In our sunny South Africa, the paint on the exterior of your house is at risk of being damaged. We’ve got you covered if you are unsure about how to maintain it! How often you should paint depends on a few factors:
Remember the quality of paint you used on the exterior
Have a look at your walls – consider the quality of the paint that was used previously. If you opted for a cheaper paint that is not of a high quality in the beginning, it will cost you more in the long run as you will need to repaint the exterior of your house more often in comparison to using a good quality paint.
Cheaper paints have less binder in them and therefore do not withstand the elements as well (the ultraviolet rays breakdown / degrade the chemical compounds in the paint). You would, as a rule of thumb, get approximately three to four years lifespan from a cheaper paint. However, a top quality paint could get you as much as seven to eight years. The lifespan will be determined by how exposed the walls are – a house that has no eaves will need painting a lot sooner. Remember goodkoop is duurkoop!
What preparation did you do when you first painted the exterior?
The second factor that affects the longevity and how often you should paint the exterior of your house is what preparation was carried out when the property was previously painted. If the walls were pressure cleaned and all the old dirt was removed, your paintwork will have a longer lifespan, but if the new paint was applied to dirty walls, then it is just a matter of time before the walls will look grubby again. It is also important that the proper primers are used in the preparation process. This aids better bonding of the paint to the substrate and protects against peeling.
Think about moisture
The third factor to consider is moisture, especially in the Upper Highway area. Many people don’t want to spend money on waterproofing (what an awful way to see your money disappear). However, no amount of preparation or good quality paint can resolve a moisture/waterproofing issue. If this is not attended to prior to painting, it is a matter of time (even as little as a few months) before your paint peels and cracks. This will not be paint failure or a workmanship issue.
Consider the area your house is located
The fourth factor will be where you live. Properties on the coast may get half the lifespan to inland properties because of their exposure to the sun and salty air.
How often should I repaint my woodwork?
The coating life on woodwork is a lot less compared to the walls. Woodwork needs a maintenance coat every 12 to 18 months depending on how much sun the woodwork is exposed to. If it is not maintained correctly, permanent damage can occur which results in patchy looking woodwork, even after a maintenance coat, because some areas may have been affected by the sun more than others. To resolve this would mean stripping the wood back down to bare wood. This is a labour intensive process and therefore costly.
How often should I repaint my roof?
These should only need painting every 8 to 10 years. Again, this is provided it was pressure cleaned prior to painting and a good quality roof paint used previously. Please be aware that not every roof can be pressure cleaned and painted. Ask your contractor for advice on this.
Does any of this relate to you? If yes, then give T-Rifik a call and we will sort out all your exterior painting woes!