I recently bought a house that has old vinyl siding, which seems to be quite worn – it looks more yellowish than white, even after I power washed it. Wanting to improve its appearance, I decided to paint it. After doing my research on the correct paint type and ideal painting conditions, I painted it, and it looks a lot better! However, I'm noticing it scratches off more easily than I expected, especially since I opted for a higher-quality paint. I didn't apply a second coat because I ran out of time before it got too cold. Now I'm wondering: do I need to do a second coat, or am I in big trouble here? I can reapply paint as needed, but I'd like to avoid wasting it if a second coat won't really help.
3 Answers
A second coat could help, but it sounds like the first is still prone to flaking. Regular vinyl paint jobs need a solid primer to grip. Without that, even expensive paint can have issues sticking. It might be best to accept that you’ll have to do some touch-ups as needed. You might also want to think about replacing the siding if it gets too bothersome!
It sounds like your paint might not have adhered properly to the vinyl. Unfortunately, paint on vinyl can flake off easily if the surface wasn't prepped right. Ideally, you should sand the vinyl, then apply a good primer before painting. If you skipped that step, there’s a good chance the paint won't last long. I recommend getting some paint to do touch-ups, but it's also worth considering a proper prep next time!
Vinyl siding can be tricky! If it's scratched easily, chances are it wasn’t properly prepped for painting. Using a binding primer is key for future projects. You could keep a small stash of leftover paint to fix minor scratches, but I recommend redoing it correctly for a long-lasting solution!