How to Paint a Home’s Exterior

Much like painting a home’s interior, doing the same to the exterior can seem like a large task. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a professional to get the job done. Following these steps can help anyone give their home’s exterior and curb appeal a fresh new look.

Check the Weather

Depending on how large the home in question is, painting the exterior may take several days. Before starting the project, check the weekly forecast to make sure the weather is going to be good for painting. Sunny days with low wind are the best for outdoor painting, but it’s also best to try to avoid humidity because it can drastically slow down the time it will take for the paint to dry and even change the paint’s texture.

Protect the Surroundings

Paint can be messy, so if there’s anything that can be ruined by a stray splatter, it’s important to protect it. Using tarps can be a good strategy for covering just about anything from flowers and bushes to decks and patio furniture. Just be sure to use something to weigh them down so they don’t get blown away by a stray gust of wind.

Prepare the Surface

Before putting new paint on the home, it’s essential to get rid of the old if it’s peeling. This can be done by chipping it off by hand, using a power washer, or even sanding it off. Even if the old paint is still in good condition, it should be washed beforehand or else the new paint will have difficulty sticking to it.

Once the old paint is out of the way, take the opportunity to look for rotting wood and replace it. Other damage to look for includes holes caused by insects and animals, cracks in siding, and warped wood. Take the necessary steps to fix all these things before continuing on.

Buy the Right Paint

Whenever painting, regardless of where it is, it’s important to buy quality paint. It isn’t necessary to sped a hundred dollars on a single can, though. Many other paints work just as well, if not better than the expensive stuff, for a fraction of the price. Do some research to decide which brand is a good match for the project and budget. Hardware store paint attendants can also offer invaluable opinions when it comes to getting the best paint for the best value.

Prepare the Paint

When working with any large area that will require more than one can of paint, it’s important to pour it all out into a larger bucket and mix it together until well combined. Regardless of whether or not the paint was mixed by man or machine, there can be errors that will affect the color, so mixing the paint beforehand will ensure that the color remains even across the entire project, and there won’t be any areas that are lighter or darker than the rest.

Paint Vertically

Anyone who’s ever painted a wall will be familiar with drips. Painting from the top of the wall and working down to the bottom can help cut down on this, though. When painting vertically, drips can easily be incorporated onto the wall because everything is going in the same direction. When painting horizontally, those drips are going to be harder to hide.

Following these easy steps can help any project look like it was done by a professional. Exterior paint can help any home sell—especially in competitive communities like the East End. For any questions, a hardware store paint attendant will be more than happy to give the best advice possible.