A repaint is easier when the last one was looked after
A full exterior repaint is a major project. Much of its cost comes from undoing neglect: scraping paint that failed because water got behind it, replacing trim that rotted under a split caulk joint, washing off years of grime. Small, regular attention between repaints can make the next one simpler, and sometimes push it further away. This page is a maintenance plan for a house in Columbia, Missouri, and a guide to when the work needs a painter.
The weather record, as NOAA gives it
NOAA's engineering weather data for Columbia lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 90 mph (3-second gust at 33 feet), a 100-year rainfall rate of 3.3 inches per hour and about 56 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year.
The freeze-thaw figure is the one most tied to paint upkeep. Each cycle gives trapped water another chance to expand in a crack or an open joint. Small openings in caulk and paint film are where that starts, which is why catching them early is the core of exterior maintenance.
The city's water
The City of Columbia's Water Utility says the city's water is pumped from wells tapping a water-filled bed of sand and gravel beneath the bottomland along the Missouri River just southwest of the city, deposits left long ago by glacial meltwater. It's printed here as the city states it, about the drinking-water supply. It has no bearing on your siding, but it's the water your hose delivers when you wash the house.
A yearly walk-around
Once a year, pick a dry day and walk the house slowly with a notepad. Look at:
- South- and west-facing walls. Sun-exposed paint fades and chalks sooner; note any spots that look powdery or thin.
- The lowest courses of siding. Splash-back and wet soil keep them damp. Look for peeling, swelling or mildew.
- Window sills and the bottoms of door casings. Water sits on flat or nearly flat surfaces. Press with a thumb for softness.
- Caulk joints. At corner boards, around windows and doors, and where trim meets siding. Look for splits and gaps.
- Under the eaves and gutters. Overflow stains and peeling here usually mean a gutter problem, not a paint problem.
- Railings, steps and porch floors. Foot traffic and standing water wear them faster than walls.
Photograph what you find. Comparing photos year to year tells you whether a spot is spreading.
Washing
A gentle wash removes dirt, pollen and mildew that otherwise shorten the life of the finish. A garden hose, a soft brush and a mild cleaner do most of it. High-pressure washing by an inexperienced hand can drive water behind siding or gouge soft wood, and on older paint it can scatter chips, so many homeowners leave that to a painter.
Caulk and touch-ups
Small failures are cheap to fix and expensive to ignore. Cutting out split caulk and replacing it with a paintable product, then touching up the paint over it, keeps water out of joints. Touch-ups on sound paint often blend if the paint is the same product and the surface is clean, though faded walls may show the difference. Keep labeled leftover paint from the last job for this.
When to call a painter
- Peeling that spreads beyond a few spots or reaches bare wood.
- Soft or rotten wood on sills, trim or siding.
- Widespread chalking or fading on whole walls.
- Repairs on upper walls that need tall ladders or roof access.
- Any scraping or sanding on a home built before 1978.
That last point is about the EPA rule printed below: anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in homes built before 1978 must hold RRP certification, and their workers must be trained in lead-safe work practices. Hire for that work with the rule in mind, and ask the firm whether it holds the RRP certification the rule describes.
Planning the next full repaint
When spot repairs no longer keep up, it's time for a full repaint. The upkeep you've done shows up then: fewer repairs, less scraping, and a cleaner surface. Our exterior painting page explains the full process, the deck and fence staining page covers the wood around the house, and the pricing guide explains how condition affects the price.