Can I paint Vinyl on my house?
It is noticeable — the vinyl siding on your house is faded and pale; the time has definitely come to spruce things up a bit! Vinyl siding is long-lasting but because it can get dull and dirty, a fresh coat of paint is just the thing to make the outside of your home sparkle. Now, before you say “wait a minute; you cannot paint vinyl siding,” … consider how quickly everyday technology changes. Well, paints have also advanced and it is now possible to brighten up aging vinyl siding to look brand new — and, if you wish — change the color.
Before you begin, the vinyl surface must be cleaned very carefully so that the new paint layers will adhere completely and not chip or peel off. Start with a strong power-wash to remove all dirt and debris and use a special cleaning agent for vinyl house siding that is geared for handling mold and mildew. A professional power-wash is best but to do it yourself, use a soft brush cloth and try this solution made up of:
- One gallon of water
- 1 quart of liquid laundry bleach
- 1/3 cup of laundry detergent
- 2/3 cup of powdered household cleaner
Be sure to rinse off all the cleaning agents and then allow the vinyl to dry completely before painting; at least 24 hours.
The next steps, say the folks at Perkins Painting, are to use an adhesive primer and then, a very high-quality acrylic paint that will cling to the vinyl surface. Specialized paints for vinyl siding contain urethane and acrylic resin.
Feather the primer and surface paint on with a spray gun, let each coat dry and then add a second coat of acrylic paint. Avoid thicker substance paints — they will flake — and dark colors that will absorb sunlight (which can cause paint to warp or “bubble”). Speaking of sunlight, the weather plays a part in things, too. Start the project when the sky is cloudy with low humidity and temperatures that are cool but not cold. Too much sunlight or wind may keep the paint from sticking properly to the vinyl.
Yes, you can theoretically do this yourself but hiring professional painters to layer on the new paint for your home’s vinyl siding makes sense because “we know what we’re doing,” says Dean Perkins, owner of Perkins Painting LLC. “The siding must be cleaned and disinfected properly. Paints must be applied smoothly, evenly and with the right amount of pressure. The process can be very difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing and the result can be quite a mess if it doesn’t come out right. Experience is the key, here.”
