Painters are often asked, can aluminum and vinyl siding be successfully painted ? When considering painting these surfaces keep this thought in mind. Aluminum and vinyl siding are already painted surfaces. Just like any other painted surface it requires maintenance and repainting. Prior to painting, the surface must be cleaned and any mildew removed. The siding can be cleaned either by hand scrubbing or power washing, I would not recommend power washing. Many cleaners are available that can be used that will clean the surface and remove mildew. It is important that the cleaning be followed by a thorough rinsing. If you opt for power washing, caution should be exercised not to damage the siding or remove sound paint. Care should also be taken not to allow water to enter the house around windows, doors and any other potential openings such as gable vents, soffits etc.

The newly cleaned surface is now ready for paint. Any areas of bare aluminum must be spot primed with a primer recommended by the paint supplier. Many times this is simply an additional coat of the recommended top coat. Follow this step with two coats of high quality, exterior, acrylic paint in your selected color and sheen. Don't be tempted at this point to skimp and only apply a single coat of paint, unless you love to paint and want to do this again in 3-5 years. Exterior paint naturally erodes with rain and wind; assisted by airborne dirt and dust. The two coats provides additional protection and longevity between repaints. Vinyl siding should not be painted any darker than the original color. Failure to adhere to this recommendation may result in severe warping of the siding through heat absorption and necessitate removal and replacement of the existing siding.

Eliminating any of the above recommendations will potentially reduce the effectiveness of the new paint. Avoiding the cleaning or mildew removal will reduce the adhesion of the new paint or cause future stains. Failure to rinse the surface once it has been cleaned reduces the adhesion of the new paint.

The next most common question in regards to painting the siding is, How long will it last ? Our answer is that a quality job done by professional painters using quality products on aluminum or vinyl siding should last approx. 10-12 years.