Preparing Your Home for Exterior Painting

Westworld Painting thinks it can be extremely exciting thinking about changing the entire look of your home and we understand this. However, you can’t let that excitement control you because it could lead to some mistakes that might end up being costly. We want you to be successful so we’ve put together a few steps that you should take to prepare your home for exterior painting.

Before you start the first thing you need to understand, painting your home is really hard work, so you need to be ready for that. This is why it’s so important that you prep your home properly so that all the hard work is with it and your paint job will last for years to come.

We always like to remind people that there’s more to painting your home than picking out the color scheme, paint, rollers, brushes, paint pans, and so on. Believe it or not, almost half of painting your home is the process of preparation. Before you open that first paint can it’s important to follow the following steps in order to achieve a great look and something that you’ll be proud of.

Wash the Entire House

Before you start painting you want to make sure that you wash the exterior of your house from top to bottom and everywhere in between. You can make the job a lot easier if you have a pressure washer. However, if you don’t happen to own one, you can rent an affordable one, even if you’re on a tight budget. In the end, the little extra you spend on one will save you a lot of effort and time, especially compared to washing your home by hand. For most dirt on your home you can just use plain old water and the pressure to remove the dirt. If you come across some stubborn stains then you might need to add a cleaning substance to remove things like mold or other deep stains.

When your house is cleaned well it means that your paint is going to stick better and last longer. Before you go on to the next step, you should let your house dry for at least 24 hours.

Let Dry and Scrape

Once you have let your home dry you should walk around your house and look for any old paint that might be flaking off. You’ll need just a standard paint scraper and a little pressure and patience, but you should be able to scrape off the old paint. Again, it’s important to stress that your home must be completely dry before scraping otherwise it’s only going to end up resulting in even more flaking after it’s totally dry.

Time to Apply Caulk

After you are done with the scraping you need to inspect the house again and take some caulk with you and fill in any seams that are cracked between any vertical junctions or clapboards. Take the caulk and fill in all the cracks and voids to overflowing. Next take a damp rag and wipe off any excess caulk. Just make sure that any spaces that are for ventilation are not caulked.

Check for Needed Repairs

You are now ready to check your home for any possible repairs that need to be taken care of. If you have the skills to repair any damage, then do so, however, don’t get over your head, if you don’t feel confident in repairing any damage then hire a handyman or a professional carpenter to do the job for you.

Primer Time

Now you’re ready to apply the primer to your home. You especially want to make sure that you apply primer to any exposed or bare areas you have found on your home. The best type of primer to use for the exterior of your home is one that is an “exterior-grade oil-based” primer. This primer is going to seal any exposed area or bare wood and it will create an moisture and air tight barrier that will be between your paint job and your home. If there are any rough spots it’s recommended that you take a hand sander or just some sand paper and sand down these rough spots before applying the primer.

Trim All Plants and Trees Close to House

If you have any plants that are up against your home you are going to want to make sure that you trim any of the trees, plants, and bushes so that they don’t rub up against the wet paint. You also won’t have to struggle with branches and/or thorns when painting if you trim them back.

All home improvement projects are a good investment if the job is done well. This is why it’s important to make sure that your home is well prepared before applying that paint. It’s always going to be a lot better to put more time and effort in doing the job right because it will ensure that you have a quality job that will last for years.