The beauty of Portland’s Mt. Tabor neighborhood comes from its skillful interaction of the architectural and the natural, the buildings we inhabit and the landscapes that surround them. We know that the buildings and the landscaping need maintenance to keep them healthy and beautiful, but did you know that the two can actually affect each other? The way you maintain your landscaping can help or hurt your exterior paint, and the structure underneath it.
There are two ways that the plants around your home in the Mt. Tabor neighborhood can affect the exterior painting: directly and indirectly.
How Does Landscaping Directly Affect Exterior Paint?
Portland’s Mt. Tabor neighborhood has a classic, historic beauty to its homes. Sometimes we allow vines to grow on a house to evoke an old-world, charming style. This is very destructive to the home and the exterior paint, however, and we advise against it. Tendrils from climbing plants can intrude into small cracks and make them bigger, destroying your siding or trim. Also, the vines cling so powerfully to the surface that, even after they are removed, root-like traces are left on the siding.
Another direct impact that plants can have on exterior paint is by physical contact. As shrubs, bushes and trees grow, their branches often crowd close to the house. While this may seem harmless, every breath of wind creates movement and friction which will wear out the paint, and possibly the siding underneath.
Indirect Ways that Landscaping Affects Exterior Paint
Nobody who has lived in the Mt. Tabor neighborhood (or anywhere in the Portland metropolitan area) needs to be told that rain is frequent and dry spells are unusual. That means that our home exteriors are regularly exposed to moisture, and they don’t have an environment that is conducive for drying out again. For that reason, we need to give our siding and exterior paint every advantage for drying out when the opportunity arises.
When our bushes and trees grow close-up against the house, they trap moisture in and prevent drying. The best way to prevent this is to trim your landscaping so that it stays at least a foot away from the side of the house. This way, air can circulate and the house does not stay wet. You also want to consider how much sunlight is able to get through your foliage. If the house stays shady most of the time, you may want to thin some branches to allow those precious moments of sunshine to work their magic!
A home that is allowed to stay dry will have fewer issues with mildew, wood deterioration, and pest intrusion, meaning your exterior paint will look beautiful longer, and you will need to repaint less often.
House Painting Company for Portland’s Mt. Tabor Neighborhood
Sundeleaf Painting offers premium house painting services to residents of the Mt. Tabor neighborhood, and to the greater Portland metropolitan area. We have been painting fine homes since 1930, building a reputation for fine craftsmanship and excellent customer service. If your home is ready for exterior painting, give us a call or contact us online, and we will be happy to provide you with a free house painting estimate.
