How To Choose A Siding Color, And Can You Paint Vinyl Siding?

Start With What You Can't Change

The easiest way to narrow hundreds of siding colors down to a few is to start with the parts of the house that are staying.

• The roof. Unless you're replacing it too, the roof color is fixed for years. Gray, black, brown, and weathered-wood shingles each pull siding colors in a different direction.
• Brick, stone, and the foundation. A brick chimney or stone front has its own undertones, warm or cool. Siding that picks those up looks planned. Siding that fights them looks like two different houses.
• The style of the house. Colonials and capes, which make up so much of Tewksbury and the towns around it, look at home in the classic New England range: white, cream, yellow, gray, and muted blues and greens, usually with dark shutters. A contemporary house can carry bolder contrast.
• The street. You don't have to match the neighbors, but it helps to look at the houses on either side. A color that stands out on its own can look out of place next door to the two houses beside it.
• The light. A house facing north sits in cool, flat light most of the day and reads darker. A south-facing house gets warm, strong light that washes colors out.

Pick Three Colors: Siding, Trim, And Accent

A house that looks finished usually has three colors working together: the siding, the trim, and an accent.

• Siding is the main color and the one you see from down the street.
• Trim outlines the house: corner boards, window and door casing, fascia, and soffit. White trim is the classic New England choice and works with almost any siding color.
• Accent is the front door and the shutters. It's the smallest area and the cheapest to change later, so it's the place to be bold.

Gutters count too. We match seamless gutters to the trim color so they disappear into the roofline, which is usually what you want.

Can You Paint Vinyl Siding?

Yes, you can paint vinyl siding, with a few limits that matter.

• Use paint made for vinyl. Paint makers sell exterior paints formulated for vinyl, with colors they've rated as vinyl-safe. Regular exterior paint may not hold on vinyl, and the wrong color can heat it enough to warp.
• Don't go darker than the original color. Vinyl expands as it heats up. A darker color absorbs more sun, and siding that gets hotter than it was made for can warp and buckle. Staying the same shade or lighter is the safe rule.
• Clean it first. Mildew, chalky residue, and dirt have to come off or the paint won't hold.
• Check the warranty. Painting can affect the siding manufacturer's warranty. Read it, or call the manufacturer, before you start.
• Know what you're signing up for. Vinyl was chosen because it never needs paint. Once it's painted, it does, every several years.

Painting makes sense when the siding is solid, lies flat, and the only problem is the color. If the vinyl is cracked, brittle, loose, or badly faded, or if you want a darker color than it was made for, new siding is the better answer. Our guide to common winter siding problems covers what worn-out vinyl looks like.

Fiber cement and wood are a different story. Both are made to be painted, which is part of their appeal and part of their upkeep.

Choosing Siding Colors With Senco

We install vinyl lap siding in 4-inch and 5-inch exposures, vinyl cedar impressions in 5-inch and 7-inch exposures in multiple colors, fiber cement, and wood. Our guide to vinyl lap vs cedar impression siding compares the two most popular vinyl styles.

For most homes in the Tewksbury area, new siding runs about $25,000 to $30,000, depending on the size of the house, the material, and whether the old siding comes off first. Every new siding installation includes waterproofing and free seamless gutter installation, and financing starts at 0% for 12 months through GreenSky. You can see what we install on our siding page.