Painting any surface is more than just taking a brush and a can of paint and just throwing it onto the façade. There need to be elaborate preparations, especially if you are painting the exterior of the house. This surface is most exposed to dirt so it will probably require thorough cleaning and perhaps a protective layer of paint afterwards.
However, are we as homeowners aware of all the stages of home exterior painting? If we aren’t, we have to get acquainted with them even superficially, because that will allow us to properly prepare for the new paint job our house is about to receive. Hiring professional painters is also a good option to ensure a high-quality exterior painting job.
1. Cleaning the Ground
Although the driveway and the ground around the house won’t get painted, they too need to be cleaned before the commencement of painting. This is because shrubs, branches, and other foliage can get in the way. Before any paint can be applied you need to make sure that all wall surfaces are clear of any debris and that they are clean.
The same goes for the patch of ground adjacent to the structure, as any dust might get stirred and fly up right onto the freshly painted wall.
2. Surveying the Material Your Exterior Is Made From
In most cases, the walls are made out of brick but seldom is there only one material at play. The walls could have aluminium or plastic parts, these need to be taken into account when calculating the type and the amount of paint needed to finish the entire edifice.
The thing is, each surface absorbs paint in a unique way, so you need to buy a special can(s) of paint for each surface your exterior is comprised of.
3. Cleaning the Walls
If you have a garden hose then you are definitely tempted to use it to clean the walls prior to painting. This method is perfectly legit but it does come with a downside. First of all, if the water pressure is too high, it can cause damage to weaker parts of the house, such as vertical drains that are usually made from metal and loosely attached to the walls.
Secondly, you are going to use way more water than needed and it would be virtually impossible for all of it too dry completely, especially in cold weather. Mold and mildew are bound to form sooner or later, postponing the painting until the issue with them gets sorted out. These are all reasons why scrubbing by hand is the most convenient solution.
4. Reaching the Higher Parts of the Façade
If you decide to paint the house on your own, you are bound to save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Not hiring a contractor is cost-effective but that means that you will have to cope with the more intricate parts of the paint job on your own.
One such instance is reaching the topmost part of the façade. Conventional ladders are far too impractical for this purpose, so you might want to hire a crane.
5. Applying the Prime
Prime is the last step in proper preparation for exterior painting and it should be preceded by another cleaning session. Once the wall surfaces are ready, prime, different in texture from the final layer of paint, is applied. Priming will effectively seal the surface preventing any portion of the paint from going through the walls. The finish coat can them be painted onto a smooth, uniform surface.
Final Thoughts
The better prepared your house exterior for painting is, the better will that paints stick and the longer it will last. That is why not a single step listed here should be overlooked.
When it comes to exterior painting, any paint finish is only ever going to be as good as the preparation you’ve done beforehand. Home exterior painting should be dealt with properly, also a bunch of tips and tricks from professionals are essential as well.