Nothing transforms a home like a new coat of paint. Painting is the simplest but most definitive cosmetic improvement you can make to a building.
Even if you do not do any other changes, by simply applying a coat of paint on the walls, you will instantly revitalize a home’s curb appeal, says Peak Residential, Inc.
With the obvious fact of the importance of paint, especially exterior paint, to the allure of a house, how often should you renew the paint on its outside?
There are a few things to look at to answer this question. The principal considerations are the type of surface you are dealing with and the conditions that surround a building.
Below we explain how long paint lasts on different surfaces, factors that affect its longevity, and signs that it is time to repaint the surface.
Different surfaces and how often they should be painted
There is no general guideline for how often you should repaint the exterior surfaces of your home. That is because a home’s exterior can be constructed from a range of materials. Moreover, weather conditions vary, and each surface will react differently to the prevailing conditions.
Here are the estimates for how long paint will endure on different surfaces:
- Painted wood siding needs repainting every 4 years, if unstained, the duration is 3-7 years
- Aluminum siding should be repainted every 5 years
- Paint on stucco typically lasts 5-6 years
- Painted brick can last 15-20 years before it needs a new coat
- Cement fiberboard siding will go 10-15 years before repainting
Although these timelines are intelligent estimates, based on real-world observations, they are still estimates. The actual lifetime of the paint on any external surface will vary depending on the factors listed below.
Factors that influence the durability of exterior paint
- Extreme weather conditions
Homes in areas with high temperatures and high relative humidity will be exposed to more stress. Other conditions that damage the paint on a home’s exterior include sea breeze and wind-blown sand.
Oil-based paints or paints with darker hues and synthetic pigments are more sensitive to the sun’s heat. The weather on the day a house was painted also plays a role in how long the paint lasts because weather determines how well the paint dries.
- The orientation of a building
South and southwest facing aspects of the home will be exposed to more of the sun’s UV rays compared to north-facing walls. Consequently, even if the walls on all sides of the building have the same material, are painted with the same type of paint, and the paint was applied on the same day, some walls will deteriorate faster than others.
- The quality of the paint job
The quality of the surface preparation before paint was applied determines how well it will adhere and how long the paint lasts. If surface impurities or the old paint were not completely removed before the new coat was applied, the paint will be more likely to fail.
Also, if the surface was not properly dried before being painted, it will adversely impact the performance of the paint. The color of paint and how many coats were applied are other factors that affect paint durability.
- Building maintenance
If the external surfaces of a building are regularly exposed to moisture, the paint on them will get damaged at a faster rate. Aside from actual moisture, dampness will also damage the paint.
Organic growths – like mold and mildew – if not dealt with, will destroy the paint on the home’s surfaces. Softwood surfaces are more vulnerable than hardwoods and need more care and attention.
Signs it is time to repaint a building’s exterior
Based on the above, what are the signs that the paint on a home’s external surfaces is failing?
- The paint is blistering
This manifests as bubbles forming beneath the painted surface. It shows that the paint did not adhere properly due to the presence of moisture on the surface when it was painted.
- The paint is fading
This is caused by intense and continuous sun exposure. Fading paint is easy to spot because the shaded areas on the same wall will have a different color from the faded areas.
- The paint is peeling
This problem is similar to blistering and is due to the paint being applied on a moist or dirty surface. Only one or all coats of paint may be experiencing this problem.
- The paint is flaking
Flaking paint will first show up as hairline cracks all over the surface. Afterward, the paint will start chipping and falling off the surface in flakes. It is caused by poor prep work.
- The paint is chalking
As the name suggests, this is the formation of fine powdery stuff on the surface of the paint. It is caused by aging or using the wrong kind of paint on a surface.
- The paint has efflorescence
This is the presence of white crystalline deposits on the paint surface. It happens when mortar or cement was not allowed to cure properly before paint was applied to it.
