Your siding is exposed to a wide range of damaging elements such as the glaring sunlight, the pounding rainfall, the fluctuating temperatures, and the gnawing invasive insects. Additionally, the siding collects a lot of dirt, debris and organic growth, which can make your house look dated and neglected.

Painting your siding is the best way to protect it against the numerous wear and tear elements, and boosts its curb appeal. Technically, siding means whatever is on the side of the house including brick cladding, vinyl, or stucco. The siding can even be added years after a building is finished for a complete change of character and look.

So, does it matter what type of paint you use on siding? The short answer is yes, it does matter. But to understand why, we need to look at the different factors involved including age, type, and condition of the siding, your budget, and the local climate.

There’re a few types of siding commonly used today, they include wood, engineered wood, vinyl, metal (aluminum and steel), fiber-cement, stucco, and brick. Things like fiber-cement and vinyl usually don’t need repainting because they hold their original paint pretty well, but they do eventually need some update or change in color for the sake of style or maintenance.

Other than making paint choices, the biggest process when painting all these types of sidings is surface preparation. All siding needs to be clean, free of rust or other oxidation, dry, and in good repair. Painting on dirty, dusty or wet surfaces leads to a low-quality finish and poor paint adhesion. All the necessary repairs must be done and the surface completely dried and cleaned before painting can be done.

The best paints to use for most sidings are either elastomeric or acrylic paint. Both options are effective for metal, fiber-cement and wood siding, and are generally easy to apply as long as good surface preparation has been done.

If you’re painting a previously painted surface, the general rule of thumb is to use the same type of paint that’s already on the surface. For instance, if your siding was already painted with latex, choose latex and if it was painted with oil, choose oil. Applying oil-based paint over latex often causes peeling and blistering.

You should also use a paint that is compatible with the surface or material that you’re trying to paint. For instance, a paint designed for metal siding material, such as aluminum may offer inferior performance when applied to a wood siding. Manufacturers often indicate the compatibility on the paint can.

When choosing your paint, you also need to consider durability. Exterior painting can be expensive, time-consuming and laborious, and you don’t have to do it more often than you should. Generally, more expensive paints usually contain higher-quality ingredients and come with longer warranties. So always prefer high-quality paints for the best quality finish and durability.

Lastly, painting needs vary across different climatic regions. A paint that is suitable for drier, hotter areas of Michigan may not be the best for humid areas. If you live in a humid or rainy region, you might want to choose paints that contain mildew resisting additives, but if you live in a hotter region where your house is exposed to sunlight, paints with UV resistant additives might be your best bet.

The Bottom Line

Yes, the type of paint you use on your siding matters based on the type of siding, condition of the siding, previous paint job, climate, and durability, among other factors. If you’re not sure which paint to use, don’t shy from asking your professional painting contractor for advice.

If you haven’t identified a professional painter for your project yet, our team at Eason Painting can help. We have years of experience offering residential interior painting services in Macomb Township, Washington Township, Ray Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Romeo, Armada, Troy, Shelby Township, Harrison Township, Chesterfield, and Clinton Township, MI.

Give us a call today on 586-465-5081 to find out what creative ideas we have in store for you!