The Great Vinyl Siding Refresh: To Paint or Replace?

We’re proud of our homes—and that means we do everything possible to make them look as good on the outside as we feel nestled safely under the roof with our families on the inside. Every home must also protect us against nature’s elements. And vinyl siding takes the brunt of the load against our exterior walls.

Siding color makes a huge impact on your home’s curb appeal. But vinyl siding fades over the years, leaving us with two choices: to paint or replace. There are pros and cons to both—just as there is a right way and a wrong way to go about each option. And there are scenarios where one is the obvious choice over the other.

The right option for you hinges on your unique home, goals, and budget. However, with the right guidance, the decision to paint or replace your vinyl siding can make perfect sense.

Age of your siding.

A fresh coat of paint can do plenty for your curb appeal—but little for your first line of defense against the elements. Vinyl siding aged beyond two decades—with only a handful of strong, good years left—almost always warrants a replacement job over a quick color cover-up.

Unsure about how many more years you can expect from your siding? Call King Quality today for a free siding inspection.

Your budget.

Painting is a good option when your goal is to save money. Given your siding is still in good shape, paint gives you the chance to select a custom color for your home unavailable straight from the manufacturer. Painting your home can save you upwards of one to two thousand dollars as a more budget-friendly alternative to replacing your siding.

Siding condition.

Buckles, gaps, and other blunders leaking moisture into your home signal the time to replace your vinyl siding. Painting siding with rotten sections, dents, or holes is an investment with a negative return. It’s Home Improvement 101: never put money into something that’s already failing.

Aesthetic appearance.

Both painting and replacing your siding create a fresh new look destined to make the neighbors jealous. Most homeowners with the solitary goal to boost curb appeal—without the concern of protecting their homes—can usually go with either option.

Your home’s value.

Painting or replacing your siding can preserve or increase the value of your home. Where a fresh coat of paint can boost your home’s value by two to five percent, a new siding install job can move the needle even more.

If your goal is to update your siding to squeeze more money from a home sale, you can recoup up to 80 percent of the cost to install new siding upon resale. However, new siding that boosts curb appeal can attract more buyers to your home and earn you higher bids—and that’s a priceless asset.

Siding warranty.

Reputable siding contractors work with equally reputable siding manufacturers that warranty their products. Every warranty is different—but a little homework can help you decide whether to paint or replace.

The problem with painting is simple: it usually voids the warranty. However, a quick inspection from a qualified contractor can help you make a fact-based decision about approaching your next siding project.

When to paint.

Siding eventually loses its luster and protective coatings eventually wear. The sun fades panels and grime builds up over the years. Power washing can mitigate the damage but only as a temporary fix. Painting can restore some of the original luster, so long as your siding is in good shape.

For siding with a weathered look, consider painting for an affordable boost in aesthetics that can save you 50 to 60 percent compared to replacing your siding. Paint also adds a layer of protection against the elements when the original coating wears off. And you can earn a few bonus points from appraisers with a fresh coat.

Homeowners grown weary of their age-old siding color and ready to jump into a trending color can get there with a paint brush. Painting can also save you the time of installing new siding, unless you’re the one doing the work.

At the end of the day, painting is a good option for a budget-friendly boost in curb appeal—unless your siding is worn past its lifespan. Painting damaged siding merely delays the inevitable of replacement and adds to the overall project cost.

When to replace.

As manufacturers continue to expand their siding textures and colors, painting often falls short of helping you realize that fresh, modern, and bold appearance.

Siding replacement invites the option to add scallops for a new aesthetic or an underlayment for a boost in your home’s energy efficiency. And that’s just a few of the ways replacing your siding delivers more value.

When painting voids your siding warranty—and it will 9 times out of 10—replacing is the smarter option. Painting also lacks the longevity of new siding. Plus, not every siding can absorb and allow paint to stick. Selecting a paint color incompatible with your type of siding leaves you fresh out of luck.

Painting also means power washing before applying the first coat, a process notorious for damaging siding. Moisture trapped underneath your siding can not only make a mess of your paint job but also damage your home. Panels damaged during power washing are harder to replace because most manufacturers won’t have new panels available in the original color.

Painting is also prone to more errors, mistakes, unforgiving problems, and unpredictable results you would never encounter hiring a reputable contractor to install new siding. It’s easy to assume painting lowers the risk. But history paints a different picture.

Everything must to be perfect when you paint—from the weather to the cleanliness of the siding to the type of paint. Rather than take a gamble on painting, replacing your siding is a sure thing that delivers the results without the regrets.

Super-strong siding built to weather any storm.

Ready to boost your curb appeal and protect your home with insulated siding built to shield against impact, moisture, noise, wind, heat loss, and more? Discover style, substance, and peak performance from your siding with our unique 6 to 7-inch reveal.

King Quality specializes in vinyl siding, fiber cement siding, acrylic siding, composite siding, and more. We serve Nassau and Suffolk counties in Long Island, NY. Call us today at 631-573-0642 to schedule a free consultation and discover royal treatment for you and your home.