Whether you are a new homeowner or a seasoned veteran there are a lot of factors that will help you determine how often you should paint the exterior of your home. The ones that we will be discussing in this blog are Geographic Location, House siding material, and previous paint jobs.
Geographic Location
New England shares a vast variety of climates and weather conditions. We actually have it the worst when it comes to the lifespan of the paint on our homes. Cold and snowy winters shifting to hot and humid summers test the durability of the paint we apply to our homes.
Coastal Homes
Homes or neighborhoods that are right on the water need to be maintained regularly or more frequently than homes that are inland. The higher salt content in the air and the sun eat away the lifespan of a healthy paint job by causing issues such as sun bleaching, peeling, or bubbling. We recommend that coastal homeowners paint their homes every 2 or 3 years.
If you own a coastal home in Massachusetts or Rhode Island that needs regular maintenance we are a very reliable painting company to help you with your painting needs! Schedule a FREE in-home quote or visit our contact us page.
Climate & Weather Conditions
The 4 seasons are quite the challenge for house paint, especially humidity and the cold (under 32 degrees Fahrenheit). Luckily for us, New Englanders only have to endure mild summers and mild winters, the luck for the paint on our homes may be a different story.
Humidity
To start, the humidity in the air means that the air surrounding your home is moist and is exposed to water vapor that cannot evaporate. The moist air makes it difficult for paint to adhere well to your home which can lead to bubbling or peeling.
Cold Temperatures
When the air gets cold (below 32 degrees Fahrenheit) and ice starts to build up on the roof of your home, this is when paint peeling is most prominent. Ice builds up on your roof, causing water to seep into eaves and in between your walls. The moisture is being trapped in between the exterior and interior of your home causing peeling from the exterior. Learn more about what cold temperatures can do to your home here!
House Siding Material
The material that your home’s exterior is made out of will play a big role as to how often you have to maintain it. In this blog, we will discuss our recommendations for homes made out of wood, vinyl, stucco, and brick
Wood
A large majority of New England homes are made out of wood. Whether your home is painted or stained the following will help give you a timeline of when you are going to want to perform maintenance on your home.
Exterior Paint
It is most recommended that you get into the habit of painting your wooden New England home every 5-7 years (2-3 years for coastline homes). This also depends on how much sunlight your home is exposed to, how well the surface of your home was prepped, and what kind of paint was chosen. A well-prepped surface and high-quality premium paint will give you the best return on your investment and will guarantee a longer-lasting paint job.
Exterior Stain
Exterior stain needs to be applied more often than paint does because stain is more “breathable” for the wood on your home. Meaning that it doesn’t form as thick of a shield against the elements the way paint does. We recommend that you stain the exterior of your home every 2-5 years. The older the wood the more you have to maintain it.
Vinyl
For vinyl siding homes, it really depends on how much sunlight your home is exposed to. However, you should treat the paint job on your vinyl home as if it is wood. We recommend that you get your vinyl siding painted every 3-5 years.
Stucco
We recommend that you paint your stucco home every 5-10 years. Stucco is fairly easy to maintain however, you need to make sure to keep up with its maintenance because stucco can have the tendency to form hairline fractures due to the shifting and moving over time. Painting your stucco home regularly can help prevent and/or control the fractures that are already present from getting bigger. The paint will act like an adhesive to help he strengthen the stucco.
Brick
For brick homes, we recommend painting it every 3-5 years. You may not know this but paint on brick actually blocks the natural pores that reside on the surface, making it harder for water to evaporate off. This causes paint on the brick to easily chip off.
How Good Is Your Previous Paint Job?
Your previous paint job is the most important factor to consider when deciding how often your home will need to be painted again. In order for a paint job to last for as long as possible, we recommend that you don’t skimp on prepping the surface of your home, buy high-quality premium paint, and get into a routine for maintenance instead of waiting until you see chipping and peeling.
If you are a New England homeowner in Massachusetts or Rhode Island, Zuck Painting is here for you! We will take care of all of your routine painting maintenance so that you don’t have to worry. Our painting experts will provide you with outstanding service to ensure that you get the most out of your paint job. If you would like to schedule a FREE in-home quote give us a call at (508) 250-7272 or visit our contact us page