Use a High-Quality Paint Primer
Don’t rush to buy the primer/paint combo product just yet. It’s meant for raw, unpainted surfaces.
The primer will serve as a base coat for the exterior house paint to stick to. It will also aid or smooth out any surface flaws. If you’re going with acrylic latex paint, use either a water-based or oil-based primer. If you’re using oil-based paint for your topcoat, however, you should certainly use an oil-based primer. It will help reduce blistering and bubbling.
Apply, Apply, Apply
Another thing that aids in the longevity of your paint job is to apply many coats. Multiple paint applications will act as a barrier, protecting your house against weather and other elements. Make sure you apply these coats correctly and double-check that all corner boards, window sashes, and additional exterior trim have been coated.
In general, three coats are recommended for any locations that are particularly vulnerable to harm (1 primer, 2 top-coats). If you don’t, your property may be harmed as a result of the weather – in most cases, water damage is to blame.
Try Not to Paint in Direct Sunlight or in Extreme Heat
When painting your home, it’s best to do it when it’s cooler. This is because direct sunlight can cause your paint to dry too quickly. This will not affect the actual paint. It just means harder work for the exterior house painters. Heat allows for visible brush strokes and general unevenness. This issue will also occur if it’s especially hot out, so if possible, only paint on days with mild weather. Or, follow the sun. While the sun is on one side of the home you can paint the opposing side. House painters call this chasing the sun.
Clean Your Exterior Surfaces
You should clean your home’s exterior to avoid paint damage. Pressure washing your property every year or two is a good idea. Any dirt or mildew that has discolored or faded the color of your paint will be washed away.
How Long Does Exterior Paint Last?
That entirely depends on the choices you make. Maintaining your house is critical. Don’t wait until paint flaking appears on your home’s exterior to seek a painting professional. If the paint is visibly peeling or has begun to oxidize (chalking), you are past due for an exterior painting job.