How often should a house be painted depends on many factors. Your home’s exterior is everyone’s first impression that passes by. Maintaining the exterior painting of your home is important because cracks and peelings can occur over time. House painting is a big job, especially the exterior. It’s vital to hire professional painters, if possible. So how often should a house be painted? Every house is different, so the timelines always change. The weather, climate, and your previous paint job are important factors. Based on expert opinions, you should paint your home every five to ten years, but every surface is different. So, let’s dig into how often should a house be painted!
Factors to Consider When to Repaint House Exterior
Exterior house painting can do wonders for your home’s curb appeal and overall appearance. But how often should you repaint your house exterior? The answer to this question depends on various factors:
1. Type of Material
The material your house is made of plays a significant role in determining how long does an exterior paint job last.
Here’s a general guideline for different materials:
Different Surfaces and When They Should Be Painted
• Brick painting: if not always painted, it needs to be regularly cleaned. If you do decide to have brick painting done, it can last 10 – 15 years. Brick staining is another great option that really lasts as well.
• Aluminum siding: Paint every 5 – 8 years.
• Wood siding: Paint every 4 years if blemished. Every 3 – 7 years, it needs to be painted for maintenance.
• New Materials: You touch up these items less frequently but can paint every 10 – 15 years.
2. Climate
The climate in your area also affects how often you should repaint your house exterior.
Homes in areas with harsh weather conditions, such as extreme heat, cold, or humidity, must be repainted more frequently than those in milder climates.
Also, coastal homes may require more frequent painting due to the salt and moisture in the air, which can cause paint to deteriorate more quickly.
3. Quality of Previous Paint Job
The quality of the previous paint job can greatly impact how long the paint will last.
If the previous paint job was done poorly or with low-quality paint, you might need to repaint your house exterior sooner than expected.
On the other hand, if the previous paint job was done with high-quality paint and proper preparation, the paint might last longer than the average lifespan for your home’s material.
How to Make Your New Paint Job Last Long
Before you pick up your paintbrush, you may want to consider how long you want your new paint job to last. The answer should be for as long as possible! How do we make that work?
- First, any spots with mould, cracks, or holes, need to be treated immediately. Fill all cracks using your putty knife and caulk.
- In addition, to create a smooth surface, it is helpful to power wash or sandblast.
- After cleaning up all the chipped pieces and cracks surrounding the surface, it is important that your house has time to dry before painting. If a storm happens, waiting around two days to start painting is highly recommended.
4. Sun Exposure
Sun exposure can cause paint to fade and deteriorate more quickly. If your house exterior is exposed to direct sunlight for most of the day, you might need to repaint more frequently than a house shaded by trees or other structures.
Guidelines for Repainting Your House Exterior:
While the factors mentioned above can help you determine when it’s time to redo exterior painting, keeping an eye on your home’s appearance and condition is essential. Here are some signs that it’s time to repaint:
- Fading paint: If the paint colour has faded significantly, it’s time for a fresh coat.
- Peeling or cracking paint: Peeling or cracking paint clearly indicates that the paint has reached the end of its lifespan and needs to be replaced.
- Damaged siding or stucco: If you notice any damage to your siding or stucco, such as rot or cracks, you should address these issues and repaint your house exterior.
- Mould or mildew growth: If you see mould or mildew growing on your house exterior, you’ll need to remove it and repaint it to prevent further damage.
Paying attention to the weather is a lifesaver. It will allow you to paint during the best times while avoiding any errors that may come. You should paint on days when the weather is dry and mild. Remember, you can always hire exterior house painters to get the job done if it all seems like too much work!
What Colours to Paint Your House
Painting is a fun and inexpensive way to give your room freshness. This could also be a great way to make your house sellable. As you can imagine, there are various sheens, mainly latex or oil paint.
Latex is more common because it is easier to clean up and is long-lasting. Also, latex paint creates less blistering, allowing the interior paint to breathe better than oil-based paint. Most people would recommend using latex paint for most household duties. Oil-based paint is exceptional to use on any wood surface.
When starting a new home project that requires painting, most people would assume that picking the colour is important. While it is, it isn’t actually the top choice. The biggest and most vital task is choosing what type of paint to use. There are a variety of paints to choose from water-based, oil-based, acrylic, latex, and many more.
Oil-based paints are used on wood, paintings, and metals. Why use oil-based paint? The finishing touch comes out glossy and smooth. It takes days or weeks to dry but does not easily stain. In addition, oil-based paints are harder to use and are thicker than most other paints.
Some people would think that the longer it takes to dry, the more annoying it becomes. Not necessarily, though. Oil-based paint takes much longer to dry than latex paint, but you would have more time to complete other tasks.
It’s definitely a bonus. The paint goes smoothly on the surface, and one coating covers it perfectly. The biggest thing about oil-based paint is that it holds well in high-area environments, such as staircases, walls, sinks, etc.
Elements to Consider
When using oil-based, there are elements to consider. It is essential not to pour this paint down the drain. Instead, you should contact your local waste management to see what you should do to dispose of the paint safely.
In addition, many cities have local waste collection areas to dispose of old paint. Using a bath sink or laundry for minor cleanups is okay whether the formula is latex, water-based, or oil.
Use the Colour Wheel For Inspiration
Don’t forget the colour wheel when picking the right interior paint colour. Remember in primary school when we learned about the colour wheel: red, yellow and blue? Combining these colours will give you secondary choices (orange, purple, etc). That information comes in handy when picking the right colour for your room.
In addition, going through the colour wheel will allow you to decide which tone you want your room to be: cool, complimentary, warm, shaded, or vibrant. Giving your room a certain vibe is what homeowners look for—had a bad day? You would want to use cool or warm shades to make you more relaxed. Or maybe you would use darker tones to resemble a deeper aspect of your personality. Whichever direction you go, there is no wrong answer! Look for inspirations or ideas to help you choose the right interior paint colour for your home.
How Often Should a House Be Painted?
Experts have said a house should be painted every 5-10 years. As mentioned previously, it is essential to pay attention to the weather, as it could ruin your painting if it is raining or very windy during the week.
In addition, knowing the surfaces you have in your home can help you with when to paint them. Exterior painting is a huge job, so it is preferred to hire professional painters because they know how to get the job done. You can do the exterior painting yourself because who doesn’t love painting their house? A quality paint job equals a happy homeowner!
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