Paint or Replace Vinyl Siding

There are very few things that will update the appearance of your home like changing the color of the siding. The big question is whether you should replace your siding or just paint over it? To make the decision harder, there are benefits to both. There are also reasons why you wouldn’t want to paint your siding and reasons for not replacing it.

The painting vs. replacing conundrum can be stressful for homeowners who want to do the right thing, for their homes and for their pocket books. Fortunately, we’re here to help you make the right decision based on your unique situation. As you’ll see below, we outline the various reasons you would paint your siding rather than replace it. You’ll also see reasons why you wouldn’t want to paint your siding and why replacing it makes the most sense.

You might have your eye on a new vinyl siding product, but you’re also considering taking a less costly route – painting your current siding.

Consider the following:

• Age of the Siding: A fresh coat of paint might make it look newer, but what you need to be concerned about is if the siding is protecting your home. If your siding is 20 years old, consider replacing instead of painting, because that’s likely going to happen in the next five or so years anyway. A professional siding contract can inspect your siding to determine its age and condition and recommend the steps to take next.
• The Costs: In some cases, it makes more sense to paint. For example, if your siding is in decent shape and you have a custom color in mind that siding manufacturers don’t produce, painting might look more attractive, because you’ll get the color you want and you’ll save money. For example, the national average for painting a home is around $3,700, but the average for putting up new vinyl siding is around $5,500 for a 1,500 square foot home.
• The Condition of the Vinyl: If there are buckles, gaps and moisture is getting through, it’s time to replace. You don’t want to paint siding that has rotten sections, dents or holes – it just doesn’t make sense to put money into something that is already failing.
• Aesthetic appearance: If you decide to paint over your siding, you’re going to give it a fresh new look that will not only be pleasing to your eye, but to those around you. The same can be said of new siding – it’s an aesthetic appearance that will make others envious.
• Home value.:A fresh coat of paint on your siding can possibly increase your home’s value by two to five percent. By many accounts, should you replace your siding to try to get more money out of your home sale, you’ll likely only see around 80 percent of those costs recouped. However, what’s not taken into account is the curb appeal that attracts buyers to your home. Would they have been as forthcoming with a bid had the old siding remained on the home?
• Home Warranty: Most siding contractors will work with siding manufacturers that offer a warranty on their product. Warranties differ, so make sure you do your homework if you decide to replace your siding instead of painting it. But if you decide to paint over siding, know that most manufacturers will void the warranty.

Reasons to Replace:

You’ve probably heard or read somewhere that painting your siding is not the right option. The source of this information will say that if it’s looking worn, it’s time to replace. For those that are not lacking in funds, that’s probably the direction they’ll go. However, if you’ve got some damaged siding that should be replaced, painting it is only going to prolong the inevitable and probably stack up the cost of the overall project.

You also have to take into account that over the last several years, siding manufacturers have expanded their textures and colors, so if you want a new look, painting might not be the best option, as there are many more types of siding out there today that might please you far more than a paint job. Perhaps you’d like to add scallops for a new aesthetic or an underlayment that can improve energy efficiency – these are options you have with replacing your siding that you won’t get through painting.

• Warranty Violations: (many manufacturers say “altering” the siding will void the warranty), you should consider replacing.
• Paint Longevity: either, which is another aspect that must be factored into your decision. Plus, you can only paint your exterior during specific months of the year due to weather.
• Are you certain the paint you want to use will actually work on your siding? Some types of siding will not properly absorb the paint and some paints will not stick to the siding. If you’ve picked a color that you like and it isn’t compatible with your type of siding, you’re out of luck.
• When you prep the siding for paint, you’re making sure you’ve got all the dirt and grime off of it, which means you’ll likely be using a power washer, which are notorious for damaging siding. You’re also likely to get moisture trapped up underneath your siding, which can cause damage to the home and make a mess of your paint job.
• Damaged panels will be more difficult to replace in the future, because the manufacturer won’t likely have the siding available in the color you chose.
• More error is involved in painting than in replacing siding. The mistakes you make while painting are often considered “unforgiving,” which is not something you’ll run into when you choose a siding contractor to professionally install new siding.
• Unpredictable results also come into play when you paint. It’s usually a bit of a toss up when it comes to what the end product will actually look like.