How long does exterior paint last in Memphis?
By Bart Caldwell
A Germantown porch and painted brick we finished.
How long does exterior paint last? There isn’t one number that fits every Memphis house. It comes down to what’s under the paint and how well it was prepped. Wood trim and siding last only as long as the wood, caulk and primer under them, and the sunny south and west walls always give out first. Our exterior painting comes with a 5 year warranty that covers peeling and cracking paint.
Most guides hand you one national number and stop there. Here’s what we actually check on a walkthrough, because that’s what decides whether your house needs paint this year or can wait.
Why one side of your house fades first
It’s the sun. The walls that take the afternoon sun fade and chalk years before the shaded side does. Paint on a north wall can look fine long after the west wall on the same house has gone dull.
So on a walkthrough we start on the south and west sides. If those are holding up, the rest of the house usually is too.
How long does exterior paint last on each surface?
It depends on what’s under the paint. Here’s how each surface wears on the houses we paint around Memphis.
| Surface | What shortens it | What we do | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painted brick | Coatings that trap water in the brick | Romabio Masonry Flat, a breathable mineral paint | Depends on prep and exposure |
| Brick in latex masonry paint | Poor prep or the wrong application | Clean, prep and apply it correctly | Depends on prep and exposure |
| Wood siding and trim | Rot, open joints, bare wood left unprimed | Replace rot, caulk, prime bare wood with Benjamin Moore Fresh Start | As long as the wood and caulk under it hold |
| Hardie (fiber cement) siding | Skipped primer, open butt joints | Fresh Start every time, then Benjamin Moore Regal Select | Primer and sealed joints decide it |
| Clear coated wood doors in sun | Sun breaking down the clear coat | A UV protective clear coat | Recoat about every 5 years |
That 5 year recoat is only for clear coated doors. It isn’t a schedule for painted siding or trim.
Where wood rot hides on Memphis houses
Rot shows up in the same three places over and over: brick moldings around doors and windows, garage door frames, and the fascia behind gutters. Paint on those spots fails first because the wood under it is going soft.
We don’t patch rot with epoxy or filler, and we don’t paint over it. If we find it, we photograph it and put it on the estimate, and you decide what gets replaced. A few soft spots on trim usually add a couple hundred dollars. We never swap wood while you’re away, and we don’t do structural work.
Brick, and why we stopped limewashing it
On brick, the coating has to breathe. That’s why we use Romabio Masonry Flat. There’s more on it in our Romabio Masonry Flat post.
We used to limewash exterior brick. We stopped. Heavy, sudden Southern rain washes it off fast and unevenly, and after a big storm it looks rough. It goes even faster on chimneys and retaining walls. A sealer buys a little time, but it isn’t breathable, which defeats the point of a mineral coating.
What we check on a walkthrough
We start on the sunny walls and look for fading and chalk. Then we run the caulk joints, especially where brick meets wood trim. That joint is the most common failure we see, and once it opens, water gets behind even good paint. We use stretchy sealants there: Pro Stretch, Big Stretch and SherMax.
Next we press on the brick moldings, garage door frames and fascia to find soft wood. Where paint is peeling tells us whether it’s a prep problem or a water problem.
Last, we sort the house by surface, since wood, Hardie and brick each get their own primer and paint. On a repaint, most houses cover in 1 to 2 coats.
What to ask your painter
Ask what primer goes on your siding, and get the product name. Ask which caulk they use at the brick to trim joints. Ask how they handle rot. You want photos and a price before anything gets replaced, not filler. Ask how many coats are in the quote and which paint line. “Good paint” isn’t an answer.
If cost is your next question, read what it should cost to paint your house exterior. Every estimate is free and in writing, and paint is included with our estimates. In Germantown, whole exteriors usually start around $6,000. And if you’re deciding when, here’s why fall is a good time to paint outside.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know it’s time to repaint my house?
Look at the sunny walls first. If the color has gone dull or leaves a chalky powder on your hand, the paint is wearing out. Cracked caulk where brick meets trim, peeling at door and window moldings, and soft wood at the garage door frame or fascia are all signs to act soon. Fixing those early costs less than waiting until water gets behind the paint.
Why is my paint peeling on just one part of the house?
Usually it’s water or the wood underneath. Peeling at brick moldings, garage door frames or the fascia behind gutters often means rot. Peeling at joints often means the caulk opened up and let water in. Paint rarely fails evenly, so the spot where it peels tells us what to fix before we repaint.
Does Hardie siding need primer before painting?
We always prime it. On Hardie siding we use Benjamin Moore Fresh Start primer first, then finish with Regal Select. Skipping primer is one of the quickest ways to shorten a paint job on fiber cement, and we seal open butt joints before any paint goes on.
How often should a wood front door be refinished?
If it’s a clear coated wood door that gets direct sun, plan on a clear recoat about every 5 years. That timing applies only to clear coated wood doors, not painted siding or trim. We refinish wood doors in the Memphis area and can look at yours during an estimate.
Want to know where your paint stands?
We’ll walk the house with you, check the sunny walls, caulk joints and rot spots, and tell you straight whether it needs paint now or can wait. Schedule a free estimate, or read more about our exterior painting service.
Keep reading
Is It Too Late to Paint Your House Exterior This Fall?
Painting Brick with Romabio Masonry Flat: A Breathable Mineral Paint
Bart Caldwell is a entrepreneur and business owner. With his ambition, tenacity, and dedication to hard work, he has built Caldwell Painting that is respected throughout the industry for their high-quality services and innovative solutions. Bart’s passion for excellence in all service areas has seen him build a solid reputation as a reliable problem solver and leader. His reputation of professionalism, integrity and quality has made him one of the industry’s most sought-after business owners.