In the blink of an eye, 10 years have passed since you moved into your home and you look around, wondering where the time went. The fresh coat of paint that you put on the exterior of your home doesn't look so fresh anymore, and you begin asking yourself questions like — How long does exterior paint last? Is it time for a repaint?
Answering the question of how often to paint a house exterior depends on a variety of circumstances. A rule of thumb is to repaint every 5-10 years, but the real answer is a lot more nuanced and is dependent on aspects like paint quality, region, and surface type.
A fresh coat of paint can elevate your home's curb appeal, defend your home from the outside elements and renew its style, protecting it for another decade to come.
If you need help determining if it's time for a house repaint, call SuperiorPRO in Atlanta. Our team of exterior painters make it their promise to effectively communicate their options, provide the highest-quality materials, and paint with the best techniques. With our repertoire of exceptional service and reliability, we're able to provide what you're looking for, exactly when you need it. Call SuperiorPRO today and ask how we can provide the perfect service for your exterior painting project.
Signs That Signify That It's Time for a Repaint
The first thing to do when figuring out if it's time to repaint your house is observing the current state of your home. What do you see? If your home fits into any of the categories below, your home may be due for a repaint.
Wear and tear
Paint will eventually wear out and will show signs of cracking, peeling, or bubbling. These symptoms can appear due to an improper paint job, dry rot, mold, or can simply from longevity. Time and nature are often the causes for natural wear and tear, and when you spot these signs, act immediately. Painting for a house can be expensive, and with more damage accrued over time, the more difficult and costly it'll be to fix because of extended front-end prep work, like scraping or caulking prior to painting.
Color fade
The leading cause for a shabby looking home is color fade. Depending on where you live, the sun and weather will cause your paint to fade over time. Consider where your home is positioned and where the sun rises in the day. More than likely, one or two sides of your home will take the majority of sun damage, and these sides will need more attention than other areas.
SuperiorPRO Tip: Darker color paint typically fades faster while lighter colors are more resilient to fading.
Cracks, gaps, and shrinkage in the caulk and siding
Over time, caulk loses its elasticity and becomes brittle, cracking under the sun. Wooden boards also tend to shrink and cause gaps in the siding due to dry rot, or moisture getting in the wood. If the cracks become more prominent, moisture damage can cause structure damage to your home, making the problem even worse over time.
If this is happening, it's important to call a professional like SuperiorPRO in Atlanta to assess the quality of your wood before repainting. Painting an exterior house on top of dry rot can cause significant damage and turn into a troublesome headache.
Factors that Contribute To Long-Term Care
How long does exterior paint last? The answer to this question depends on a variety of reasons like:
Quality of paint
Low-quality vs high-quality exterior paint will show their true colors after a few years on your home. Lower quality paints have a cheaper upfront cost and may look similar to high-quality paint in the first year, but the durability will not last as long. Using low-quality paint means you'll need to repaint your home exterior sooner than investing in high-quality paint from the get go.
Location
If you're lucky enough to live near the coast and can enjoy daily sunrises and sunsets, the worthy consequence that comes alongside this will be more upkeep on the exterior of your home. Not only does the sun's ray beat down a little harder, but the increased salinity in the salty air will also wear down your paint quicker.
Weather and climate
There are many do's and don'ts in house painting, but a general rule of thumb is that extreme weather, like heavy rains, intense dry heat, or even humidity, will affect the life of your paint job. Exterior painting for a house should be done at the ideal temperature of 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, so the paint can dry evenly without cracking or mildew issues.
SuperiorPRO Tip: Extend the life of your paint job by giving proper care to your home's exteriors. Annual washing or power washing of your home reduces risks of mold or mildew build up and refreshes your home's exterior.
SuperiorPRO's Team of Professional Painters is Here to Help
Don't skimp on painting an exterior house. SuperiorPRO provides financing options to help you turn your dream home into a reality, elevating its curb appeal for years to come. Contact our team today to discover more options for exterior painting and insights from our designers.