Detroit is a brick and wood city. The walls we see most are brick with wood trim, wood clapboard, and aluminum siding added in the 1950s to 1970s. Vinyl is common on later houses and re-sided ones. Stucco is the least common. This page takes them in that order of importance.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Local labor, paint prices and the condition of your own surfaces move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
What paint is best on wood siding, and will paint fix dry cracked wood?
A 100% acrylic latex paint over a suitable primer is best on wood siding. Paint will not fix dry, cracked wood, but primer and paint will seal fine surface cracks and stop them getting worse.
Weathered grey wood must be sanded or scraped back to sound fibers first, or the paint will let go with the dead surface layer. Deep splits and loose boards need repair or replacement. By the national figures, painting wood siding costs $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot and lasts 3 to 7 years.
Can you paint aluminum siding?
Yes. Aluminum siding takes paint very well once it is clean. The chalky powder on old panels is the worn factory finish, and it has to be washed off completely.
After washing, bare metal spots are primed and the siding gets two coats of acrylic paint. Dents will still show, so badly damaged panels are better replaced. By the national figures, painting aluminum siding costs $1 to $4 per square foot, or $1,500 to $7,000 for an average house, and the paint lasts 5 to 10 years.
Is painting brick a bad idea, and does it trap moisture?
Painting brick can be a bad idea in this climate, and yes, ordinary paint can trap moisture in brick. Brick absorbs water and needs to dry out through its face.
A tight paint film slows that drying. In Detroit's freeze and thaw winters, water held in the brick freezes and can break the face off the brick, which is called spalling. Painted brick also becomes a permanent upkeep job, and removing paint from brick costs $1.50 to $9.50 per square foot by the national figures. If brick is to be coated, breathable mineral paints, limewash or masonry stains are safer than standard latex.
Should I paint my brick or leave it natural?
In most cases, leave it natural. Sound, unpainted brick needs almost no upkeep and suits Detroit's older houses. If your brick has already been painted, repainting it is normal maintenance.
If you want a change, limewash or brick stain gives a new color while letting the wall breathe. By the national figures, whitewash or limewash costs $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot and brick staining $1 to $4. Fix mortar and leaks first. In a local historic district, ask the Historic District Commission before coating bare brick.
Can you paint vinyl siding?
Yes, you can paint vinyl siding, provided it is in good shape and you use an acrylic paint made for vinyl. The siding is washed, allowed to dry and given two coats.
By the national figures, painting vinyl siding costs $1 to $3 per square foot, or $1,500 to $5,000 for an average house, and the paint lasts 5 to 10 years. Cracked or brittle panels should be replaced, not painted.
Can vinyl siding be painted a darker colour, or will it warp?
Going much darker is risky. Dark colors absorb more heat, and vinyl that gets hotter than it was designed for can warp or buckle.
The safe choices are a color no darker than the original, or a darker shade from a paint maker's vinyl-safe color range, which uses pigments that reflect more heat. Check the color with the paint maker's vinyl-safe list before you commit to it.
Does painting vinyl siding void the warranty?
It can. Many vinyl siding warranties exclude or end coverage once the siding is painted. The terms differ by maker, so read your warranty or call the manufacturer before you decide.
If the siding is old enough that the warranty has little value left, this matters less. If it is nearly new, think twice.
Can you paint stucco, and what paint sticks to it?
Yes. Stucco can be painted, and acrylic masonry paint or an elastomeric coating sticks to it well. Stucco is not common in Detroit, but it appears on Tudor gables, on some 1920s houses and on newer synthetic systems.
New stucco has to cure before it is painted. Old stucco is washed, repaired and primed with a masonry primer. By the national figures, painting stucco costs $1.00 to $5.50 per square foot. Stucco soaks up more paint than siding, so coverage per gallon is much lower.
Do hairline cracks in stucco need fixing first?
Yes. Hairline cracks should be sealed before painting, because water gets in through them and freezes. In Michigan that widens the crack each winter.
Very fine cracks can be bridged by a thick masonry or elastomeric coating. Wider cracks are filled with a flexible masonry patch or caulk first. Cracks that are wide, growing or stained point to movement or trapped water and need a closer look before any paint.
How often does stucco need painting?
Stucco needs repainting about every 5 to 7 years, going by the national published figure for how long paint lasts on stucco.
Check it sooner in this climate. Look each spring for new cracks, stains under windows and paint that has gone chalky, and deal with those before they let water in.
How much does it cost to paint a cedar shingle house?
No separate national figure is published for cedar shingle houses. The nearest is the figure for wood siding, $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot.
Cedar shingles and shakes take more labor and more paint or stain than flat clapboard, because of the rough face and the gaps between shingles. Cedar also bleeds tannin, so it needs a stain-blocking primer under light paint colors. Many owners choose a solid or semi-transparent stain on cedar instead of paint. We price shingle walls after seeing them.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (313) 251-3869.