How Much Will It Cost to Paint Vinyl Siding?

Estimating Costs for Painting Vinyl Siding

When you’re considering the costs of painting your house’s exterior, here are a few of the key drivers.

Paint Prices

The cost of exterior enamel paint is generally around $0.20 to $0.30 per square foot, so if you're looking to cover 500 square feet of siding, you'll need $100 to $150 worth of paint, typically. A gallon of exterior enamel paint costs between $40 and $70, and it will cover between 250 and 400 square feet.

Labor Costs

You'll generally pay between $60 and $100 per hour to hire a siding painter contractor to do this job. This is typically a 4 to 8-hour job depending on how big of a surface you want to paint, so you are probably looking at spending $240 to $800 for labor on average.

Tools and Equipment

In addition to paint, you'll need a number of basic tools and equipment to do this job, including:

1. A ladder

2. Paintbrushes

3. Buckets

4. Roller screen and tray

5. Multipurpose tool

6. Gloves

How Much Does It Cost to Paint Siding by Square Foot

Expect to pay about $1 to $3 per square foot for the entire project, including labor and paint. If you're painting 2,000 square feet on an average-sized home, that means it would cost you $2,000 to $6,000 for the entire project. About half the cost would be for labor, about a third for paint, and the rest would be for miscellaneous costs.

How Much Vinyl Siding Can I Paint on My Budget?

Chances are, you already have a budget in mind for this project. But how much will it get you? This quick guide will help you understand how far your money will go.

$300

This is the absolute lowest end you can expect to pay. In this case, you’re only getting a small amount of siding painted⁠—say, less than 1,000 square feet⁠—and you’re painting it yourself.

$1,000

In this case, you are also getting less than 1,000 square feet of siding painted, but you’re hiring a pro to do the work.

$2,000

This is the lower end of what it would cost to hire a siding painter for a regular-sized house.

$4,500

This is closer to the higher end, where you’re getting 1,500 to 2,000 square feet painted and you’re paying a premium for labor and paint.

$10,000+

Some vinyl siding painting projects may cost this much if you have a large home with a lot of siding to paint, perhaps 4,000 square feet or more, and you hire a pro.

How Much Does It Cost to Paint Vinyl Siding Yourself?

You can probably save about half the cost of the project by doing it yourself, so instead of paying $1 to $3 per square foot, you’d pay $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot. This could save you as much as $2,000 on painting an average-sized house. That’s certainly tempting, and this is definitely a project you could do on your own with minimal experience.

However, we’d advise at least contacting a painting professional near you for a quote. After all, this is hard work, and you may not have all the tools you need. Sometimes, it’s best to leave projects like this to the professionals.

What Factors Influence the Cost to Paint Vinyl Siding?

There are a number of key factors that will heavily influence how much you end up paying for vinyl siding.

Square Footage

This is by far the biggest factor affecting price. Since you’re mostly paying by the square foot, the larger the surface area to cover, the more expensive this project will be.

Quality of Paint

Not all paints are created equal. If you want a better quality of paint that will last longer and have a more attractive finish, you will have to pay extra. However, if you’re willing to settle for a lower-quality paint, this is an area where you could save a little bit of money.

Project Difficulty

Some houses are easier to paint than others. If your home has multiple levels or it’s just more difficult to access the siding, the project may take longer and you may have to pay more for labor.

FAQs About Painting Vinyl Siding

Is painting vinyl siding a good idea?

Yes, it's fine to paint vinyl siding. It also won't require repainting every few years like with other types of siding. Just pressure wash it occasionally and it will keep its look for a long time. However, you should always paint the siding with a lighter shade, as darker shades may absorb more sunlight and warp the siding.

What kind of paint do you use on vinyl siding?

You should use acrylic paints on vinyl siding, as it will adhere to your siding the best.

Is it less expensive to paint vinyl siding or replace it?

It is much less expensive to paint rather than replace vinyl siding. The cost of new vinyl siding ranges from $6,000 to $17,000 on average, whereas painting it is a fraction of that cost.

Do I need to prime vinyl siding before painting?

Generally no, you do not need to prime vinyl siding before you paint it unless the manufacturer's original color has become very faded and the panels are porous.