Have you ever driven through a neighborhood and seen a house that looked faded and discolored, like someone sprayed the house with bleach? Maybe it has also lost its crisp color and developed a chalky, patchy-looking texture. That is exactly what sunlight will do to Hardie board siding over time if it is not prepped correctly.

If that house is yours, we’ve got good news and bad news. The bad news is that once a house looks like this, it can’t be fixed by power washing or scrubbing, and you can’t just paint over it. The good news is that it’s absolutely possible to fix it! At CorsPaint, we know exactly what to do to have your siding looking fresh and new again.

What Causes Siding to Fade and Look Chalky?

Hardie board siding is a type of fiber cement siding. It’s a popular choice for homes because it’s low maintenance, it comes in a wide variety of colors, and it has the textured look of wood, but it won’t rot. Unfortunately, Hardie board siding also fades faster than wood, and over time you may see a chalky residue that won’t wash off.

There are several reasons this might happen:

Sunlight

The most common reason that Hardie board siding begins to fade and look discolored is exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Over time, those rays will destroy the pigments in the paint, causing your siding to fade.

Oxidation

Oxidation is a chemical reaction between the oxygen in the air and the chemicals in the siding or paint. This process causes discoloration and leaves behind that chalky residue that makes your house look unsightly.

Water

Exposure to rain can strip the protective coating off your siding and allow moisture to soak in. Over time, this can cause the paint to deteriorate and fade.

Can You Repaint Faded Hardie Board Siding?

Yes, you can! With the right process and products, you can give your home a beautiful new paint job that will last another ten to fifteen years. However, there are a few things you should know first:

You can’t paint directly over faded, chalky Hardie board siding

If you were to power wash and paint directly over the discolored siding, within about three months you would see your paint beginning to blister, peel and crack. That’s because you haven’t taken care of the underlying problems that caused the chalky residue. If this happens, you will have to scrape and sand all the paint off your home and restart the painting process.

Prep before you paint

To prevent peeling and cracking, you’ll need to prep your siding so that it will resist additional oxidation and discoloration. Start by giving the exterior of your home a good wash and applying a primer. At CorsPaint, we use a special conditioner that compresses the chalky residue and acts as a sealer. This creates a fresh, clean surface for the paint so it won’t deteriorate quickly.

Call the professionals

The best way to get a beautiful new paint job for faded, chalky siding is to call a professional paint crew. It’s definitely possible, but it also takes some know-how. A professional paint crew can get the job done for you quickly, and you can rest assured that it will last.

The secret to refreshing Hardie board siding is to know which products to use and how to apply them correctly. At CorsPaint, we have plenty of experience repairing and painting faded, chalky siding, and we’ll work with you to make sure the finished product looks beautiful. Give us a call for your free consultation today!