Vinyl can be a great surface to include in your interior and exterior décor. It is sturdy enough to last for decades and sleek enough to make you want to leave it there that long. 

However, anyone who has or has ever had vinyl siding knows that it isn’t necessarily the easiest material to paint. Whether your particular type of vinyl is smoother or on the more matted side, it is a surface that is not as receptive to many types of paints as others.

Nevertheless, with the right color, type, and technique, you can make your vinyl siding pop with a fresh coat of paint.

Select the Right Color

First and foremost, you want to make sure that you choose the right shade of paint, and that begins by considering how your vinyl is situated within your home. Vinyl tends to be close to and complementary to windows, which means that you’ll want to avoid darker colors. For one thing, darker colors and the brightness we tend to associate with window space don’t mix. For another, darker colors tend to absorb more heat, which in turn can cause the paint to peel, bubble, warp, and otherwise spoil.

Some of the best colors for vinyl siding include:

• Soft whites
• Cool yellows
• Silver and darker grays
• Pale greens
• Pewter
• Tan

Type of Paint

The most important thing to remember here is that paint expands, and you need to make sure that you choose one that says it can handle or minimize that as much as possible. 

Acrylic is by far one of the best choices for doing that. The same holds true for urethane resins. Paints in lighter shades made from these materials can manage heat and keep the paint in good shape. 

You’ll also want to make sure to use lighter paints, color and weightwise, less the substrate underneath has issues.

Painting Technique

Before you start painting, you’ll want to prime your vinyl. Either buy a professional primer or make your own with a mixture of materials such as detergent, water, bleach, and powdered cleaners.

When it comes to painting vinyl siding, one commonly overlooked possibility is spraying it on with a sprayer. For as much as we fixate on brushes and rollers, sprayers could be a gamechanger. Not only does spraying your vinyl save you valuable time, but it could also do a great job of maintaining the original color of the siding.

That said, spraying can cover a wide area in a short period of time, and while that’s the idea, you want to make sure that you don’t accidentally spray over some of the things located near the vinyl. You should thus always take care to cover windows, downspouts, doors, flower beds, and similar areas.

Start from the top and work your way to the bottom in a criss-crossing way, taking care to cover up paint dribbles as you go.

Finally, remember that two coats are better than one, so make sure to apply multiple protective coats to your vinyl.

By following these steps, you can find the right types of paint for your vinyl siding and apply them the right way.