How to Paint Concrete Siding With an Airless Sprayer
A composite of cement and wood fibers, concrete siding (also called fiber-cement siding) is resistant to rot and insect damage. Unlike wood, it doesn't expand and contract, so a paint job can last a decade or more without peeling if you prepare the surface properly and use quality paint. Most concrete siding comes pre-primed from the factory, and according to the Sherwin-Williams paint company, pre-primed or previously painted concrete siding can be painted directly with water-based paint. An airless sprayer is the most efficient way to paint concrete siding. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Masking tape
- Masking paper
- Hand masker
- Drop cloths
- Airless sprayer
- Acrylic primer
- Paint
- 5-gallon buckets
Instructions
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Make sure the siding is clean and dry before starting to paint. If new, power wash it to remove the film of silica dust left over from the manufacturing process.
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Remove what you can from the siding, such as house numbers, shutters and light fixtures.
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Mask the windows. The easiest way to mask a large number of windows, or adjacent surfaces that aren't getting painted, is with a hand masker, a tool that allows you to apply masking tape and masking paper together quickly and precisely. Cover all the window glass, because overspray can drift several feet even on a calm day. Protect the ground where you're working with drop cloths.
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Set up your airless sprayer by plugging it into an exterior receptacle. Set it on a drop cloth, because spills in the work area are inevitable. Flush it with clean water.
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Prepare the paint by straining it into a clean, 5-gallon bucket. If the cement siding is un-primed, apply a coat of acrylic (water-based) masonry primer first. The Portland Cement Association does not recommend using oil-based primer.
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Start at the top of the siding and spray in sections about 3 feet wide. Work your way down, overlapping each painted section by about one third to avoid thin spots. Allow the primer to dry according to label directions.
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Apply one or two coats of acrylic paint, allowing about 4 hours between each coat. Remove the masking tape and paper after the final coat is dry.
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Tips & Warnings
The Portland Cement Association warns that flat paint will attract dirt and mildew, and suggests using satin paint over a well-primed surface.
Treat the airless spray gun as if it were a real gun, by engaging the trigger lock when not in use, and never pointing it at yourself or anyone else. The paint comes out of the tip with great force and can deeply penetrate skin, mandating an emergency room visit.
