Is pressure washing my wood siding in Vancouver necessary before repainting, or can the painter just go over it?

Pressure washing is almost always necessary for exterior repainting in Metro Vancouver, and our climate makes it even more important than in drier regions. Vancouver homes accumulate a significant layer of dirt, algae, moss, and mildew on their siding due to our prolonged rainy season and high humidity. Painting over these contaminants means the new paint is bonding to the grime rather than the actual wood surface, which leads to premature peeling and adhesion failure within just a few years. A professional painter will use a pressure washer set to an appropriate PSI for your siding type, typically between 1,500 and 2,500 PSI for wood. Cedar siding, which is extremely common on Vancouver homes, requires a gentler setting to avoid gouging the soft wood grain. Many painters also apply a mildewcide cleaning solution before or during the wash to kill any biological growth at the root. After washing, the siding must dry completely before any primer or paint is applied, usually requiring three to five dry days, which can be tricky to schedule during our wet months. This is why most experienced Vancouver painters schedule exterior work between May and September for best results. If your painter suggests skipping the pressure wash to save time or money, that is a red flag. The prep work is what makes an exterior paint job last eight to twelve years instead of three to five. Ask your painter to include the pressure washing and drying time in the project schedule upfront.

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