How to Paint Vinyl Siding

Ask Danny, Painting & Finishing by Danny Lipford

I need to paint a few pieces of exterior vinyl siding. How do I prepare the siding so paint will adhere to it? -Verna

Verna,
Begin by cleaning the vinyl siding with detergent and water. If any mildew is present, spray it with a mixture of one part bleach to four parts water (a pump up garden sprayer works great for this). Let the bleach stay on for 10-15 minutes, then rinse it thoroughly and allow the siding to dry.

Paint vinyl siding with a high quality exterior acrylic latex paint that contains urethane. Do not paint it a darker color than the factory color, since it may cause it to absorb too much heat and warp.

Good luck with your project,

Danny

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6 Comments on “How to Paint Vinyl Siding”

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  1. Mike Says:
    December 23rd, 2008 at 08:02

    Hurricane Ike partially destroyed my 10 X 12 wood framed storage building. I have successfully replaced the OSB panels on the lower portion of the building that were damaged by the high water. I now am ready to replace the vinyl siding that was blown away. I have never installed vinyl siding but believe that I can do it myself if I can get proper installation instructions. Can you help?

  2. Official Comment:

    Ben Erickson Says:
    December 23rd, 2008 at 08:48

    Hi Mike,
    I used to install vinyl siding, and it’s not that hard if you have basic carpentry skills. We don’t have detailed installation instruction on the website, but instructions often come with the siding.

  3. david Says:
    April 22nd, 2009 at 13:06

    what kind of paint should i used for vinyl siding and what do i need to do before i paint it .

    thanks for the help
    david

  4. MARILYN DALE Says:
    May 21st, 2009 at 16:21

    I NEED SOME IDEAS ON PAINTING A MURAL ON THE OUTSIDE OF MY TRAILER. JUST ONE PART.

  5. Joe Says:
    January 17th, 2010 at 21:25

    Hello,

    I have read on several sites including yours that I should not paint vinyl siding a darker color than the factory color, since it may cause it to absorb too much heat and warp. What do I do if my vinyl siding is white and I want to paint it a light shade of green or another color other than white? I do not want to repaint it another shade of white. What do you suggest? The location of the house is in the Catskill Mountains of NY. Thank you for your time and comments.

  6. Official Comment:

    Ben Erickson Says:
    January 18th, 2010 at 13:10

    Hi Joe,
    While it’s generally recommended that you not paint vinyl siding darker than the original factory color, we haven’t field tested it to see if it would cause problems. The vinyl siding on my house here on the Alabama Gulf Coast was originally white but the previous owners spray painted it an almond color several years ago. The only problem I’ve noticed so far is that when the siding shrinks during cold weather, you can see a bit of white at the joints where it overlaps the still white piece underneath.

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