Cleaning Siding on a House and Siding Maintenance
When it comes to siding, there is no perfect material. Brick cracks and chips with freezing temperatures in the winter and ground settlement during the summer. Stucco cracks with house shifting as the soil expands from winter rains. Wood can be damaged by water. Vinyl pits upon oxidation. Metal dents easily. No matter what type of siding you have, however, by properly maintaining it, you can add beauty and life to the exterior of your home.
Vinyl Siding Cleaning
One shortcoming of vinyl is that the siding surface etches in time, and the subsequent deterioration dulls the siding and makes it stain-prone. To lessen the need for repainting, clean your siding twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. You can get the surface sparkling clean by using a pressure washer with laundry detergent. Cleaning will not prevent oxidation, but it will slow down the deterioration process. If you do need to repaint your siding, there are now several brands of paint on the market that are formulated for vinyl siding application.
Stucco Siding Cleaning
The main drawback of stucco is its brittle surface, causing it to crack when the house shifts. On the flip side, it holds onto paint better than other types of siding as it is very porous, and it can actually absorb too much paint. Wet the surface first before painting; the water will fill the pores in the stucco and prevent excess paint from being absorbed. Begin painting once the surface water has evaporated. A paintable 50-year silicone caulk can be used to repair cracks up to 1/4 inch wide; use your finger rather than a putty knife so you can match the existing stucco texture. A latex patching compound and a trowel or putty knife can be used to repair wider cracks and gouges; to match the surface texture, apply a second coat. Remember to clean all loose debris from cracks first before patching them.
Wood Siding Maintenance
To prevent rot, treat your wood siding by applying oil, paint or stain. This will protect the siding from coming into direct contact with water.
- Oil is a clear finish that fills all voids and pores. It is easier to apply than paint, and mistakes are virtually invisible. An oil stain (oil with a mixed-in pigment) is slightly more difficult to apply, and mistakes become more visible, but more UV rays are filtered out by the added pigment. Oil and oil stain will not blister, chip or split. Oil will have to be reapplied every few years, while oil stain will last 3-5 years.
- Paint covers the wood surface with a durable, thin, waterproof coat and provides protection similar to oil. While paint can split, chip or blister, a quality paint if applied properly will last 7-10 years or longer.
No matter what you choose to treat your wood siding, you’ll need to do some preliminary preparation. Learn how to use a power or pressure washer to clean aluminum or wood siding in this Lowe’s video:
While you can use hand chippers, hand scrapers and blowtorches, pressure washers, soda washers and sand blasters are easier to use.
- Painted surfaces: Remove all old loose paint and sand areas where bare spots meet painted surface. Using a high-grade oil-based primer, prime all bare spots. To prevent water from getting under the siding, use a high-grade 50-year paintable polyurethane or silicone product and caulk all joints.
- Oil surfaces: Clean with a pressure washer and then apply wood bleach. Let it stand per manufacturer instructions and then repeat the pressure wash. You can then apply a fresh coat of oil or oil stain.
Aluminum Siding Cleaning
To keep your siding shiny and bright, pressure wash once or twice a year with laundry detergent. Although it’s commonly thought that aluminum siding doesn’t need repainting, you actually will have to repaint it at some point due to oxidation or chalking. A zinc oxide primer is best. For best results, spray-paint your siding and patch it with a filler designed for metal. Sand aluminum with sandpaper; never scrape it.
