How to Paint a Barn

Every home improvement project requires some planning. In fact this is one of the most important steps is to plan what you need to paint your barn. The money you can save by home improvement is money you can put into other projects for your home. It can also be a fun thing for the whole family to do.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• plastic
• putty knives
• power washer (optional)
• scraper
• tray liners

Basic Steps

1. Properly clean surface either with a power washer or soft bristle brush.

2. Decide if you want your barn hand brushed or sprayed.

3. Make sure surfaces are clean and dry.

4. Start with the ceiling first, then the walls. Paint walls in an up and down motion.

Preparation

5. Make sure all repairs are complete and the surface is properly prepared.

6. Do all of your cutting or trimming before you paint the walls.

7. Inspect the barn for damages before you paint. You might have to peel off chips of old paint, fill in gaps and cracks with caulk, and hammer nails flat or cover them by using plaster.

Tips & Warnings

• Washing walls by hand is time consuming, but if you want to purchase a power washer, it's more effective. However, you must allow the walls to dry several days before you paint them.
• Basic exterior paint job, just a paint brush, roller and a paint tray might be needed. The bigger the job the more tools you will need.
• Inspect the barn at least once a year for damages.
• Torches are not safe to use to remove paint as they may cause a fire.
• Avoid abrasive paint removal methods (such as sanding or sandblasting) which will damage the wood and may create dust hazards.

Resources

• free articles to view
• Repair your house
• Taking care of your old barn