Painting your house is the kind of task that begins as a large undertaking yet rewards your efforts in spades once finished. But how often should you paint your house? Far from being something you change up simply because your tastes change, painting the exterior of your home is one of those maintenance chores you’ll need to pay attention to. Part one of our “How Often Should I Paint My House?” series focuses on the exterior of your home.

In terms of how often you should be painting your house, the short answer is: it depends. A very general answer would be every 5 to 10 years or more. There are no definitive numbers on how often you should be painting your house because not all houses are alike. Like an onion, there are many layers to determining how often you’ll need to paint. We’ll discuss each layer and provide you with estimates to help better understand how often you should be painting as well as the benefits of painting your house here.

The Exterior Material

Knowing how often to paint your home depends heavily on the material on the outside of your house. We’ll call this the first layer as once you know the material you’re dealing with, other factors will come into play that will affect how frequently you’ll need to paint. Below is a list of common exterior materials and the length of time you can wait between paint jobs.

• Painted brick needs to be painted every 15-20 years depending on the quality of the paint you use.
• Cement fibreboard siding and other new materials are great for longevity and can last 10-15 years.
• Stucco or aluminum siding will require a new paint job every 5-7 years.
• Painted wood siding will need an update every 3-7 years.
• Stained wood siding will at least require less prep work but will need a refresh every 4 years.

As you can see, there are no hard and fast rules to when you need to repaint. Now that you’ve got a basic idea of what you’ll be working with, you can start considering other elements that will impact your paint job.

The Previous Paint Job

Not all paint jobs were created equal and not everyone knows when their house was last painted. If you’ve recently purchased a home, try to find out when it was last painted to give you a starting estimate to know when you’ll need to paint again. However, you won’t know much about the paint job unless the previous owners provide you with more details. It’s helpful to know the type of paint that was used, the quality of the paint, how many coats were applied, and even the colour as all will affect the longevity. Another important thing to know is how the exterior was prepared prior to painting, if at all.

The Weather

A very important element that will impact your paint job’s longevity is, of course, the elements themselves. Hot summers and direct sunlight can cause sun bleaching and bubbling, while cold weather and stormy conditions can cause fading and chipping. Keeping an eye out and regularly checking for areas that can be touched up can help you stay ahead of the curve and avoid having to fully repaint your house as frequently.

Ideally, you’ll want to paint your house in warmer temperatures unless you use paint made especially for cold-weather application. It’ll need to be warm enough that there won’t be extreme drops in temperature at night, but not so hot that it greatly speeds up the drying process. Additionally, you’ll want to avoid painting during days with excessive rain or wind.

Why You Should Paint Your House

It’s no secret that painting your house can be a lot of work. However, there are plenty of good reasons why you should paint your house which we have listed here:

Enhance Curb Appeal

Whether you want to stand out from the rest of the street or blend in, painting the outside of your home will help you achieve the look you’re after. You can highlight the architecture of your home with accent colours on the trim or paint bright blue on your door for a standout feature that helps when directing people to your home.

Protect From Natural Elements

Just as the outside elements affect how long your paint job will last, they’ll also impact the integrity of your house in general. A quality exterior paint acts as an added layer of protection against weather damage, insects, and dust.

Inexpensive Remodel for a Fresh New Look

Repainting your home is an inexpensive way of getting a fresh new look without undergoing a costly remodel or moving altogether. It will also increase your sense of pride towards your home and improve your homeowner outlook.

Increased Value

If you’re planning on selling your home, painting the exterior is a great way to increase the value. Potential buyers want not only to be impressed by the presentation of your house, they want to have one less thing to do upon taking ownership. Investing some money into having your house painted before you list it will go a long way when it comes to getting your asking price.

Leave It to the Professionals

When you’re ready to paint your home’s exterior, leave it to the experts. Show your home the love and care it deserves and let the professional at Hemlock Painting take care of all the heavy lifting. From initial preparation to the actual painting itself, we’ll be with you every step of the way so that all you have to worry about is what colour to choose. Get started today by giving us a call at (604) 330-7609 or request a free estimate here. We’ll help take your home from drab to fab in no time at all.