Exterior painting: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What exterior painting is

Exterior painting washes, scrapes, sands, caulks and primes siding and trim, then applies weather-resistant coatings that protect the home from moisture and sun. People need it when the paint is failing, the wood is showing, or the house needs a new color that will hold up outdoors.

Signs you need it

  • Paint is peeling, cracking or blistering on the siding, trim, fascia or window frames
  • The wood looks gray, feels soft when pressed, or shows rot at the bottom of the siding or at the trim joints
  • Caulk is cracked or missing around windows, doors and trim, letting water behind the surface
  • Mildew or algae stains cover the north side or the shaded areas of the house
  • The color has faded or chalked, and the surface powders when you rub it with a hand

What the pro does

  • Walk the exterior, check for rot, loose boards and failed caulk, and mark areas that need repair before painting
  • Pressure wash or wash the siding at a low setting, and protect plants, windows and outlets from the spray
  • Scrape loose paint, sand the edges, and replace or repair damaged trim and siding boards as needed
  • Caulk gaps, seams and window and door joints with the product that suits the surface
  • Prime bare wood, previously stained areas and any patch with an exterior-grade primer
  • Apply two finish coats with brushes and rollers or sprayers, then clean up and check the color in daylight

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • The square footage of siding and trim, plus the number of stories and the roof lines the crew must reach
  • Condition of the wood and the amount of repair, replacement or rot work needed before paint
  • Surface type, such as wood, fiber cement, vinyl or stucco, each of which needs a different prep
  • Whether lead-containing paint is present, which changes the prep methods and containment
  • The paint line and whether the color is a deep tone that needs extra coats
  • Access, such as steep grades, tall walls or the need for scaffold or a lift

What a written quote should spell out

  • Surfaces listed separately, such as siding, trim, soffit, fascia and doors
  • Wash, scrape and sand steps described, with the rot repair scope and its unit basis
  • Caulk type and the joints it is applied to, along with the primer type
  • Paint brand, line and sheen for each surface, with the number of finish coats
  • Protection plan for plants, windows and landscaping, plus cleanup and the weather window assumed

Questions to ask before you hire

  • How do you test for lead in the old paint, and what changes if it is present?
  • What prep do you do before the paint, and does that include washing, scraping and sanding?
  • What primer do you use on bare wood, and does it fit the surface?
  • How do you handle rotted trim or soft siding you find once the paint is off?
  • What temperature and humidity does the paint need, and how do you schedule around it?
  • Can you show me a house you painted with a similar surface and climate?

Red flags

  • The pro says they will paint over peeling paint without scraping it
  • The pro skips the caulk and primer on bare wood, and says the paint will hold
  • The pro wants to start in cold, wet or freezing weather with no plan for the cure time
  • The pro refuses to test old paint for lead before disturbing it

What you can do yourself

Washing the siding with a garden hose and soft brush, moving outdoor furniture, and painting a small porch or a single shutter are reasonable homeowner tasks. Working on a tall wall or a roof edge, scraping or sanding paint on a home built before lead paint was banned without a lead test, and pressure washing near electrical service should be left to a qualified crew.

Licenses and permits

Exterior painting is commonly done without a license in many places, but lead-safe work and rot repair can require credentials. Check with your state or local licensing agency and your local building department about the rules for your home.

Exterior painting questions

When is the right time of year to paint the outside?

Paint needs dry weather and temperatures in the range the label gives. Ask the pro how they plan around rain, morning dew and cold nights, and what they do if the weather changes mid-job.

Do I need to pressure wash before painting?

Usually a gentle wash is needed to remove mildew and dirt so the paint sticks. Ask the pro to use a low setting and to keep the spray away from wood joints and electrical boxes.

How do I know if the wood needs repair before painting?

Press a screwdriver into the wood at the bottom of the siding, the sills and the trim joints. Soft or spongy wood needs repair first. Ask the pro to probe these areas and show you what they find.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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