Paint your house to look like a pro! Painting the exterior of your home is an investment that will drastically improve curb appeal and make it more attractive. But if you don’t take the time to do it right, you could end up with paint peeling off in 3 years or less.
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Follow these 10 tips for painting the exterior of your home, and get professional results without hiring a contractor!
1. Plan Your Paint Project Ahead Of Time
Planning your painting project ahead of time can save you valuable time and money. A painting project can take a few days if you do it yourself. It’s important to know what supplies and equipment you’ll need, as well as how much time it will take for each step in your painting process so that way there won’t be any surprises. If you are looking for best exterior painter then Kamloops Exterior painting is best choice.
Here are some questions to ask when painting:
- What color should I use?
- How many gallons per coat of paint should I buy?
- Do I want gloss or flat finish on my walls?
- Do I have all the necessary tools, like ladders, tarps, drop cloths…etc.?
- Is this a good day (dry without rain) to start painting outside?
2: Do All The Prep Work Necessary To Prepare The Surface Before Start Painting
It is important to prepare the area before you start painting. This is to make sure that the finished product will look neat and clean with no leftover dirt or stains on your walls.
If it’s been a while since any work has been done, this may require some heavy-duty scrubbing before applying a coat of primer. If there are cracks on the wall from water damage then these need to be filled in first so they don’t become an eyesore later down the road and take away from how nice everything looks now after being repainted.
This step usually takes more time than anything else but if you put in all of the prep work upfront when it comes time to paint, there won’t be much left for you to do at that point except wait for it dry.
3: Choose A Good Quality Paint That Is Appropriate For Your Area And Climate Conditions
There is a wide variety of paint to choose from these days and so many different brands. The best way to narrow down your choices is by looking for paint that is labeled for your region and climate.
You may also want to choose a paint that has been specifically formulated for the type of exterior you have, such as stucco or wood siding.
Paint can be expensive so it’s important when shopping around to know what kind of surface you’re painting and whether or not you need any additional products, like primer or sealer, in order to make sure your paint job lasts.
4: Make Sure You Have Enough Paint for Painting
The last thing you want is to run out of paint before you’ve finished painting. To avoid this, buy extra and estimate your needs accurately to make sure you have enough for the project.
As a general rule of thumb if you’ll need at least one gallon per 400 square feet and plan on doing two coats then you may want to purchase an extra quart or gallon for each coat.
5: Use The Right Tools
Having the right tools on hand can make all the difference.
Paintbrushes:
Brushes come in a variety of shapes and sizes for different surfaces and tasks, so pick one that is appropriate to your project. The bristles should be soft enough on delicate surfaces like wood siding but also have some stiffness to them when you’re painting large areas with stucco or brick.
Rollers:
Rollers for the outside should be at least twenty inches wide and have a nap length of around one inch.
Paint Pan:
A paint pan is like an extra bucket that you can mix your paint in without having to worry about spilling it all over the ground
Ladder or Scaffolding:
Depending on how tall your house is, this may not always be necessary but if you’re going up high enough then make sure to use safety equipment for climbing.
Painters Tape:
You will need this to cover up things like windows, trim work, and any other part of your house that you don’t want to be painted.
Paint Scrapper:
This is used to scrape off any loose paint before you start painting a new coat.
Spackle Knife:
This is used to spread spackle over the surface that you just scraped.
6: Use a primer
Paint primer is a special type of paint that you put on the surface before painting. It seals in any dirt and grime from previous coats of paint, which can help make your new coat look shinier than normal. Primer also helps cover up mistakes when you’re painting an even color over another one (i.e., if there’s some white peeking through)
You’ll want to use at least two thin layers of primer for best results—one layer will not be enough to seal in all the old colors below it. If possible, let each layer dry overnight before applying the next one so they have time to bond together properly.
7: Paint from top to bottom
Painting from top to bottom will give your paint job a smoother look than starting at the ground level (especially if there are gutters). Not to mention, gravity will help the paint flow downward as you go, which saves a bit of work.
8: Make sure to seal your leftover paint
If you’ve got a can leftover after you complete this project it is important to seal it to ensure that you’re not going to have any paint drying out or hardening in the can. If it’s not sealed correctly the paint will become useless.
9: Caulk trim
Make sure to caulk the trim around windows, doors, and any other spaces that would be prone to moisture entering the building. That way you can avoid water damage on your freshly painted walls. It is also good practice to fill in gaps between 2 different materials with caulking as well.
10: Protect doors, windows, and lights
It is important to protect the doors, windows, and lights on your house from the paint so that you can maintain their condition and appearance. You may want to get some plastic film or clothes for this type of protection.
Conclusion
There is a lot to know when painting the exterior of your home. These tips should help to get you started on painting your house and get the professional look you were wanting with the help of Kamloops Painter.