Moelyn Photos / Getty Images
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Painting some home exterior features can lead to moisture issues, malfunctions, or bad adhesion.
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Avoid painting power and gas lines, air conditioners, and TV antennas since it can mess with their operations.
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Don’t paint surfaces like concrete, stone, or metal since they can trap moisture and cause peeling or structural damage.
Painting your home’s exterior is one of the most impactful changes you can make to improve its curb appeal and protect it against the elements. However, there are some exterior features you should never paint, as doing so may lead to bad adhesion, potential moisture issues, and even utility malfunction.
Below, we’ve listed the 5 home exterior features you should never paint, according to home reno experts and painting pros.
Meet the Experts
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Bar Zakheim is a home reno expert and CEO of Better Place Design & Build.
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Chuck Reger is a painting expert and franchise business coach of Five Star Painting, a Neighborly company.
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Robert O’Sullivan is a roofing contractor and the founder of Ranch Roofing Inc.
Utilities
Once you paint your home’s exterior, the exterior utilities will stick out like a sore thumb. Bar Zakheim, a home reno expert and CEO of Better Place Design & Build, explains how you should avoid painting exterior utilities even if they become eyesores. He says to avoid painting all exterior utilities, including the following:
“The issue with painting these things is that you could interfere with their operation, forcing someone to repair or replace them,” Zakheim explains.
If you’re set on covering unsightly utility features, he suggests opting for fences or utility boxes rather than painting them.
Tip
Always leave ample room for future service when installing any sort of utility covering.
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Metal Surfaces
Painting metal surfaces isn’t usually a good idea. It may look good immediately after painting, but the paint rarely adheres properly, leading to unsightly peeling and chipping soon after. Chuck Reger, a painting expert and franchise business coach at Five Star Painting, recommends never painting factory-finished metal flashings.
However, Robert O’Sullivan, a roofing contractor and founder of Ranch Roofing Inc., suggests that you can paint some metal, as long as you take special care to prep it properly.
“Certain materials like steel or aluminum need to be prepped properly, as they are prone to rust or peeling paint,” O’Sullivan offers. Although he warns that applying paints may interfere with their natural corrosion resistance.
If you’re set on painting your metal exterior features, O’Sullivan suggests always cleaning and sanding metal surfaces thoroughly before applying a primer specifically designed for metal surfaces.
Brick and Stone
Painted brick homes can be stunning, but a layer of paint on a brick exterior isn’t usually for the best. While paint adheres well to most brick surfaces, Reger warns that painting rough brick can block the breathability of the brick. This can trap moisture inside the brick, which may lead to structural damage and paint failure, and eventually, the brick itself may deteriorate.
O’Sullivan suggests cleaning and sealing brick and stone rather than painting if you wish to protect them. However, he notes that these materials are naturally durable, so they may not need anything beyond a good cleaning.
Concrete
In the same vein, you should refrain from painting concrete surfaces. Doing so can trap moisture inside the concrete, which can lead to structural damage.
Just like brick, the paint may look good after it dries, but the trapped moisture will cause it to chip and peel, leaving you with a mess. Also like brick, concrete is naturally durable and doesn’t require painting, though cleaning and sealing it may be a good option.
Any Other Non-Painted Surfaces
Odds are, if there are non-painted surfaces on an existing home, it’s because these surfaces don’t require paint. If you find non-painted surfaces that don’t fall into any of the categories above, you should avoid painting them. This includes but isn’t limited to the following:
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Rubber weatherstripping
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Natural wood windows and doors
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Vinyl windows and doors
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Gutters and downspouts
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Natural weather-resistant wood like cedar
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Wood decks
Likewise, if you’re trying to determine if you can paint something, Reger suggests first determining if it has been painted. If that’s the case and the paint has held up, it’s probably safe to repaint it.
How to Improve Exterior Paint Adhesion
No matter what you’re painting, the experts agree that you can increase your paint’s adhesion by thoroughly cleaning and drying the surface, and then priming the surface with a primer designed for whatever material you’re painting.
Warning
Following these steps will ensure the paint’s finish lasts as long as possible, but it won’t prevent damage caused by trapping moisture or compromising materials.
Read the original article on The Spruce
