If your home has a fiber cement exterior, you’re among the lucky homeowners who enjoy the many benefits of this long-lasting siding. Fiber cement siding is designed to last for decades. Although resistant to fading, that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with its current color forever. Can fiber cement siding be painted, though?
This type of siding can be painted, which is great news if you want to give your home a new look and boost its curb appeal even more. Before heading out for paint and other supplies, knowing more about painting fiber cement siding is important. Keep the following expert advice in mind.
What Can Fiber Cement Siding Be Painted With?
When you start exploring color options for your fiber cement siding, be careful about the types of paint you’re looking at. Some types of paint aren’t ideal for this kind of siding. Stick to paint that’s acrylic or acrylic latex for the best results. Choose an acrylic or acrylic latex paint that enhances your home when comparing color options.
What about primer? Your fiber cement siding might already be pre-primed, meaning you don’t need to get primer along with paint. Ask a siding professional if you’re unsure whether your home’s fiber cement siding is primed.
Clean Up the Exterior First
Painting fiber cement siding with dirt and debris means it won’t look great after all your hard work. You’ll have bumps where you’ve painted over debris. If your siding has any mildew, painting over it won’t work. Mildew will end up growing through the new paint. You should also remove chipped paint.
Clean the exterior of your home before applying any paint on it. Check with the fiber cement siding manufacturer to see what’s best to use as a cleaning solution and how to clean your siding. You might need to pressure wash it lightly to eliminate dirt and debris.
Make or Schedule Repairs
Just as your siding should be cleaned before painting, it also shouldn’t have any cracks, dents, or other damage. Look over your siding to check for these kinds of issues before you start painting. You can apply acrylic caulk to fill in cracks or gaps.
If you’re not sure how to repair your fiber cement siding, schedule a professional to make the repairs. Have a siding expert handle these before you start painting. Making repairs or having them done helps ensure that your siding will look flawless when it’s painted.
Use the Right Equipment
What kinds of brushes should you use on fiber cement siding? For good results, choose synthetic bristle brushes for corners and other areas that are more difficult to paint. You can use rollers on your fiber cement siding to paint large areas.
You might be able to use a paint sprayer if you have a shake or shingle from fiber cement siding. Sprayers make it easy to paint contours and edges. After using a sprayer, go over your siding with a brush or roller as needed.
Paint from Top to Bottom
When you’ve found the perfect color and your siding is all clean and repaired, it’s time to start painting. The way you go about painting your fiber cement siding affects how it ends up looking. What’s the right way to paint this kind of siding?
Grab your ladder, and plan on going from top to bottom. As you paint each piece of siding, go with the grain rather than against it. This helps ensure that the paint looks smooth and even. How much paint is enough? Plan on applying two coats of paint to your fiber cement siding overall. After applying one coat, wait a few hours before applying the second coat.
Who to Talk to About Fiber Cement Siding
Painting fiber cement siding isn’t a simple task. You don’t want to end up with an exterior that looks bad afterward. Talking to a fiber cement siding expert in Indianapolis can help ensure you’re all set for this task.
Moss Roofing can provide you with expert advice on your fiber cement siding. Our team can answer your questions about your siding, such as whether or not it’s primed. We can also handle any repairs your siding needs before you begin painting. Remember that our company also installs siding if you need brand-new fiber cement siding for your home.
If you need more info on fiber cement siding, give the experts at Moss Roofing a call. We have years of experience installing siding for homeowners in and around the Indianapolis area. Our team can provide all the advice you need to maintain your fiber cement siding so it looks its best for years.
