Homeowner Help: Tips for Painting a House Exterior
Writer • May 1, 2020
While choosing the right color house paint and preparing your home’s exterior for a new coat of paint are important prep steps, these are just two of many. Some people will attempt their own exterior painting, while others leave the job to the pros. Below is an outline of the most widely shared tips and tricks to ensure successful exterior painting in Pensacola, FL.
Do it yourself: Prepping and painting
It’s not uncommon for homeowners to want to try DIY home improvements. This includes painting the outside of the house. If you plan to take the DIY route, make sure you do your homework on how to properly paint a house and gather all supplies ahead of your project’s start date. Above all, don’t skip steps of the painting process. Here are some key things to know:
- Watch the forecast: First and foremost, consider the weather. Paint needs time to dry and cannot adhere to wet surfaces. Plan your exterior house painting project around your local forecast and current weather conditions, and understand that the time of year is key. The best time of year to paint outside is when it’s dry. Aim for as little rain and humidity as possible.
- Choose a quality brand of paint: Cheaper brands of paint will save you money initially, but not over the long term. When it comes to paint, the better the quality, the fewer new applications it’ll need over the years. Quality exterior house paint also provides better coverage.
- Protect the landscape: Painting is a messy job. Before starting, cover bushes, plants and the ground below the paint zone. Use plastic sheeting or drop cloths.
- Apply primer: Plan to apply a good coat of primer. Sand the surface with primer, then paint on your chosen color.
- Prep the surface: Paint has a hard time adhering to rough and/or dirty surfaces. To ensure paint sticks, clean surfaces thoroughly, let dry, then sand or scrape off any peeling paint. Another thing to note is that paint won’t stick to rotten wood. Painted-over rotten siding material will continue to deteriorate, so it’s not worth painting. Instead, replace large sections of dry rot with new siding or wood, or use a wood hardener (wood filler) to fill small areas. Prep and sand replacement wood or filled-in areas prior to painting.
- Start at the top: Similar to washing windows, paint your siding from top to bottom to control streaks. Drips will happen, which is why this method works. You can smooth out paint drips and streaks as you work your way down.
- Store paint and supplies properly: Use a rubber mallet to properly close paint containers, or risk the paint drying out.
Hire a professional painting contractor
A professional house painter can do the job right and in a shorter amount of time. In addition to having experience and skill, highly trained painting contractors own all the right tools. They can also help you choose the best paint in terms of quality and color.
New paint can boost curb appeal and make your house feel like a home. Call Fresh Start Painting Inc. to learn more about exterior painting in Pensacola, FL!
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