How Often Should I Paint the Exterior of My House?

It’s the question that many homeowners ask when looking at the outside of their residences. Just how often should I pain the exterior of my house? The answer will depend on several factors. But most importantly you shouldn’t wait to paint the outside of your home until you see the obvious signs of wear. In fact, you should schedule a new paint job before the old one starts to look old.

This may sound counterintuitive and may seem like you are spending more money than you should. After all, if the old paint is still holding up why should you paint over it? The reasons are fairly straightforward and will help you better understand why painting sooner rather than later will not only preserve the appearance of your home; it may actually save you money as well.

Signs a New Coat of Paint is Needed

Apart from giving the exterior a fresh appearance, there are definite signs you should look for on the old paint:

• Paint is Faded, Blistering, or Peeling
• You See Bare Metal, Rust, Raw Wood, or Cracked Caulking
• The Lifespan of the Old Paint is Nearing Its End

The lifespan of the paint is typically five to ten years. This is because exterior paint is exposed to the UV rays of the sun along with the elements. This means that you will be repainting the outside more often than the inside of your home.

However, this will depend on the material that makes up the outside of your home. Different material will hold paint for different periods of time:

• Aluminum Siding: Five years between paint jobs
• Stucco: From five to six years on average.
• Wood: From three to seven years, but only four years if it is stained

Materials such as cement fiberboard can go up to fifteen years before you need to paint them again. And brick does not require any paint at all. But if you do paint the bricks, then expect to repaint them every fifteen to twenty years.

But what if the paint is already older than five years but shows no signs of wear. Why should you consider a new paint job?

Front-End Preparation

The main reason why you should repaint the home sooner compared to later is the amount of preparation that goes into painting a home with good paint present as opposed to peeling or damaged paint.

Part of the cost that goes into painting your home is the amount of preparation needed for the new coat of paint to properly stick. The more damaged the old paint, the more scraping and caulking required to get the walls in shape for a new coat to be applied. In other words, the more scraping, sanding, and caulking, the higher the painting bill is going to be.

When asking the question of how often should I paint the exterior of my house, consulting with professionals can be of great importance. Check with your trusted professional painters to see when is the best time to schedule a new paint job for the outside of your home.

Email or call Tilo Martin Painting for more information 310-230-0202.