You have probably seen the television commercial where the father is dipping his young son’s feet into paint to make “permanent” socks because they can’t find socks that fit them. Silly, yes. But sometimes we expect things to be permanent when they can’t be.
Take the exterior of your house, for example. You spend a lot of time and money on choosing the right paint colors and you want the finish to last forever. Unfortunately, it won’t. But there are ways to extend its life to the fullest. According to the Paint Quality Institute “How long a paint job will actually last depends on a number of factors, including the nature and condition of the substrate, the type of coating applied and the severity of the weather the paint has to stand up to.”
A good painting contractor can extend the life of your exterior paint job by following a few smart rules:
- Properly preparing the paint surface by removing old paint, sanding rough surfaces, and powerwashing
- Using an appropriate primer to enhance adhesion of the finish coat and prevent colors from bleeding through from the surface
- Correcting water sources that may have caused damage to the paint. (It isn’t enough to cover up a water stain if you haven’t resolved the water problem.)
- Using the correct type and quality of paint. Paint manufacturers produce a wide range of paint products to appeal to each budget range. However, choosing an exterior paint based solely on price may not be the best choice. According to the Paint Quality Institute “…top-of-the-line 100% acrylic latex paints provide the best overall performance…these paints will provide considerably better long-term performance with respect to color and gloss retention, mildew resistance and crack resistance.”
Extending the life of your exterior paint job may also require some annual maintenance on your part. As a homeowner, you should watch for signs of mildew, as well as cracking or peeling paint. These could be signs that something more is going on behind the paint job. A good painting contractor will help you create a maintenance checklist, and should offer a guarantee if the exterior paint fails too soon.
With that being said, how long should an exterior paint job last here in Connecticut? If the proper steps have been followed you can expect your paint to last up to 10 years. So next time you get a quote for an exterior paint job and are concerned about the price, divide the cost by 10 and see if this “annual” fee feels right to you.