If you just moved into a new home or have lived there for a few decades, your home should be yours. One way to make your home feel like your own or even to give it a breath of fresh air is to paint the exterior of your home. Giving your home a fresh coat of paint or a new color will make it look at feel better and more beautiful. Undertaking such an endeavor can be stressful with all the prep and planning that goes into it.
Here are ten tips to consider when deciding to paint the outside of your home.
Check the Weather
Whenever you decide to paint your home, ensure that you will have nice weather. If the forecast calls for rain, it will derail your plans, as the rain will wash away your hard work. Find a weekend with clear skies, giving your walls enough time to dry. You will also want to find a day that isn’t too hot, as the heat can make it difficult for the manual labor involved.
Quality Over Price
When choosing your paint, consider high-quality paint over lower-price paint options. Paints with high-quality will last longer and actually save you money in the long run with fewer touch-ups and a more finished look.
Clean First
Paint will not stick to dirt. Make sure that you clean your walls and give them time to dry before applying paint to the surface. Using a power washer or hose to give a good rinse and take a cloth to the harder-to-clean areas will ensure that your walls a prepped for paint.
Repair Any Damaged Parts on the Siding
In addition to cleaning your walls, you must repair any damage to your home. Replace chipped wood on windows, sand down rough patches, and use caulk on cracks to make sure that your walls look beautiful. Repairing your walls will also prevent problems for your home further on down the line.
Cover the Ground
Now that you’ve done the prep work and are ready to lay paint onto the home, you will want to protect your landscape below. Use tarps or old towels to cover the grass and bushes near the edge of your home, as painting verticals could risk dripping paint onto your yard.
Use Primer
Adding a base coat of primer before painting with your main color will maximize the lifetime of your paint, saving you money in the long run. Additionally, primer helps absorb the coats of paint and make it last longer and look more beautiful on your home. Normally, primer is used when the surfaces are new, wood or siding. It is mandatory to use primer for porous surfaces such as brick, and in general primer is highly recommended and will depend on each case and circumstances.
Paint Top to Bottom
Once the primer is dry and you are ready for your first coat, you should start from the top of your home. Working against gravity, the paint will drip down, but working top to bottom will allow you to fix the mistakes later and have the exterior look smoother.
Apply Multiple Coats of Paint
Don’t stop after one coat of paint. Applying at least two coats of paint will ensure that your walls look uniform and remain strong for years. You may need more than two coats depending on the quality of your paint and if you are painting a lighter coat over a darker coat.
Seal Paint Cans
At the end of the day, make sure to seal your paint cans completely. Use a rubber mallet to gently seal the lid back on the can so it remains in good condition to finish your project another day. You can also cover your paint brushes and roller trays in plastic wrap until the end of the project.
Hire a Professional
Painting your entire home can be a daunting task. At 4Walls Painting, we have years of experience painting homes in Roanoke. We work from preparation to clean up and can provide you with an elevated exterior to your home.
Contact us at (844) 837-3314 or by visiting our website.