Exterior House Painting Tips
Many people like to save money by painting the exterior of their home instead of hiring a professional. Exterior painting is not usually difficult but can be time consuming, and you may be tempted to cut corners by skipping important preparation steps or using cheap materials. This is usually unwise, but by following basic rules and paying attention to both safety and detail, you can have a very professional paint job. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Ladders
- Paint brushes
- Paint sprayer
- Power washer
- Clean buckets
- Scrapers
- Wire brush
- Drop cloths
- Caulking gun
- Exterior spackle
Instructions
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Make sure you have safe, adequate ladders to reach every part of the house. If you need a very tall ladder, they can be rented at any rental yard if you don't want to buy or borrow one. Always keep your body within the plane of the ladder uprights and read the safety instructions on the side. It is extremely important to pay attention to the proper angle settings for extension ladders, as improper ladder angle is one of the most common causes of ladder accidents.
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Purchase tools and high-quality paint. With paint, you will usually get what you pay for and since there is a lot of labor involved in painting a house, trying to save a few dollars on the paint is a false economy since the job will not hold up. Cheap scrapers will dull very quickly, and cheap paintbrushes will slow you down because they don't hold as much paint and it's tough to do a neat job with cheap brushes.
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Be diligent with preparation, since this is the most important part of the job. If your hand comes off dirty or white after being rubbed on the side of the house (particularly the south side), the house will need to be power-washed or scrubbed by hand. Paint will not adhere well to a dirty or chalky surface. Make sure all the loose paint is scraped off the house, paying particular attention to windowsills and horizontal surfaces. A wire brush will work well on vinyl, masonry or brick but will gouge wood siding.
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Use a paintable silicone caulk around windows and doors and to fill unsightly gaps in trim. Caulking is both cosmetic, giving a neater and more professional look, as well as practical by sealing gaps. Caulking will increase the energy efficiency of your home and help the paint job last longer by eliminating gaps where water can seep in. Use spackle for nail holes and gouges in wood.
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Prime where indicated. While some surfaces--like stucco or vinyl--need no primer as long as two good coats of paint are used, weathered wood, iron and steel and new wood should be primed with the appropriate primer and followed by two coats of paint. Check with your paint store to find the best primer for the surface.
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Follow paint can directions, especially in regards to temperatures when painting. Not only is painting in high heat and humidity uncomfortable, it can affect the paint film by accelerating drying time. Painting when it's too cold or if the temperature is expected to drop quickly can lead to uneven sheen and early paint failure. Usually the most practical time to paint is spring and early summer, before landscaping plants have matured and while the temperatures are more moderate or in late summer or fall, when landscaping can be cut back and the heat is not so intense. This will of course depend on your geographic area.
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Consider spraying the main body of the house if it is to be painted. With a little care and practice, an airless sprayer (available at most rental outlets) can save you days of work over painting siding by hand. Hiring a professional to do just the spraying, leaving you to do the prep and trim is a viable option as well. Most houses can be sprayed in a day by a professional painter. Another advantage to spraying: it puts a heavier, more uniform coat of paint on compared to rolling or brushing.
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Tips & Warnings
Flat paint usually looks best on resawn (rough) wood trim, because paint with a glossy sheen will accentuate the surface roughness.
Consider a fun, punchy color for the front door, even if the other colors are muted and traditional.
Buy quarts of paint with the colors you're considering and test them on the house. This way you can see how it looks in different lights, or even in contrast to your neighbors' houses.
