How to Correctly Paint a Home

A house can be completely transformed with a new coat of paint. Painting a house doesn't have to be a headache. It can be as simple as getting the right tools and using the right paint to make your home even more beautiful than it was before.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paint chart
• Paint
• Primer
• Paint rollers
• Paint sprayer
• Pressure washer
• Masking tape
• Paper

1. Determine the amount of paint needed. You will do this by figuring out how much surface area, or square feet you need to paint. A 10x10 wall is 100 square feet. A gallon can of paint usually covers 200 square feet. Divide the total number of square feet to be painted by 200 and that will tell you how many gallons of paint to get.

2. Choose a color. Color charts can be found at any paint store to help you make a decision, or you can have the color off of virtually any item matched and made into paint. Most homes are painted with two colors, one for the house and another complimentary color for the trim.

3. Purchase paint and primer. There are several choices when purchasing exterior paint, but latex, or water-based paint is recommended for most houses. The brand of paint you purchase depends a lot on your budget. For a good paint that is reasonably priced, try Behr.

4. Pressure-wash the exterior of the house. Your home can take quite a beating from the elements which can peel and bubble the paint. Pressure washing will remove the really loose paint, dirt and oils from your house. A pressure washer can be rented at your local paint or rental store. Let the house dry before proceeding to the next step.

5. Scrape loose paint from the sides and trim of the house. Scrape in the direction of the wood grain to get the best results. Prime any spots where bare wood is showing. Use a roller or a brush to apply enough primer to cover the areas. This process seals the bare wood and allows the final color to cover better.

6. Cover windows, doors and exterior light fixtures with masking tape and paper. This will prevent you from getting paint where it isn't supposed to go.

7. Paint the house with the colors you have selected. The house color can be painted on with a roller, which takes a considerable amount of time, or with a paint sprayer. A sprayer, like a pressure washer, can be rented and takes a little practice to get used to. Use rollers and brushes to paint all of the trim color.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a masking machine that holds both tape and paper together. It will make the job of covering windows and doors a lot easier.
• Primer can be tinted from its original white color so it will not show through the final house color.
• If the exterior of the house is in really bad shape or painted a very dark color, it can take two coats of the final paint color to cover properly.
• Some manufacturer's paint will cover more area than 200 square feet, so check the label on the brand you buy for any additional instructions in that area.
• Check with your homeowner's association before choosing your paint color. Some neighborhoods have certain restrictions on colors.