Paint when the material under it is sound, and replace when it is not. Paint protects and improves a solid surface. It does not make rotted wood, failed siding or a loose deck board whole again. Detroit's older houses have a lot of original wood that is worth saving, and some that is past it.
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 surfaces move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
Should I paint or replace my kitchen cabinets?
Paint your kitchen cabinets when the boxes are solid, the doors are real wood or sound laminate and the layout works for you. Replace them when the boxes are water damaged, sagging or you want a different layout.
By the national figures, painting costs $2,000 to $6,500 and full replacement costs $4,500 to $15,000. Many older Detroit kitchens have site-built or solid wood cabinets that are sturdier than modern flat-pack ones, and those are good candidates for paint.
Is it cheaper to paint or replace old siding?
It is cheaper to paint old siding than to replace it, when the siding is still sound. HomeGuide publishes the comparison for two types.
| Siding | Painting | Replacing |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl | $1,500 to $5,000 | $4,800 to $11,100 |
| Aluminum | $1,500 to $7,000 | $6,300 to $20,100 |
No published comparison exists for wood, stucco or brick. Paint is the better value only if the siding is not cracked, loose or letting water in. Painting over failed siding spends money twice.
Should faded, cracked or 30-year-old wood siding be painted or replaced?
Faded wood siding should be painted. Fading and fine surface cracks are normal aging, and wood siding that is firm when you press it will take primer and paint well, even at 30 years or 100 years old.
Replace boards that are split through, cupped away from the wall or soft. On most houses that is a small share of the boards, usually on the weather side and near the ground. The rest is prepared and painted. Much of the old-growth clapboard on prewar Detroit houses is better wood than what is sold today.
My wood siding has some rot. Do I paint it or replace it first?
Fix the rot first, then paint. Paint over rot fails within a season, because the wood under it stays wet and keeps breaking down.
Find where the water is coming from as well: a leaking gutter, a missing drip cap over a window or soil against the wall. Replace or repair the bad boards, prime all sides of new wood, caulk, then paint the wall as one job.
Should rotting or soft trim be filled and painted, or replaced?
Small soft spots in trim can be dug out, hardened and filled. Trim that is rotted through or soft along its length should be replaced.
Window sills, the bottoms of door casings, porch column bases and fascia behind gutters are where trim rots first on Detroit houses. A screwdriver tells you quickly. If it sinks in more than a little, filler alone will not last.
Can a painter patch dry rot with epoxy, or do I need a carpenter?
A painter can patch small areas of rot with a two-part epoxy wood filler. You need a carpenter when the piece is structural or mostly gone.
Epoxy works well on a sill corner or a few inches of casing: the soft wood is removed, a liquid hardener soaks in and the filler is shaped and sanded. A rotted porch post, stair stringer or long run of fascia is carpentry. Note that in Michigan carpentry on a house is a licensed trade for jobs of $600 or more, so ask who will do that part.
My deck boards are grey and splintering. Should I stain or replace them?
Grey boards can be cleaned and stained. Splintering, cracked or soft boards should be replaced first. Grey is only sun-damaged wood fiber on the surface, and washing and light sanding take it off.
Walk the deck and press each board. Replace the ones that flex, split along the grain or hold water. If more than a small share fail, or the frame underneath is soft, new decking is the better spend than stain.
Should chalky aluminum siding be painted or covered?
Chalky aluminum siding should be painted, not covered, as long as it is not badly dented. The chalk is the old factory finish breaking down, and the metal under it is usually fine.
A great many Detroit area houses from the 1950s and 1960s have it. The chalk is washed off, bare spots are primed and the siding is painted with acrylic paint. By the national figures painting aluminum siding costs $1,500 to $7,000 and replacing it costs $6,300 to $20,100.
Is a 20-year-old deck worth painting or staining?
A 20-year-old deck is worth staining if the frame is solid and most boards are sound. It is not worth it if the posts, joists or ledger are soft, because the finish will outlast the deck.
On an old deck a solid stain usually works better than paint or a clear finish. It hides the weathering and does not peel in sheets the way paint can after a Michigan winter. Have the structure checked before you spend on the surface.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (313) 209-8467.