How Often Should you Repaint your Home?

How do you know when it’s time to give your home a fresh coat of paint? Apart from the obvious signs to look out for, like cracking or peeling paint, there are also some less obvious things that can cause problems.

Every building is different, so there isn’t a set timeline, however, there are some rough guidelines you can follow to determine whether your home needs painting maintenance. Most experts agree that the average house needs to be painted every five to ten years, depending on factors such as where you live, climate, and the quality of the previous paint job.

Another factor to keep in mind is that each and every type of building surface has its own characteristics and maintenance needs. Here is just a rough guide for each surface.

• With proper surface preparation and good quality exterior paint, brick structures can go for between 15 and 20 years between coats.
• Wood needs annual maintenance with a major treatment every 3 to 7 years, or every 4 years if it’s stained. Fortunately, latter-day long-life water-repellent products save on labour and maintenance costs, as it removes the need to scrape down wood surfaces before recoating.

Cladded homes tend to need more regular maintenance:

• Aluminium siding – usually about 5 years.
• Stucco – typically lasts 5 to 6 years.
• New types of materials – these usually need to be touched up less often; for example, cement fiberboard siding can go 10 to 15 years before repainting.

There are a few factors that can affect how long your home’s paint surface will last. The main three are the quality of the previous paint job, the local climate, and how the house has been maintained over time. Let’s take a closer look at how each of these factors plays a role in how often you need to repaint:

1. Previous Paint Job

If you’ve just bought a house, it’s a good idea to try to find out when and how it was last painted, since having detailed information about the paint job can make a big difference. The type of paint used, the quality of paint, how many coats were applied, and even the colour used can all affect longevity.

2. Paint Quality

Cheaper paint that is not of high quality contains less binder and as a result, cannot withstand the elements and UV exposure as well as top of the range products. Using cheap lower grade paint will cost you more in the long run as you will need to repaint more often. Overall, high-quality paint in lighter shades tend to last longer – especially if two or three coats are applied.

3. Wall Preparation

Preparation is vital, and cannot be emphasised enough! Before repainting, consider pressure cleaning the walls to get rid of old dirt and grime - this should ensure that the new paint job has a longer lifespan. Scrape down all flaky old paint layers and fill in cracks and holes with a good quality exterior filler. Never skip on priming - not only does it provide a more even surface for the paint layers, it also ensures better bonding and guards against peeling.

4. Climate and Weather

If you live in an area with hot, sunny summers or your house is unsheltered by trees, the sunlight will cause paint to bubble and fade more quickly. This is especially true for darker hues, synthetic pigments and oil-based paint. Other climate conditions that age paint are harsh winters, frequent storms, extreme humidity, windborne sand and salty ocean breezes.
Coastal properties will need to be painted more frequently and may only get half the lifespan from their paint job compared inland structures.

The time of year and the weather conditions also come into play because this can determine how well the paint has dried. Sometimes the surface may seem dry to the touch, but it can still be wet underneath.

5. Maintenance

Good maintenance and regularly inspecting the exterior of your house will ensure a longer-lasting paint job. Danger signs to look out for include damp, rot, chalkiness, infestations and mould.

6. Get Quality Products and Expert Advice

Our team of dedicated paint experts are ready to assist you in all things painting – from choosing the right product to mixing the exact colours you need. Visit our in-store paint bar today! Find your nearest BUCO here

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