Painting wood that is meant to stay
On most houses, siding that's in poor shape can simply be replaced. In Kingsport's historic districts, the city's own guidelines push the other way: keep the original wood and repair it. That shifts the cost of a repaint toward careful preparation and carpentry, and away from new materials. This guide covers what a painter looks at when pricing an exterior repaint of original wood siding in Kingsport.
What the guidelines say
Kingsport's Design Review Guidelines apply to the exterior of historic buildings, including exterior wall treatments and finishes; minor improvements such as a paint color or cosmetic repairs may be approved by the Commission chairman with the building official. Kingsport's historic design guidelines call for repairing original wood siding and shingles and replacing them only if proven deteriorated beyond repair, with new siding matched to the original in size, placement and design.
We don't give advice on how that review works for a particular house; read the guidelines as written. For pricing, the takeaway is that repair of the existing wood is likely to be the starting point.
Prep is the job
Original wood siding that's been painted many times carries a thick stack of old coats. Where the stack fails, the cost goes into:
- Washing to remove dirt, chalk and mildew
- Scraping loose paint back to a firm edge
- Sanding or feathering the edges so they don't show through
- Spot priming bare wood the same day it's exposed
- Caulking joints that should be sealed, while leaving lap gaps open
The more of the wall that's failing, the more of these hours there are. A painter may describe the condition wall by wall, since the sunniest and wettest walls usually look worst.
Repairing rather than replacing
Small splits can be glued or filled. Rotted sections can be cut out and patched with a matching piece or with epoxy wood consolidant and filler. Where a board truly can't be saved, a new one has to match the original in size and profile, which may mean custom milling. Ask whether the painter does this carpentry or brings in someone who does, and how it's priced.
Primer and paint choice
Wood that's been scraped to bare in places needs a primer suited to both bare wood and the old coats around it. Old oil-based paint under a newer coat can complicate this; the painter may test adhesion first. Finish paints for wood siding are usually high-quality acrylic latex. The guidelines name a paint color among the minor improvements that may be approved by the Commission chairman with the building official, so color is worth settling before the proposal is final.
Lead-safe work on old coats
Under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in homes, childcare facilities and preschools built before 1978 must hold RRP certification, firms included, even sole proprietorships, and their workers must be trained in lead-safe work practices.
On a house built before 1978, scraping and sanding the siding disturbs old paint across the whole exterior. Lead-safe set-up means sheeting on the ground, limits on power sanding and open-flame removal, and careful daily cleanup. Those steps add time and materials. You can ask the painter whether their firm holds RRP certification.
Other cost drivers
- Height and access. Two-storey walls and gables need tall ladders or scaffolding.
- Trim detail. Decorative brackets, shingles in gables and turned porch parts take hand work.
- Windows. Sash and sill repair and reglazing are slow work.
- Coats. Bare and patched areas often need primer plus two finish coats.
What to ask
- How do you decide what to repair and what to replace?
- Who mills replacement boards if they're needed?
- Which primer over the old coats, and why?
- How will you contain old paint chips?
See exterior painting and the pricing guide for the wider picture.