Paint keeps your wood siding from
rotting and the stucco from cracking. Florida weather takes a toll on our
homes. As a home inspector, we see the results of DIY projects and even
professional projects gone wrong every day.
Stucco
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| Fill cracks before painting! |
When you purchase a new stucco clad
home in Florida, it will usually have an acrylic paint. Builders choose acrylic
paint because it has a higher permeability value not just its lower cost. After
five years, this paint oxidizes or becomes caulky and will rub off on your
hand.
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| Fill cracks before painting. |
Permeability means the stucco can
breathe better, which is what stucco is supposed to do. This allows the stucco
siding to cure slowly for the first five years after construction. During this
time you will typically see cracks appearing from the home settling. Do not use
an Elastomeric paint within the first five years, as it will seal the stucco
and may cause more cracks. After five years you want to fill any cracks that
have developed and seal the stucco siding to keep the moisture out.
An acrylic paint will not last as
long as an Elastomeric product, so it will have to be repainted more often but
is less expensive. Elastomeric paint seals the siding and will stretch; this
allows small cracks to be covered. Once you use an Elastomeric paint you should
only use an Elastomeric over the top of it. Acrylic paint does not stretch and
will crack as the Elastomeric paint moves with the expansion and contraction of
the home.
Vinyl
Vinyl siding comes in a variety of
colors and extra care needs to be exercised when choosing to paint vinyl
siding. The formula for white or light colors of vinyl is different from that
used for colored vinyl siding.
The reason is a light color reflects more heat
and UV rays, while a darker color absorbs them. White or light color vinyl
siding should never be painted a dark or flat color. Painting this vinyl will
cause it to absorb heat which makes the siding warp.
Nothing looks worse on a
home than warped vinyl siding. Lighter and glossy paint reflect more heat and
UV rays. Darker and flat paint colors absorb heat and UV rays.
Wood
It is import to make sure extra care
is used when preparing wood siding for paint. Clean and replace all damaged
wood before painting. Make sure your wood is dry enough to paint or you will
seal in the moisture. Remove old dried caulk from joints. Caulk all joints that
are open. All wood decays and rots, but moisture accelerates the process.
Do you need a primer?? Yes, primer
not only helps the paint stick better and make the color more consistent but it
also absorbs into the wood. Do not use expensive paint over dried out or new
wood, it is very porous and will absorb more of the expensive paint. Priming is
necessary to stop wood-bleeding or if you are covering gloss, grease, or other
areas that make paint-adhesion difficult. Primer is cheaper than paint and
should be used to prepare the wood for paint.
Is Paint and Primer in one a scam??
It is great for just changing color, but is a more expensive product than paint
and goes on thicker with 1/2 the coverage area and should be avoided on wood
that will absorb a lot of paint.
Give yourself plenty of time to
complete the project or hire a professional. Do not leave unprotected wood
exposed to the weather and make sure all paint is dry before it rains.
These are just a few of many
suggestions. If you are in doubt, please hire or consult a professional.
Choosing the wrong paint can lead to extensive damage. Painting the exterior of
a home is a huge and important project. The time to decide if it is too much
work for your skill level is before you invest in paint, brushes, rollers,
pans, tape, tarps, and tools.
Frank Carr is the Owner / Inspector at First Choice Home
Inspections in Deltona, FL serving Volusia, Seminole, Orange and Lake
Counties. Formerly in the building trades, Frank’s focus is a safe home
in the Orlando Metro and Daytona Beach areas of Central Florida and building FCHI. We believe that consumers have the right to expect
the highest standards of thoroughness, fairness and effectiveness from
their home inspector and that is exactly what we provide.
First Choice Home Inspections
Residential Home Inspections in Central Florida
(386) 624-3893
