My name is Tom Lopatosky. I’m the President of LOPCO Contracting (www.LopcoContracting.com), and I’m honored to have the opportunity to talk to you about home improvement, on a monthly basis. I love answering your questions! Please send them to tom@LopcoContracting.com, or call 401-270-2664. Thanks, in advance, for taking the time to read this column!
Can Vinyl Siding Be Painted?
With a question that seems almost counterintuitive on the surface, we receive numerous calls every year, asking if vinyl siding can be painted.
If vinyl siding one’s home is meant to eliminate (or at least dramatically reduce) maintenance, then why would someone want to entertain painting it?
There are actually many reasons.
One reason is that perhaps the person whose home it is had inherited the vinyl siding to some degree and never liked the color, but did not think that it could be painted.
Another reason is that someone falls in love with the home during the buying process, loves everything except the color, and is bummed because the siding is vinyl, and they are not sure if it can be painted.
Yet still, another reason is that someone has lived in their home for decades, and the vinyl siding is a bit faded (which is wholly conceivable if the home was vinyl sided well before the much more color retentive vinyl siding products of today!).
Regardless of the reasoning, the answer is a simple ‘Yes,” as to whether vinyl siding can be painted…the challenge, however, is painting it correctly, so that there are no subsequent problems down the line.
When deciding to paint vinyl siding, the most critical component of any paint system applied is the prep process. Certainly, the vinyl siding should be properly cleaned. After cleaning, the surface should be dry and free from as much “chalking” as possible.
Once these conditions are satisfied, the next step is to make sure the correct ‘bonding primer’ is applied. If this step is not done properly, this could spell disaster later on, as subsequent coatings could start to peel in “sheets” if the correct bond does not exist between the finish coat system that is applied, and the vinyl surface that is being painted.
Upon successful application of the bonding primer, the finish coat can now be applied.
A ‘vinyl-safe’ finish coat should be utilized. If there are any questions as to whether a product or specific color is okay to use on vinyl siding, the best bet would be to consult with your local paint supplier, from where the product is being purchased.
Both the bonding primer & finish coat should be applied using a ‘sprayed application,’ preferably with an airless paint sprayer (utilizing a brush to ‘cut-in,’ where necessary, and obviously, making sure that all surrounding surfaces are properly protected).
Because of the variety of nuances involved, painting vinyl siding is super tricky and is accomplished with best results, when being done by an experienced professional.
An important note is to make sure that after all products have been applied and given the chance to thoroughly dry, someone goes around the home and ensures that each & every seam where the vinyl comes together is “freed up,” and that there are no paint-oriented products, which are going to prevent the natural expansion & contraction of the vinyl siding, itself.
Painted vinyl siding, if done properly, should have an almost infinite time-period associated with it, in terms of when it will need to be done again, as paint products on vinyl are not nearly as susceptible to peeling as they are on wood products, and the color retention of paint products on vinyl today, vastly supersedes that of those previously available on the marketplace.
If you are contemplating having your vinyl sided home painted, I would not let the naysayers influence you.
For if done properly, the results may be more beautiful and long-lasting than many folks would ever imagine possible!
About Tom Lopatosky
Tom Lopatosky has run his own RI-based painting and repair business since 1995; LOPCO Contracting – the “Personable, Particular Professionals” – specializes in exterior & interior painting and carpentry. Recently LOPCO Contracting was named ‘RI’s Finest Painting Contracting Company’ by ShopInRI Magazine. In 2013, Tom was named “Humanitarian of the Year” by the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA) and a “40 Under 40” award winner by Providence Business News. He is a member of both the PCA (Painting Contractors Association) and RIBA (Rhode Island Builders Association). Tom has often had weekly ‘Home Improvement Tips’ that have aired on the radio on 630 WPRO AM and on television on WPRI 12. You can catch Tom LIVE on the radio EVERY Saturday, 2pm-3pm, on 630 WPRO AM (99.7 FM) during his weekly PROTalk Home Improvement Radio Show! Tom has also written a book ‘The Care And Maintenance Of A New England Home’, detailing what he believes every New England Homeowner should be acutely aware of while owning a home in the region.
