Can You Paint Vinyl Siding on a Chester County Home?
Yes, you can paint vinyl siding, as long as the panels are sound and the color is one vinyl can take. Here is what the paint makers say, and the signs that a faded wall is past painting.
Yes. Vinyl siding can be painted, and paint makers publish instructions for it.
Whether it works comes down to the condition of the panels and the color you pick, because vinyl moves with heat and a darker coat can warp it. Most of the siding we hang around West Chester is vinyl.
The short version
- It can be painted. Sherwin-Williams, for one, publishes a how-to for painting vinyl siding and says vinyl in sound condition doesn't need a primer.
- Color is the risk. Painting vinyl darker than its original shade can make it warp. Some paint makers sell vinyl-safe color lines formulated to resist that.
- Ask about the warranty first. Painting may void whatever is left of the siding manufacturer's warranty.
- Paint won't fix a failed panel. Cracked, warped, buckled or loose siding is a replacement job.
What the paint makers say
Sherwin-Williams publishes a step-by-step for painting vinyl siding, and it's short. Clean the siding first to get the dirt and grime off, by hand or with a pressure washer, then rinse it and let it dry. Vinyl that's in sound condition doesn't need a primer.
Their pick is an exterior acrylic latex, two coats on bare vinyl and one coat on siding that has been painted before. The same page warns that painting vinyl any color darker than its original shade can cause warping and other defects.
Why a darker color can warp vinyl
Vinyl grows in the heat and shrinks back as it cools. That's why we drive the nails snug and never tight when we hang it, so each panel can slide a little on its fasteners through a Pennsylvania summer and winter.
Dark paint soaks up more of the sun's heat and passes it into the panel. Sherwin-Williams explains that when vinyl expands far enough it can't return to its original size, which is the wavy, buckled wall you sometimes see on a painted house.
Paint makers have answered this with vinyl-safe color lines. Sherwin-Williams' VinylSafe line runs to 100 colors, including a limited selection of darker shades formulated to resist warping or buckling on sound, stable vinyl. Before those lines existed, the standard advice was the same color or lighter.
Look at all four walls first
On a Chester County house the walls don't age evenly. The north faces and the walls shaded by mature trees are where vinyl goes chalky, and the sun-baked and wind-exposed walls are where panels crack, warp and work loose first. Walk all four sides before picking a color, since the paint has to go over the worst wall too.
Check the warranty before you open a can
Sherwin-Williams tells homeowners to ask the siding manufacturer whether painting will void any remaining warranty. That question matters most on siding young enough to still be covered.
When faded vinyl needs replacing, not paint
Paint only changes the color of a panel, so it's the wrong fix when the siding itself is failing. These are the signs we look for:
- Cracked, warped, buckled or loose panels. Especially on sun-baked and wind-exposed walls. Paint won't flatten a panel that has already moved.
- Moisture getting behind the siding. Peeling or bubbling paint and wallpaper on the inside of the wall is the usual giveaway.
- Rot or soft spots. On the siding, the trim or the sheathing underneath.
- Fading and chalky residue. Or siding that needs repainting every few years to stay presentable.
After a hailstorm
The hail and wind that come through the Brandywine Valley crack vinyl, and a hard enough hit punches through it and lets water into the wall. Damage like that is often an insurance matter rather than a paint project, and our storm and hail damage page covers how we inspect and document it for the claim.
His crews replaced the roof shingles on our house and garden barn, two walls of vinyl siding, and the gutters and downspouts that were damaged during the severe May 4th hail storm.
If you replace it instead
Modern siding holds its color and shape far better than the aging material it replaces, and new vinyl never needs painting to begin with. Insulated vinyl has a rigid foam backing, which adds insulation value and quiets the house some. It also dents less when a stray baseball or a hailstone hits it.
Whatever is on the wall, rinse it once or twice a year and keep the gutters flowing so runoff isn't sheeting down the siding. We do new gutter installation too. Siding replacement tends to rank near the top of remodeling cost surveys for resale return, which we get into in 5 exterior upgrades that add value to Chester County homes.
If your panels are past painting, our page on siding installation and replacement shows how we take a house from tear-off to cleanup.
Painting vinyl siding: common questions
Do you need to prime vinyl siding before painting it?
Not if the vinyl is in sound condition, according to Sherwin-Williams' guidance for painting vinyl siding. Clean it well first and let it dry.
Can you paint vinyl siding a darker color?
Painting vinyl darker than its original shade can cause warping, because dark paint absorbs more of the sun's heat. Some paint makers sell vinyl-safe color lines, including a limited set of darker shades, formulated to resist warping on sound, stable vinyl.
Does painting vinyl siding void the warranty?
It can. Check with the siding manufacturer before you paint.
