Paint when the material underneath is sound, and replace when it is not. Paint protects and changes the look. It does not make rotten wood solid or hold a failing surface together. Here is how that plays out on the things Ann Arbor homeowners ask about most.
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 walls or siding move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
Should I paint or replace my kitchen cabinets?
Paint them if the boxes are solid, the doors are flat and the layout suits you. Replace them if the boxes are water-damaged, sagging or the layout has to change. Nationally, painting runs $2,000 to $6,500 and full replacement $4,500 to $15,000.
Is it cheaper to paint or replace old siding?
It is cheaper to paint old siding than to replace it. HomeGuide publishes the comparison for two types. Vinyl: $1,500 to $5,000 to paint against $4,800 to $11,100 to replace. Aluminum: $1,500 to $7,000 to paint against $6,300 to $20,100 to replace.
No such comparison is published for wood, stucco or brick. For wood the real question is how many boards are still sound.
My wood siding is faded, cracked or 30 years old. Paint or replace?
Wood siding that is faded but firm should be painted. Age alone is not a reason to replace it. Old-growth clapboard on prewar Ann Arbor houses is often better wood than anything sold today.
Push a screwdriver into the worst boards. If the wood is hard, it needs scraping, primer and paint. If boards are split through, cupped or soft in many places, replace those boards and paint the rest.
Wood siding with some rot: paint it or replace it first?
Fix the rot first. Paint over rot traps water and the damage spreads behind a good-looking surface. The usual order is to find where the water gets in, replace or repair the rotten boards, prime all bare wood and then paint the whole wall.
Rot here is most common near the ground, under leaking gutters, at window sills and where snow sits against the wall in winter.
Rotting or soft trim: fill and paint, or new trim?
Small soft spots in trim can be dug out, hardened and filled. Trim that is soft along its length should be replaced. A window sill with one rotted corner is a repair. A fascia board that crumbles along the gutter line is a new board.
Can a painter patch dry rot with epoxy or do I need a carpenter?
A painter can patch small areas with epoxy wood filler once the rotten fibers are removed. You need a carpenter when the piece is structural, when rot runs behind the siding, or when whole boards have to be cut out and matched.
We repair and prime surfaces as part of prep and we tell you when a spot is beyond a painter's repair.
Gray, splintering deck boards: stain or replace?
Gray boards can be cleaned and stained. Splintering boards that are still solid can be sanded first. Replace boards that are soft, cracked through or lifting at the fasteners. Always check the frame underneath, since a new finish on a weak structure is money wasted.
Chalky aluminum siding: paint it or cover it?
Chalky aluminum siding can be painted, and it holds paint well once the chalk is washed off. The white powder on your hand is the old factory finish breaking down. It is a surface problem, not a sign the metal has failed.
Cover or replace aluminum only when it is badly dented or loose. Many 1950s and 1960s houses around Ann Arbor still have their first aluminum siding, and it repaints cleanly.
Is a 20-year-old deck worth painting or staining?
A 20-year-old deck is worth staining if the frame is sound and most boards are solid. Michigan winters are hard on decks: snow sits on the boards and freeze and thaw opens cracks. Have the posts, joists and ledger checked before you spend money on the surface.
On an old deck with worn boards, a solid stain hides more and protects better than a clear finish. See our deck and fence staining page.
How do I decide?
- Sound and ugly: paint or stain it.
- Sound with a few bad pieces: replace those pieces, then paint.
- Soft, wet or failing in many places: replace.
- Not sure: ask for an estimate and we will tell you plainly.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (734) 399-4198.