Siding Painting In Kitchener, Waterloo & Cambridge

This is a common question because most people don’t know that aluminum and vinyl are actually ideal substrates for painting, if done properly.  Many think that the paint will just peel off because there’s nothing for the coating to ‘grip’ on the substrate.  But the truth is that acrylic paints have been used on these types of surfaces for over 40 years!​

Since aluminum and vinyl are not permeable to water vapour, there is never water passing through the substrate or the coating.  Compare to painting wood, where coatings peel mostly because of the stress from water constantly evaporating out through the paint layer.  But on impermeable siding, once the coating has bonded and cured, it undergoes very little stress and will never flake or peel.

Of course there are important steps to ensure the paint bonds to the substrate to begin with:​

• Preparation of the siding to be painted

• Selection of the appropriate product

• Application of the product in the best possible conditions

At We Paint Siding, we’ve developed a process and systems to make sure these steps are always taken properly.  Our crews are painting similar jobs every day and applying the same repeated and refined procedures on a regular basis.​

Please keep reading for more details on our siding painting procedures:

Cleaning​

The majority of sided houses still have their original siding from the builder.  Dirt and dust builds up and the old finish becomes faded, chalky, and sometimes covered with mildew.

These contaminants need to be removed before the new paint job is applied.  This is done using a pressure washer with proper reach and power.  Extension wands help to ensure the water stream is applied at the correct angle, even at heights.  

Many other painters will not even attempt to clean the siding, or will use a washer without the proper reach.  Aiming a washing wand up and ‘misting’ the high areas from the ground is not a proper way to clean the substrate.

Sometimes a mildewcide solution is needed to remove mold or mildew.  We will also hand scrub areas that are too stubborn for the washer, as necessary.

Scraping/Sanding

If anything is stuck to the siding, we will scrape it off.  We commonly have to remove the remnants of ivy plants or other vines, old caulking, or even eggs that were thrown at the house!

We will ensure that nothing is stuck on the siding that may interfere with adhesion of the paint in any way.  When it comes to dense vegetation remnants, we aim for 85-90% removal, which means it will not be noticeable once re-painted except from very close and only if looking for it.

At We Paint Siding we also prepare and paint wood surfaces like trims, windows, doors, the siding itself, and almost anything else.  Wood substrates often need scraping, sanding, and/or filling.

​Products

​Not any paint will adhere to exterior siding, and not all will hold up to the elements of sun, rain, and snow.  

All products that we use are formulated for use on aluminum or vinyl siding and have been on the market and in use for decades.  Over 40 years of being used on siding has proven these products to be trustworthy.

The paint we use is also ideal for spray-application to prevent overlap lines.  Many paints that are marketed now to homeowners have very fast drying times, which would not be suitable for a good spray application on siding.  Because the products we use stay ‘open’ for longer, we can get a more uniform finish.

​Some painting companies claim that they have invented the only products that can adhere to metal or vinyl siding.  Small outfits of one or two chemists have supposedly found the one ‘secret sauce’ that finally allows these substrates to be painted…

But in reality, full-scale coating manufacturers have employed hundreds of chemists over the years, all producing paints for this purpose and many others.  The paints we use can be sourced from well-known manufacturers (Sherwin Williams, Dulux, and others) right in Kitchener, Waterloo, or Cambridge.

​Application

​When applying paint outdoors in the elements, a lot of careful planning is necessary.  An experienced painter will consider variables such as weather conditions, local Tri-city forecasts, timing of direct sunlight, the manpower in his crew, how many different colours are being painted, how dark those colours are, how hard it will be to reach all the areas, and many others. 

​We Paint Siding utilizes a number of checklists and procedures to ensure that painters and crews are always reminded of the various factors to consider when undertaking a job.  It is important that we always offer the best possible job, even when working in outdoor conditions.

​Most other painters simply do not have enough of the specific experience in exterior residential spray-painting that we have, nor do they have any systems in place to prevent errors and misjudgements.  These types of jobs are radically different in almost every way from a typical interior painting job that is the bread and butter of most painting companies.

​For just one example, painting dark colours in direct sunlight is a no-no because the paint will dry too quickly.  But to avoid this takes planning from the very beginning of the day.  Our crews will plan the whole project based on where the sun will be at certain times of day, and start the job in the correct place accordingly.

​At We Paint Siding we make sure to do the job right, and planning ahead is a big part of that.  This is why we are proud to offer our 10-Year Guarantee.  We are looking forward to expanding the number of houses we’ve painted in Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge.

​Spray Application Vs. Brush and Roller

​Applying the paint by spray produces a much better finish than by brush or roller.

Brushes and rollers actually puts grooves or stipples into the finish, which adds texture and surface area to the coating.  The coating will have high and low spots which severely inhibits the lateral bonding properties of the paint (how the molecules bond to each other ‘sideways’ to form a durable whole). 

​Dirt and dust collect more readily on this increased surface area and the coating will also wear down and fade away more unevenly.

The friction caused by brushing and rolling also means that the paint can only be applied in thin layers.  Attempting to put on more paint will just result in it being pushed around.

​Application by spray means that a large area of coating can be applied at once, leveling itself out smoothly and evenly.  The larger area of paint will all dry together creating a stronger, smoother, and longer lasting coat.  The paint job will both look better and be far more durable.

Spraying allows us to carefully build up the coating in a way brush and roller cannot.  The final coating we provide will be thicker than 2 traditional coats of paint.

​A Superior Process

​The above is only a basic outline of the varied factors and proven procedures of a typical We Paint Siding job. 

Our experience and diligence allows us to provide our guarantee of both beauty and longevity.  Aluminum and vinyl are both outstanding substrates for paint when prepared and applied properly.