Cedar siding is a durable building material that provides insulation, longevity, and noise reduction to your home. Exterior painting helps to protect cedar siding and improves property value. Using services from LRM Painting provides a quality coating that draws on more than ten years of experience using only the best materials. No matter where you live in Oakland County MI, there are some things to consider when looking to paint your cedar siding, including:

  • Frequency
  • Products
  • Application
  • Environment

We can help you address these issues and more. Our professional painters are insured and licensed, unlike some companies you will find on an internet “painters near me” search. So, how do the points listed above improve value and salability?

How Often Does Cedar Siding Need to be Painted?

Cedar wood is a popular construction material used on many homes in Oakland County MI. It is lightweight, and its open-cell structure offers good insulating properties as long as the wood stays in good shape. Exterior painting should be reapplied every five to seven years to provide maximum protection and top dollar on the market.

Surface preparation, quality products, and taking precautions against extreme elements are critical to a coating’s durability and, when done right, could help your exterior painting last a decade. Our professional painters bring years of experience to a job that shows neighbors and potential buyers that you have taken care of the property.

Paint and Primer Selection

One of the problems with doing a generic “painters near me” search is that most painters you find will use standard house paints. Exterior painting requires something more if you want to have it last. Cheaper exterior paint is thin and will be absorbed by the porous cedar siding quickly, creating minimal coverage and potential cracks in the protection.

We find a stain-blocking primer works best as a base coat. Removing the siding (if possible) and covering all sides and ends of the cedar planks offers maximum protection. A topcoat should consist of 100-percent acrylic latex paint. It will fill pours and is weather-resistant.

Proper Application

Applying exterior paint is done with a brush, roller, or sprayer. Exterior home painting services usually apply paint with a sprayer and then back roll using a roller. Brushes are a good option when the thickest layers possible are needed. That allows you to fill pores and other surface imperfections with minimal coats at the expense of time.

If you plan on doing the exterior painting using a roller or sprayer, make sure to back roll while the paint is still wet. That extra step pushes paint into the wood’s surface. Paint new cedar within two weeks of installation and let professionals prep and paint older siding.

Climate Concerns

Oakland County MI averages only 178 sunny days annually, but that does not mean sun damage will not occur on unprotected cedar siding. Sunlight can dry your siding, making it turn grey and become brittle. Proper exterior painting done by professionals can prevent the damage that the sun’s UV light causes.

Exterior painting can also protect against moisture damage from ice, rain, and snow. Old paint and unprotected wood will draw moisture into the cedar plank’s fibers. That can pull the protective coating off the wood, exposing it even more. Wet wood can become moldy and rot over time. Professional painters can prep and apply protective coatings.

If you have an exterior painting job that requires precision work and quality materials, contact us to schedule a consultation anywhere in Oakland County MI. We can help you with color selection, materials, tips, and fast service that will work around your schedule. Our licensed and insured staff have over a decade of experience. Let LRM Painting help you protect your home and increase its market value with our comprehensive exterior home painting services.