Siding maintenance: schedule, lifespan and costs
Updated
Overview
Siding is the house's skin: vinyl, wood, fiber cement, stucco or brick, over a layer of sheathing and a water barrier. Its job is to shed rain and shade the wall from the sun, and the paint or finish on it is what does most of that work. The maintenance is a wash every year that takes off the mildew and shows you the wall up close, a yearly check of the trim and caulk where water gets in, and on painted siding, a new coat of paint every few years before the old one fails.
Lifespan
Siding lasts 20 to 50 years. Vinyl is at the short end, fiber cement at the long end, and wood and stucco in between, depending on how well they're kept painted. What shortens siding's life is water behind it, which rots the sheathing and the framing no matter what the siding is made of, and sun, which fades vinyl, chalks paint and dries out caulk. Mildew eats paint. Shrubs against the wall keep it wet. Sprinklers that hit the siding do the same every morning.
What extends the life is caulk and paint kept sound, a wall that gets air and sun, and a wash every year that stops mildew from getting a hold. The signs siding is near the end: boards that are rotten, cupped or cracked across whole walls, vinyl that's brittle, warped or faded past matching, stucco with cracks that keep opening, and sheathing that's soft when the siding is lifted.
Maintenance schedule
The yearly jobs and the longer one, in the order they come up.
| Task | How often |
|---|---|
| Wash the siding | once a year |
| Inspect the exterior window and door trim | once a year |
| Repaint the exterior | every 5 to 10 years, depending on the siding |
Replacement cost
Residing a house costs $8,000 to $25,000 for an average home. Vinyl is at the low end and fiber cement at the high end, with wood and stucco in between, and the range depends on the size of the house, the number of stories, and whether the sheathing and the water barrier underneath need replacing too. Residing is also the time to add insulation under the new siding, which raises the price and lowers the heating bill.
The repair-or-replace rule: a cracked vinyl panel, a rotten board, a patch of failed stucco or a section of trim is a repair, and siding can be patched a piece at a time. Siding that's failing across whole walls, or sheathing that's rotten behind it, is a replacement. If the siding is past the middle of its lifespan and the paint won't hold because the material underneath is breaking down, painting it again is money spent on a wall that needs residing.
Common problems
- Green or black growth on the shady side, and dirt streaks under the windows: mildew and grime. Wash the siding.
- Peeling, blistering or chalking paint: the finish is failing and water will follow. Repaint the exterior before bare wood shows.
- Cracked caulk and soft wood around the windows: water getting behind the trim. Inspect the exterior window and door trim and recaulk.
- Vinyl panels that have warped or buckled: heat, often from a grill, a reflection off a window, or panels nailed too tight to expand. Replace the panels and fix the cause.
- Wood siding that's cupping or splitting: it's gone unpainted and taken on water. Replace the worst boards and paint the rest.
- Stains or bulges on an interior wall near an outside corner or a window: water behind the siding. Find where it's getting in before the sheathing rots.
FAQ
How long does siding last?
About 20 to 50 years depending on the material. Vinyl is at the short end and fiber cement at the long end. Paint, caulk and a yearly wash are what get any of them there.
How much does it cost to reside a house?
$8,000 to $25,000 for an average home, with vinyl at the low end and fiber cement at the high end.
Should you pressure wash siding?
Wash it, with a low-pressure setting or a hose and a siding brush. High pressure drives water behind the panels and strips paint. A soft wash does the job.
How often does siding need to be painted?
Every 5 to 10 years for painted siding, with wood at the short end and fiber cement at the long end. Vinyl isn't painted unless you choose to.
How do I know if my siding needs to be replaced?
Rot, cupping or cracking across whole walls, vinyl that's brittle or warped, and soft sheathing when a panel is lifted. A wall that won't hold paint is the same message.