Exterior paint and caulk under Texas sun

South and west fail first

Sun exposure is not evenly distributed, and neither is paint failure. Inspect the south and west elevations every spring and treat the shaded sides on a longer cycle.

• Chalking: a powdery residue on your hand means the binder is breaking down.
• Fading on one elevation only, which is the earliest visible sign.
• Hairline checking in the film before it becomes peeling.

Caulk is maintenance, paint is cosmetics

Water gets in at joints, not through the middle of a board. Caulk lines are what keep the wall dry, and they fail long before the paint looks bad.

• Window and door perimeters, especially the top corners.
• Trim-to-siding joints and vertical butt joints.
• Where different materials meet, such as brick to siding.
• Never caulk the bottom edge of siding boards, since that traps water.

Timing the work

Paint in Austin in spring or fall. Applying in July means the film dries before it can level, which shortens its life on the very elevations that need it most.

Questions we get

How often should an Austin house be repainted?

Seven to ten years for most homes, and closer to five on unprotected south and west wood. Annual caulk and spot-priming pushes the far end of that range.

Can I spot-paint without repainting the whole side?

Yes, though color will not match perfectly on a faded elevation. Spot-priming bare wood immediately is still the right call, since exposed wood fails fast here.

What about painted brick?

Painted brick needs breathable masonry paint and periodic touch-up at mortar lines. Sealing it with the wrong product traps moisture inside the wall.

Keep reading

• Pressure washing vs soft washing in Austin · Exterior
• Drainage and grading after an Austin storm · Exterior
• Maintaining a pre-1970 Austin house · Older homes