It’s been how long since you last painted your home’s exterior? As you come home from work day to day, you start to notice the color isn’t as vibrant as it once was. Concerned, you move in for a better look and see the paint is beginning to crack! There are noticeable chips and what appears to be a separation between the layer of paint and the material beneath.

It seems like it’s time to repaint your home’s exterior.

How Often Should You Repaint Your House’s Exterior?

The exact answer depends on the paint you used, the quality of the paint job, and the materials your home’s exterior is made of. However, a general rule of thumb is that your home’s exterior should be painted every 5 – 10 years.

It’s essential to explore how exterior paint adheres to different materials to better understand when your home’s exterior needs to be repainted.

Your home’s first line of defense against the elements, severe weather, and sun-fading is that first layer of paint. It quite literally is a defensive barrier that protects your home and extends its longevity.

Aluminum Siding – 5 Years:

If your home has aluminum siding, you’ll want to paint the exterior of your house every five years. You want flexible paint because aluminum siding, made of metal, expands and contracts with changing temperatures. You’ll need flexible paint that can withstand the stress. The best type of paint for aluminum siding is 100% acrylic latex paint.

Stucco – 5-6 Years:

With stucco walls, you’ll want to repaint your home’s exterior every five to six years. Stucco performs best in arid climates, where a professional paint job using high quality paint can last even up to ten years. However, most stucco will need to be repainted sooner due to moisture, cracking, chipping, and other signs of wear and tear on your stucco.

Elastomeric paint is the best option for painting your home’s stucco exterior. Its rubbery polymer material is excellent for effectively coating the porous, textured surface of stucco and other masonry surfaces.

Wood Siding – 3-7 Years:

Wood surfaces are not only susceptible to changes in temperature, but they are also vulnerable to fluctuations in moisture likely caused by high humidity. This is due to the cellulose that makes up much of the wood structure. Because of the relatively unstable nature of wood, wooden siding needs to be repainted every three to seven years.

These vulnerabilities make wood prone to warping over time, negatively impacting the paint’s adhesion to the wood’s surface. To counteract the instability of wood over time, professional painters use 100% solid acrylic latex emulsion paint on wooden siding.

This flexible paint can withstand the constant expansion and contraction of wood and is an effective preventative barrier against moisture.

Ways to Make Your Exterior Paint Last:

A paint job’s longevity largely depends on the techniques used and the weather conditions on the day the home’s exterior was painted. If painting your home’s exterior, make sure you:

-Fully clean and prime the surface.

-Wait for a mild, temperate day with temperatures between 60 and 85 degrees.

-Pick a day with minimal wind to prevent dirt, dust, and pollen from getting trapped in the paint.

-Use paints recommended by professional painters.

-Go one coat at a time, and use one more coat than you think you need.

-Preventative maintenance helps improve the longevity of your exterior paint job.