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.

Masking tape
Masking paper
Hand masker
Drop cloths
Airless sprayer
Acrylic primer
Paint
5-gallon buckets

Instructions

- 1
  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.
- 2
  Remove what you can from the siding, such as house numbers, shutters and light fixtures.
- 3
  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.
- 4
  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.
- 5
  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.
- 6
  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.
- 7
  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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