Paint protects sound material. It does not fix material that has failed. This page helps you tell which one you have before you spend money.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Brooklyn labor, parking, walk-up access, building rules and the condition of your own walls 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 you like the layout. Replace them if the boxes are swollen from leaks, the shelves sag or the layout does not work. By the national figures, 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 siding when the siding is sound. HomeGuide lists painting vinyl at $1,500 to $5,000 against $4,800 to $11,100 to replace it, and painting aluminum at $1,500 to $7,000 against $6,300 to $20,100 to replace it. No such comparison is published for wood, stucco or brick.
My wood siding is faded and cracked and about 30 years old. Paint or replace?
Faded wood siding with fine surface cracks can be painted. Wood siding that is split through, cupped, loose or soft should be replaced, at least in those boards. Age alone does not decide it. Many frame houses in Flatbush and Bushwick carry clapboard that is a century old and still takes paint well, because it was kept painted.
My wood siding has some rot. Do I paint it or replace it first?
Replace the rot first. Paint over rot traps water and the board keeps failing under the new coat. Push a screwdriver into the suspect spots. If it sinks in, that piece has to be cut out and a new piece primed on all sides and fitted before any painting.
Also find the cause. In Brooklyn it is usually a leaking gutter, a missing drip cap over a window or siding that sits too close to the ground.
The trim is soft or rotting. Fill and paint, or new trim?
Small soft spots in otherwise sound trim can be dug out, hardened and filled. Trim that is soft along its length should be replaced. Window sills and the bottom ends of door casings rot first because water sits there.
On a landmark building, replacing visible trim with a different profile or material can need approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Repair in kind is the simpler path.
Can a painter patch dry rot with epoxy or do I need a carpenter?
A painter can patch small areas with a two-part epoxy filler made for wood. You need a carpenter when the damage is structural, when a whole sill or board is gone, or when the piece has a shaped profile that has to be matched. Old cornices and brackets are carpentry work first and painting second.
My deck boards are grey and splintering. Stain or replace?
Grey boards can be cleaned and stained. Splintering boards are a judgment call. Light splinters sand out. Boards that are cracked through, cupped or soft at the screws should be replaced. Stain will not hold a board together.
My aluminum siding is chalky. Paint it or cover it?
Chalky aluminum siding can be painted, and it usually takes paint well. The chalk is the old factory finish breaking down. It has to be washed off fully, because paint sticks to chalk and the chalk lets go of the wall. Covering it with new siding costs more and is only needed when the panels are dented or loose.
Is a 20-year-old deck worth painting or staining?
An old deck is worth staining if the frame is sound. Check the posts, the joists and the ledger where it meets the house. If those are solid and only some boards are worn, replace those boards and stain the whole surface. If the frame is soft, new stain is money wasted.
Roof decks and rear decks in Brooklyn also see little sun in shaded yards, so they stay damp and grow algae. Clean wood matters more than the product.
When is paint not the answer?
- Wood that is soft, wet or rotted.
- Brownstone that is flaking or spalling. That is a mason's repair.
- Walls with an active leak behind them.
- Plaster that has come loose from the lath.
- Thermofoil cabinet doors that are peeling.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (917) 746-3274.