How long does Exterior Paint last in Wisconsin?

One of the most frequently asked questions we receive is, how long will our Wisconsin exterior paint last? How long your exterior paint will last in Wisconsin depends on a number of factors including the climate, exposure, what the home is made of, quality of paint and quality of the application. If the right steps are taken, you can usually expect your exterior paint on a wood sided home to last 6-9 years before repainting is needed. Aluminum and vinyl siding can last 20 years or more, stucco paint lasts an average of 7-10 years and fiber-cement siding lasts for 15 or more years. You may also find that the sunny side of the home fades quicker than the rest, so you may be able to freshen up the sunny side of your home without having to repaint the entire house. In Wisconsin, exterior paint has to stand up to some rough winters. Here are a few important steps we recommend taking to help prolong the life of your Wisconsin exterior paint.

Choose the Right Type of Paint
First, it’s critical to prepare properly for the specific project. This means, choosing the right paint for the exterior that is being painted. We paint homes with a variety of exteriors including fiber-cement, stucco, aluminum, stone and veneer and wood siding, and they aren’t treated the same.
It is important to know what surface you are dealing with and what product was previously used. Knowing this, we are able to select exactly what paint or stain to use for the current project.

Choose the best Paint Quality
Another key ingredient to making your exterior paint last is the quality of paint being used. At Culver’s Painting, we primarily use Sherwin-Williams paint products, because it’s consistently voted the best exterior paint by consumer surveys and because we’ve found it to be true ourselves! Paying more than $60 per gallon for a top of the line paint will buy you a finish that will last and look good for years to come.
So, moral of the story, Quality exterior paint, when properly applied over a well-prepped surface, lasts longer than cheaper low-quality paint.

Home Preparation
In addition to choosing the right type of paint and the best quality paint, it’s also critical to take time to properly prep the home including cleaning the surface that will be painted. This includes pressure washing, to remove any mold or dirt on the home. We scrape away loose paint and use caulk, putty or primer where needed. Paint should only be applied to a dry surface. This is why, if pressure washing is needed, we’ll prep your home and wait a day or two before painting to ensure a dry surface.

Choose a Company You Trust
Finally, if you are finding that spending your spring, summer or fall combing through blog posts to build your paint knowledge, perusing the aisles of local paint stores, or buying costly supplies and experimenting through trial-and-error on your exterior paint project doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, you may want to hire a company you can trust to do the job right. While we’d love to be the company to serve you, we recognize that there are many reputable companies to choose from. We recommend that you ask a few important questions to ensure that you find a quality company you can count on. Ask the painting company how long have they been in business and find out if they are invested in their local community and in what ways.
Are they reputable? You can find this out by reading reviews online, checking out Angie’s List and reviewing their social media presence such as Facebook to see if they are an active business. Find out if they offer any type of guarantee on their work. Ask yourself, will they be around for the long-term to help you if questions arise? At Culver’s Painting, we offer the promise that if you ever have a question, for the lifetime of your home, we’ll be here to answer it, at no charge. If you ever have a question, just give us a call and talk directly with Cory or Alex, the owners of Culver’s Painting. We want to help you with your exterior paint project so that you can continue enjoying your home for years to come, with the piece of mind that the job was done right.

So how long does exterior paint last in Wisconsin? If you follow our tips, you’re sure to get the best bang for your buck and longevity out of your exterior painting project! If you have any questions, contact us today!