Brick is the main wall material in the Bronx, so that is where this page starts. After that come the vinyl and aluminum siding found on many frame houses, the wood clapboard and cedar shingles of City Island and Riverdale, and stucco, which is less common here.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. New York City labor, building rules, access and the state of your own walls move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
Is painting brick a bad idea, and does it trap moisture?
Painting brick can be a bad idea, because the wrong paint traps moisture in the wall. Brick and mortar take in water and need to let it back out.
A film forming paint slows that down. In a New York winter, water held in the brick freezes and expands, and the face of the brick can flake off. If brick is going to be painted, it should be sound, dry, repointed where needed and coated with a breathable masonry product.
Should I paint my brick or leave it natural?
Leave it natural if the brick is in good shape and has never been painted. Unpainted brick needs almost no upkeep. Once you paint a brick wall, you have a surface that needs repainting every few years, and removing the paint later is costly.
Brick that is already painted is a different case. It should be kept up, which means scraping loose paint and repainting with a breathable coating. By the national figures, painting brick costs $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot. On a landmark or in a historic district, the Landmarks Preservation Commission says its staff cannot approve painting masonry that was never painted.
Can you paint vinyl siding?
Yes, you can paint vinyl siding. It has to be clean, sound and coated with an acrylic paint made to bond to vinyl.
The national figure is $1 to $3 per square foot, and the paint is listed as lasting 5 to 10 years on vinyl. Many Bronx frame houses were covered in vinyl decades ago and the color has faded, which is a good reason to paint.
Can vinyl siding be painted a darker color, or will it warp?
It can warp if you go much darker with ordinary paint. Dark colors soak up heat, and vinyl buckles when it gets hotter than it was made for.
The safe choices are a color no darker than the original, or a paint line sold as vinyl safe, which uses pigments that reflect heat. Ask to see that on the product sheet.
Does painting vinyl siding void the warranty?
It can. Some vinyl siding makers state that painting voids the warranty, and others allow it with conditions.
Read your own warranty before you decide. On siding that is 20 or 30 years old the warranty has often run out or does not pass to a new owner, so there may be nothing left to void.
Can you paint aluminum siding?
Yes. Aluminum siding takes paint very well. The national figure is $1 to $4 per square foot.
The key step is washing off the chalk, the white powder left as the factory finish wears out. Bare metal spots are primed, then the siding gets two coats of acrylic. Brushed or sprayed with care, old aluminum siding can look new.
What paint is best on wood siding, and will paint fix dry cracked wood?
The best paint for wood siding is a primer on all bare wood followed by two coats of 100% acrylic exterior paint. Paint will not fix dry, cracked wood. It protects sound wood from getting worse.
Fine surface cracks can be filled by a good primer and two coats. Split or soft boards have to be replaced first. Paint on wood siding is listed as lasting 3 to 7 years, and less on the side that faces the water.
How much to paint a cedar shingle house?
No separate figure is published for cedar shingles. The national figure for painting wood siding is $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot, and shingles sit toward the slow end because of their rough face and many edges.
Cedar shingle houses are found on City Island and in parts of Riverdale. Shingles can be painted or stained. Once painted they must stay painted. Bare cedar also needs a primer that blocks its natural tannins, or brown stains bleed through light colors.
Can you paint stucco, and what paint sticks to it?
Yes, you can paint stucco. Use a masonry primer and an acrylic or elastomeric masonry paint, both made to grip a rough, alkaline surface.
Stucco is not common in the Bronx. You see it on some Tudor style houses in Riverdale and Fieldston, on a few houses in Throgs Neck and Morris Park, and as a coating over old brick or block. The national figure is $1.00 to $5.50 per square foot.
Do hairline cracks in stucco need fixing first?
Yes. Hairline cracks should be sealed before painting, or water gets in and freezes behind the coating.
Very fine cracks can be bridged by an elastomeric coating. Wider ones are filled with a masonry patching compound. Cracks that are wide, stepped or growing point to movement and should be looked at before any paint goes on.
How often does stucco need painting?
Stucco needs painting every 5 to 7 years, by the national figures. In New York's freeze and thaw, check it each spring for new cracks and seal them early.
Can painted brick or stone be stripped back to bare?
Sometimes, but it is slow and costly. The national figure for removing paint from brick is $1.50 to $9.50 per square foot.
Soft old brick can be damaged by harsh methods, and old paint may contain lead. Sandblasting brick is not painting work and should be discussed with a masonry contractor.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (718) 866-3263.