The cost of painting vinyl siding ranges between $1-$3 per square foot. This figure depends on a lot of things that you have to consider as they largely alter the price. There are options to get the paint job done within your price range and the figures are not fixed. We will share some tricks to have your vinyl siding cost reduced considerably.
Here are some factors that will affect the cost of painting the vinyl siding of your house.
Factors Affecting the Cost of Painting Vinyl Siding
While there is a national average cost to paint vinyl siding, there are a lot of things that come into play. These factors can make the cost of to paint vinyl siding walls go up or stay at the average.
1) Wall Size in Square Feet
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The size of the wall directly affects the cost of painting the wall. The painting costs range between $1 and $3 per square footage. This number is an average cost. If the wall is old, the cost is likely to shoot up more because maybe all the walls will need additional treatment, further affecting the cost of the painting project.
2) Storey Building
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If the wall is not on a storey building, you can manage it more easily. However, when the wall is on a floor other than the ground floor, other factors kick in. You will have to buy or hire extra equipment like ladders to make your painting project a success.
If you are hiring labor, the costs might increase due to the complexity of the project. Vinyl siding cost is mostly static but other factors are what make the painting project costs dynamic.
3) Labor Costs
If you are undertaking the painting project alone, then you might only have to consider the paint costs. However, if you hiring labor, then you will have to part with some extra costs. Professional painters work for companies, and different companies have different rate cards for their work.
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The labor costs further increase with the complexity of the project. If the house is a storey building, you will pay slightly more. If the wall needs extra treatment the painter might have to do more work on the wall, and this translates into funds.
While most people overlook the importance of hiring labor, we would advise that you do not. Hiring professional painters ensures everything that needs to be insured is taken care of. This means that you will not have to be dealing with any lawsuits, buying materials, losses and damages. You can avoid so many liabilities that you might not foresee. Luckily, most professional contractors are familiar with such challenges.
Remember to compare rate cards from different companies in case you are hiring labor.
4) Paint Prices/Types
If you want the paint job to last, you have to use the best paint finish for vinyl siding. If you use just any paint you find in the store, you might end up needing to repair the wall once again, and this might be costlier to you. If you understand vinyl as a material, you will know that it expands and contracts depending on weather and temperatures. It is best to find paint that can handle this type of material behavior.
Paints containing urethane resins and acrylic paints are your best choices for painting vinyl siding. These paints can adapt effectively to the material behavior of vinyl siding. You need to ensure the paint is formulated as an exterior paint before you make a purchase. You can further confirm whether the paint is safe for use on a vinyl siding. You can find this information on the side of the paint or ask the store manager.
Hiring professional painters can help you solve this problem. If they used used the wrong paint, you may not have to pay for any changes. If you use non-vinyl friendly paint, the cost of repair is going to be more expensive than the initial cost you used.
5) Extra Materials
Remember, buying paint alone does not do it. You have to buy other materials like brushes, ladders and more. Everything you need to help you get the paint job done might come at a cost. You do not have to buy the materials as you can rent them to use in painting vinyl siding of your wall. Hiring tools will save on the cost to paint vinyl siding.
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However, there are some materials that you can not hire out like masking tape or face masks. You might have to buy some supplies at the end of the day.
6) Priming
You might need to prime vinyl siding if the wall is a bit too old to paint on directly. Vinyl lasts long, and a vinyl siding house is a great investment. However, after some time, the vinyl gets old and can not be painted on directly. In such cases, you need to prime the wall. You have to incorporate the primer costs as part of your total cost.
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Exterior painting projects can be more costly because they are affected by more factors including dust, heat and water.
7) Hazardous Materials Testing
The reason you are repainting could be because the house is a bit old. If the house is older than 1978, you have to carry out a hazardous materials testing cost. This test checks for material residue of some paints that were used in the past. Most paints were lead based, and as we know, lead is a hazardous material. This test is mandatory in certain situations.
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8) Cleaning
You are certainly not going to paint on a dirty surface. If dust can make it inside the house, you can be certain the wall is dusty as well. You will need to buy cleaning material before you put new paint on the vinyl siding. In some cases, you will be dealing with mildew and mold. To avoid such a situation in future, you can use mildew resistant vinyl paint.
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You may need to buy bleach to get rid of certain tough stains from the wall. Painting job is mostly successful if the surface you are painting on is clean and ready to receive paint. This is especially the case when using exterior paints. Not even quality paints will do well on a poorly prepared surface. Power washing the wall will save you time to start the painting right away.
