If aluminum siding on your house is showing its age with a dull and faded surface, you can give it a facelift with paint and restore it. Compared to replacing siding, a coat of paint offers a dramatic change costing considerably less.
Painting aluminum siding involves three steps: first, power washing to remove chalking, mildew and dirt; then priming the surface; and finishing with a final coat of paint. To prepare and paint a 1500-square-foot, one-story house, a contractor will charge $3,060, which includes labor and material. If you have painting skills and tools, you can do the job for $350, the cost of the primer and paint, and save 89 percent. You'll need paint rollers and a pan, brushes, drop cloths and a ladder. You should consider renting a paint sprayer from a rental service or large retailer for less than $100 a day.
Get advice from the pro deck at a paint store or home center for the best type of primer and paint to use; usually a flat or satin finish of latex paint works well on aluminum siding. This is a time-consuming job that entails drying time between steps and longer if there’s rain in the forecast.
To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and questions, visit www.diyornot.com and m.diyornot.com on smartphones.
Pro Cost—DIY Cost—Pro time—DIY Time—DIY Savings—Percent Saved
$3,060—$350—54.0—57.5—$2,710—89 percent
