Ideas for Painting the Outside of a Trailer

Preparation

• Keeping your trailer siding clean is important for the same reason washing your skin is important: for protection and appearance. The siding protects your mobile home from natural elements, helps to insulate and adds stability to the home. The first step in preparing for an exterior paint job for a trailer is to wash the siding if it is aluminum or vinyl. Be sure to remove any tree sap and other stubborn stains. Repair any dents in the siding, carefully caulk the cracks and holes if any and cover everything you don’t want painted (windows, doors, bushes) Make sure the siding is thoroughly dry before priming and painting.

Color Selection

• Most mobile homes or trailers look their best in light colors. Dark colors absorb heat and the siding underneath a dark paint will be very hot indeed. This amount of heat can cause stress and even warping to vinyl and aluminum siding. Consider a natural light-colored paint, such as eggshell or cream. Lighter colors will make the mobile home seem larger as well. Add a darker trim color for shutters, doors and other trim. You also can paint the front door a bolder color to add distinction and visual interest. Medium-tone neutral colors such as taupe, gray or mocha are good choices for trailers, looking sedate and not likely to get neighbors or trailer park managers upset.

Surroundings

• When looking at paint colors, consider the surroundings your trailer is in. If the mobile home is in a trailer park, you may only have a few choices in color for exterior paint. Consider the color of the roof, the color of neighboring houses or trailers, and what landscape features are around your home. You want something that will look attractive but will also blend in with the surroundings. Also, consider the bushes and trees around your home, if any. Landscaping can enhance your chosen color scheme. For instance, a dark green front door could match the shade of a yew bush in the front of the trailer.

Priming and Painting

• Professional painters know that careful and thorough preparation for a paint job is key to the long life and quality of the exterior coat of paint. Priming will help the new paint adhere to the surface and add some depth to the paint color. Be sure to allow primer to completely dry before applying the paint. An acrylic-based, latex exterior house paint over the primer is a good way to go. Acrylic resin in the paint will make the paint last longer. As the pros say, bargain paint is no bargain if you want longer wear and better coverage from your paint job.