9) Old Vinyl Siding
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No matter how much prep work you put on a vinyl siding, if it is too old, it might be time to replace it. Replacing vinyl siding can be a bit costly but painting on an old one which you will end up replacing is even costlier. Therefore, do enough consultations to know the best course of action to take regarding the wall.
10) Permits
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In some cities and towns, you have to get permits when making major renovations on exterior surfaces. A woman in London was sued for painting her walls in red and white stripes. Some towns have a color code that you have to adhere to and painting the color you want can put you in trouble in such places. Therefore, do your research before commencing any painting job.
11) Finishes
What finish do you want your house to have? You can have a mate or a glossy finish and every gloss in between. Having a finish enhances your paint job significantly and your wall will be looking better than it would otherwise.
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Not everyone goes for high gloss finishes. However, this is not to mean that there are no options. Your painting contractor will help you make a good choice on what finish to get, especially if you are dealing with darker colors.
Darker colors absorb more heat, and having a mate finish on such paints might make the situation less lovely. A lighter shade will reflect more heat and keep the house relatively cooler. Paint with a darker color might cause paint bubbling when it absorbs a lot of heat.
Some Brands to Look at When Buying Paint
The cost to paint vinyl siding house will depend on the brand you get. More importantly, a good brand will last longer, saving you costs in the long run. You want to consider the brand you are getting because there are other factors like the method of application that comes into play. Here are some brands to look at.
a) Behr Paint
Cost $25-$60 per gallon
These paints are a choice by many professional painters as they do not crack over time reducing the cost to paint vinyl wall. If you have chosen spray painting as your mode of painting vinyl siding, Behr paint is ideal for spraying. Since the paint is easy to spray, you might end up using less paint and saving on the cost to paint vinyl siding.
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The challenge with this paint is its thickness when you are using a roller to do the painting. This might be a bit frustrating. The thickness can be an advantage because you might be able to get away with painting one layer instead of a double layer.
The paint does a good job in keeping mildew off the vinyl siding. However, the paint does not do a good job with dust and you might have to clean the exterior paint more often.
b) Valspar Vinyl Siding
Cost: $15-$50 per gallon
This paint is thinner, meaning you can easily use a roller to get the painting job done. The thinness is great because it dries faster. This can be an advantage especially when applying the paint on a commercial building.
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The downside of a thin paint is that you will have to use more than one layer when painting siding. The paint might also leave behind streaks as it will dry before you go over it for blending. Painting vinyl siding costs a considerable amount but using this paint will save you a lot of costs.
c) Benjamin Moore Vinyl Siding Paint
Cost: $50-80$ per gallon
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This paint is slightly more costly compared to other paints. You are getting a wide variety of colors with this paint. The paint also applies smoothly and the paint job will be an easy one to carry out. Painting vinyl siding is not supposed to be frustrating. When you repaint vinyl siding with this paint, y9ou are getting a good finish.
d) PPG Vinyl Siding Paint
Cost: $30-$70 per gallon
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If you are on a budget, this is the paint to go for. The paint comes in different styles and you are getting a good finish out of it. The paint costs just enough to successfully paint vinyl siding cheaply.
e) Sherwin Williams Vinyl Siding Paint
Cost: $50-$90 per gallon
This paint is in the same category as the Benjamin Moore in terms of cost. However, you are getting all the perks of using quality paint. The paint is durable, flexible and looks elegant on your wall. Before you decide to paint vinyl siding house, you have to consider how you want the finished look to be. During this stage, consider using the Sherwin Williams.
Painting Vs Replacing the Vinyl Siding
You have to consider which the best course of action is between replacing siding and painting vinyl siding. For you to replace vinyl siding, you will spend more compared to painting the vinyl. For you to paint vinyl siding, you have to consider the practicality of the project.
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You need to know when to replace vinyl siding or paint it. When the siding is too old, you ought to replace it because painting it will prove only costlier in the long run. Worse off if you use cheap paint on an old vinyl. Sometimes it is better to install vinyl siding instead of painting over an old one.
Any home improvement projects need to be done with the future in mind, especially the home's exterior. You have to ask yourself whether the solution will last for at least ten years.
Final Thoughts
Repainting the vinyl siding increases the curb appeal of your home and generally improves the mood around your home. You want to come back to a place you love every time, and painting the vinyl siding is one way to ensure this happens. Therefore, if you are thinking about painting the vinyl siding, then that it a strong indication that you should.
