Painting takes your house design to another level, but only if done right. Otherwise, it’s going to give you headaches, and selling it will be harder than usual. So, choosing the best and appropriate paint for your siding is a crucial decision.
This case is especially true when you have fiber cement siding, as not all kinds of paint work well with it. It’s also not easy to paint as other types of siding, and professional help is often advisable to get optimum results.
To give you better insight on the topic, read these tested and proven tips until the end.
Is it Okay to Paint Fiber Cement?
This siding is among the most highly durable materials for home exterior. You might have heard that it doesn’t need any paint for further protection. However, those are just baseless rumors. In truth, painting your fiber cement has many benefits. Although fiber cement lasts up to 50 years, the paint will likely yield much earlier to the elements. In this case, painting becomes necessary so you can freshen up your home’s exterior.
What You Need to Know Before Painting Fiber Cement
Like it or not, you’ll eventually need to repaint your fiber cement siding, whether for retouch or upkeep. Regardless, here are the things you need to know before doing so.
First of all, you must determine if you have prefinished, factory-primed, or unprimed fiber cement, as the urgency of painting will depend on this aspect. Second, fiber cement siding requires little maintenance, so it doesn’t need much repainting. Even so, the coating can last for as long as 10 to 15 years. However, this doesn’t imply that you can’t revamp your house’s color whenever you want to.
When painting fiber cement siding, you can choose to do it yourself or hire professionals. However, choosing the latter will probably give better results. But if you decide on taking on the job, make sure to invest some time since coating fiber-cement takes about a week or so. Lastly, before you start painting, thoroughly clean the siding first, so you don’t get bumps and blemishes after.
The Best Type of Paint for Fiber Cement
Not all primers and paints work well with fiber cement siding. If careless, you can end up wasting money on the wrong type of paint and even damage the siding, leading to more unwanted expenses.
To avoid such a dilemma, never use oil-based primers on fiber cement. Why? Because this kind of primer affects the siding’s surface roughness. Also, it weakens the adhesive property of the paint, causing premature peeling. In worst cases, oil-based primers can lead to cracking and chalking.
Nevertheless, fiber cement is known for its ability to retain painting as it doesn’t shrink or swell easily due to its moisture-resistant properties. With the right products and applications, it’s a guarantee that the colors on your home exterior will stay the same for a long time.
But before you go and paint, remember that there are three types of fiber cement available. The first one is prefinished siding, which arrives at your home all ready for use and installation. However, initial costs are a bit higher.
For the factory-primed variant, you’ll need an exterior grade acrylic latex paint on top for the best results. If you go for the unprimed choice, you’ll need to apply exterior grade acrylic latex primer before using the same grade acrylic latex paint. In both cases, apply the paint two times, making sure it’s completely dry before applying the second coating. Also, ensure that the siding is perfectly clean and caulked properly to avoid untimely damage, and paint it within 90 days of installation.
When done right, your home’s curb appeal will improve, and the colors on your fiber cement siding will last longer. However, if you’re unsure, you can always hire professional help.
Pros and Cons of Painting Fiber Cement Siding
There are a lot of benefits when you talk about painting fiber cement. One of which is its longevity of up to 20 years. And if you decide to update the color, repainting it is easy. Best of all, maintenance is minimal. The only thing pulling these down are the costs and a slightly tricky application.
Conclusion
Painting your fiber cement siding can be one of your best decisions in life. With the right kind of paint and process, the results will surely put a smile on your face. So, go out there, choose your paint, and upgrade your home.
