As you might know, paint is one of the cheapest and best ways to change the appearance of your home. Unfortunately, homeowners often find themselves spending more than they should on professional exterior house painting services because they don’t know what different types of paints are appropriate for different houses. Fortunately, if you take a little time to do some research beforehand, it will pay off very well in terms of both money and satisfaction with your new paint job.As you read the following 14 tips, keep in mind that there are really just two things to keep in mind: the exterior of your home and the color palette. This will guide you through everything else!
Identify Your Home’s Exterior Materials
Before considering any kind of exterior paint, it’s essential to understand what type of material it is made of. The most common types of exterior materials are brick, wood siding, or vinyl siding. It is critical to understand what makes paint behave differently depending on what surface it is being applied to. For example, the wrong kind of paint can ruin exterior materials in your home! Visit a local hardware store and consult with someone experienced.
Determine Whether Your Exterior Needs Priming
Second, it’s important to plan out whether your exterior needs priming or not. If you’ve ever seen little bubbles on old paint, then the answer is yes. This is caused by dampness in the paint, causing it to expand instead of dry. As a result, the only real solution here is to scrape away any old peeling paint and prime everything down perfectly before applying anything else.
Prepare Your Exterior for Painting
This means cleaning it first! For example, if there are any cracks or holes that show signs of water damage (warped wood, for instance), you’ll need to fix them with caulk first before repairing any other exterior materials. This will ensure that new paints adhere properly, so no additional problems pop up later. Also, repairing any of your sidings before painting is a great idea because it gives your new paint job a smoother surface to adhere to if you don’t want cracks in your finish.
Remove All Plants, Lawn & Furniture from Exterior Surfaces
Another crucial aspect that most people tend to forget about is emptying the area around exterior surfaces. Not only will this protect your plants, but it’ll also help ensure that there isn’t any dirt and debris potentially stuck underneath these things in areas where painters won’t be able to reach with their equipment. If you have couches or patio furniture near the house, simply cover them with furniture covers or tarps to keep any paint from coming into contact with them.
Sand & Caulk Your Exterior Surfaces
Many people overlook this crucial preparation step when preparing their homes for exterior painting. While sanding isn’t necessary for every house, it’s essential to understand that not doing so can end up causing problems later on down the line. If there are any cracks or crevices, then this process becomes essential. It’s also a good idea to caulk around your windows and doors before applying new paint, especially if you have had any problems with moisture behind these areas before.
Repair & Prime Your Exterior Surfaces
Finally, it’s time to start painting! If you’ve done all of your repairs and caulking already, then priming is a great way to get everything started on the right foot. Make sure that whatever primer you use has a corresponding topcoat. This makes a huge difference from using a primer alone without anything else over the top because it won’t last as long or adhere as well as paint does. If you are using caulk, make sure to let it dry completely before applying anything else so that you don’t have messy overlap marks.
Weather & Temperature Considerations
It’s important to consider the climate around your house for exterior painting. For example, if you’re living in a location with lots of humidity, your best option would be to use an oil-based topcoat instead of a latex one because this will last longer and can stand up against extreme weather conditions and temperature changes over time.
Applying Sealer or Primer Using a Spray Gun
If you are applying primer, you’ll want to make sure it covers every corner of your house. The best way to do this is by using an airless paint sprayer so that nothing is left behind. It’s also essential to ensure that there isn’t any over-spray hitting siding or plants nearby because this can potentially damage them as well.
Consider Painting Different Areas Different Times
It’s also a good idea to paint different areas of your house with different types of exterior paint. For example, if you’re painting the stucco on your home, then simply using caulk won’t work because it’ll be torn down and ripped away as soon as someone steps foot on it. It’s best to use an oil-based product for this area because an acrylic one will just get chipped and damaged over time.
Painting Exterior Areas Other Than Siding
Finally, no matter what type of siding you have, you should always consider painting all trim and windows before laying down any new topcoat. This is incredibly important because these surfaces will attract a lot of dirt as soon as you put fresh paint on. If these areas aren’t cleaned properly, then the dirt will essentially be locked into place, and your paint job won’t last as long as possible because of it. So, get all of your trim and windows painted before applying the new topcoat.
Inspect Your Exterior Finishing Touches
Once you’ve completed applying sealer or primer to your paint job, it’s important that you inspect everything around your home thoroughly before moving on to other areas. This will ensure that you don’t miss anything and end up doing any touch-ups later on. You also need to be sure that no areas were missed during the paint job. This will take a lot of time but is incredibly important if you want your paint job to stand up against time and Mother Nature’s elements.
Using An Exterior Paint Stripper
If you’re really looking to save money on painting your house, then you might want to consider using an exterior paint stripper instead of actually buying a topcoat. While this isn’t necessarily the most efficient way to go about it, it can help give your home a brand-new look without having to buy all the necessary products. When using exterior paint stripper, make sure that you do it in a well-ventilated area or outside. This will keep you safe and also ensure that the smell of the chemicals doesn’t ruin anything in your home, like carpets, for example.
Exterior Painting Using Rollers
If you’re looking for a more efficient way to paint the exterior of your house, then it might be worth looking into the different types of rollers that you can use. For example, you need to make sure that the roller has an extension pole made for it if you want to ensure proper paint coverage.
Painting Exterior Shakes
Painting your exterior shakes is slightly different than painting your actual siding. That’s because they’re flat and can be difficult to stand on to reach the top of them. The first thing you should do is construct a platform out of 2×4’s that will sit on your roof. It will prevent you from falling off. After you’ve completed this step, you’ll be well on your way to painting like a professional in no time.
