How Do I Know When to Repaint?


Like all things, paint degrades and decays over time, slowly loosing both its aesthetic appeal and protective qualities. All painted surfaces must be periodically recoated order to maintain their fresh appearance and protect the underlying material. The lifespan of a coat of paint depends on the quality of the original paint job and the materials used. Another determinant is the amount of abuse the surface is subjected to. Since interior paint jobs usually aren’t subjected to too much wear and tear they tend to last far longer than exterior paint jobs, which are constantly being bombarded by the elements. Let’s take a closer look at each:

  1. Exterior Paint

    1. It’s important to keep in mind that exterior paint does a lot more than just make your property look good, it prevents damage from being done to your exterior surfaces by protecting and sealing them.
    2. Depending on the quality of the paint job, number of coats applied, and the weather conditions, exterior paint jobs can be expected to last between five and ten years, although extreme climates or shoddy application can reduce their lifespan.
    3. The number of coats will also significantly affect the paint's lifespan. When applied correctly a single coat can reasonably be expected to last about five years, whereas two coats can last eight to ten.
    4. Signs that it is time to repaint include fading, chalking, chipping, cracking, or blistering paint. Also keep an eye out for deteriorating caulk around garage doors or windows where moisture can slip in a wreak havoc on the underlying materials.
    5. If repainting is put off too long and the underlying surfaces start to become damaged the price of the repaint will skyrocket because paint will not bond well with a damaged substrate.

  2. Interior Paint

    1. A professional quality interior paint job that is properly maintained can last well over a decade.
    2. Most of the time interior repaints occur for aesthetic reasons rather than because the existing paint is physically failing.
    3. Keep in mind however that interior paint does degrade and will fade over time.
    4. Interior areas that receive more wear and tear than usual include laundry rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens. Paint may fail sooner in these areas since they are subjected to higher than usual amounts of moisture, staining, and scrubbing.

There is no set rule on when to repaint; basically, repaint when it needs to happen. On interior surfaces this may be when you get tired of looking at the same old faded paint job. On exterior surfaces this is when the existing paint job begins to fail. Keep an eye out for those tell tale signs of deterioration and get it taken care of before it becomes a bigger job than it needs to be.