Planning on painting your home’s exterior? If so, you have quite a task ahead of you. Before you begin, you should know that there is a right way and a wrong way to approach your project, and knowing the difference between the two can literally make or break your final success. To make the most of your efforts and get the best possible results, follow these five handy house painting tips for painting the outside of your home:
Clear your space. Inspect the entire perimeter of your home to identify areas that are cramped with bushes, tree overgrowth, and/or other foliage. Trim back any plant life that is brushing up against your home, or that will be in the way when it is time to paint.
Clean the surfaces to be painted. Any outside surface you plan on painting should be clean, or else the paint won’t stick as you need it to. To clean the exterior of your home, take a soapy scrub brush (or even a broom) to it, and then rinse with a garden hose until the water runs clear. You may also use a pressure washer; just be careful not to get water in-between layers of siding.
Repair damaged surfaces. Once surfaces are clean and dry, inspect for any damage (cracks in the siding, loose boards, etc.), and make reparations before you begin to paint. Use a putty or wood filler (whichever is most appropriate for your housing material) to fill any cracks or holes, and then allow it to dry thoroughly before sanding it down.
Paint soffits and trim first. If you plan on painting your soffits and roof trim a different color than the rest of your home, then you should paint those details first, and by hand. That way, if there is any drip (which there likely will be), you’ll be able to go over it when you paint the exterior walls.
Use a primer. This step can save you a lot of effort down the line. Surfaces that aren’t primed may absorb your paint and bleed stains through. One coat of a suitable primer can help you avoid that problem altogether.
Painting your home is a big job. It takes time, patience, and attention to detail – not to mention a good amount of manual labor. If you are facing a painting project that you’re not sure you want to tackle on your own, you can call on the experienced professionals at AtoZ Painting to get the job done right.