Siding often looks fine for years while the trim around it, the fascia, window casings, door frames and corner boards, starts to peel. Trim takes more water and sun than flat siding, and it has more joints and end grain. Peeling trim also tells buyers a house hasn't been maintained, even when the rest is in good shape.
WHY IT PEELS
| Cause | Clue |
|---|---|
| Moisture getting behind the paint | Peeling near joints, sill corners and bottom edges |
| Painting over dirt, chalk or mildew | Paint lifts in sheets with grime on the back |
| Latex over glossy old oil paint without primer | Large flakes that peel cleanly |
| Bare wood not primed | Peeling on repaired or replaced boards |
| Painting in the wrong conditions | Blistering or early failure on sunny or damp sides |
THE FIX THAT LASTS
- Find and stop the water: gutters, missing caulk, and failed flashing over doors and windows.
- Scrape all loose paint to a firm edge, and sand the edges smooth.
- Probe for rot and repair or replace soft wood. See our window sill repair guide.
- Clean off dirt and mildew, and let the wood dry.
- Spot-prime bare wood with a quality exterior primer, and use a bonding primer over old oil paint.
- Caulk joints with a paintable exterior sealant; never caulk the bottom edges of lap siding, which need to drain.
- Apply two finish coats of quality exterior paint in the right weather. See the best time to paint.
Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint on exterior trim. Scraping and sanding it requires lead-safe practices to protect your family and the soil around the house. Test first.
WHEN TO REPLACE
Rotted fascia, crumbling corner boards and trim that keeps failing are often better replaced with PVC or primed composite trim, which doesn't rot and holds paint longer. For costs, see our exterior painting cost guide, and for the full prep process, our exterior painting prep guide.
RELATED READING
ROTTED WINDOW SILL REPAIR: OPTIONS AND COSTS
Epoxy, patch or full replacement: how to tell which you need and what each costs.
HOW TO PREP YOUR HOME FOR EXTERIOR PAINTING
Washing, scraping, caulking, priming — the prep steps that determine whether an exterior paint job lasts 4 years or 12.
THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO PAINT YOUR EXTERIOR
Month-by-month conditions in the DMV, the temperature and dew limits, and when to book.
Planning a project? See our Exterior Painting service page for scope, process and recent work.
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