Siding Paint: Vinyl, Wood and Aluminum Siding

Siding Paint: Vinyl, Wood and Aluminum Siding

Vinyl, wood and aluminum siding all take PRO, a 100% acrylic paint and primer for outside. What changes is the prep: vinyl needs a safe color, wood needs bare spots primed, aluminum needs the chalk and oil washed off and a coat of PRIME.

Vinyl siding

  1. Wash it with a detergent solution and rinse well. Mildew comes off with 1 part bleach to 3 parts water.
  2. Pick a color the same as the original or lighter. A darker color soaks up more sun, and the panels can warp.
  3. Two coats of PRO.

Wood siding

  1. Scrape loose paint and sand the edges smooth.
  2. Strip loose gray fibers off weathered boards.
  3. Fill holes, caulk gaps with a paintable acrylic caulk.
  4. Bare wood gets PRIME. Sound painted wood doesn't need it.
  5. Two coats of PRO.

Aluminum siding

  1. Wash off the chalk and any oil film with water and detergent. Rinse well.
  2. Rub the dry siding with your hand. If it still leaves white chalk on your palm, call us before you paint.
  3. Prime with PRIME, then two coats of PRO.

When to paint

Between 50F and 90F, air and surface, with no rain or snow due in 48 hours. Wait for the morning dew to burn off before you start a wall.

How much to buy

Measure each side of the house: width times height. Add the gables, take off garage doors and big windows, then double it for two coats. Divide by 350 to get gallons. A house with 1,500 square feet of siding takes 8 to 10 gallons, so two 5 gallon buckets.

Sheen

Flat or Eggshell on the siding hides dents and seams. Satin or Semi-Gloss on the trim, doors and railings you touch.

Price and delivery

PRO is $58 a gallon and $285 for 5 gallons, tinted to any color in Brooklyn. Made in Deerfield Beach, Florida, 18-year limited warranty. A bucket order clears $150, so delivery in New York and New Jersey is free.

Order PRO: 5 gallons $285

Questions we get

Can you paint vinyl siding a darker color?

Stay the same as the original or lighter. A darker color can heat the panels enough to warp them.

Do I need a primer on aluminum siding?

Yes. Wash off the chalk and oil, then prime with PRIME before PRO.

How many gallons to paint siding?

Siding area times two coats, divided by about 350. A 1,500 square foot house takes 8 to 10 gallons.