Homeowners decide to paint the wood siding on their homes for various reasons. It could be because they’re choosing siding for a new home, or they need to replace existing siding, or they may have noticed that their wood siding is peeling and chipping. Whatever the reason, the amount of time that passes between each paint job depends on the type of siding you own, but painting should never be required more often than every three years.
Traditionally, homeowners favored natural wood siding, but recently more durable options have become available and the popularity of wood has faded somewhat. That’s because wood is highly vulnerable to the elements and it wears down more easily than other types of siding. This makes it a high maintenance option that requires far more frequent painting and repairing than other options.
Alternatively, engineered wood appears and behaves in a manner similar to natural wood, but it’s much more durable and can last up to 30 years. In addition, it doesn’t have to be repainted nearly as often as natural wood. Painting engineered wood every 5 to 10 years is common.
If you want virtually maintenance free siding that may never need to be repainted, then fiber cement siding is what you want to choose. It typically comes with a 50 year warranty and you’ll probably only have to repaint it every 15 years. Even though it appears like natural wood, it has the added benefit of being fire resistant and termite proof.
Choosing the siding on your home is a big decision, and once the decision has been made homeowners prefer to not have to think about their siding for as long as possible. The amount of maintenance required for your siding can play a significant role in the decision process, so make sure that you consider things such as the frequency of repainting and repair before making a final choice.